Skin dryness can occur everywhere on the body - especially on areas lacking in oil glands, have high exposure to the sun, living in a cold climate, skin conditions and more. This dryness can be uncomfortable and cause the skin to appear scaly, red and flakey. It is thus important to always hydrate and nourish the skin for healthier skin cells so that the area not only feel comforted, but looks smoother and radiant as well.
Dry, peeling skin around your mouth and lips can be due to many reasons and it is important to treat it correctly to prevent cracked lips and discomfort.
Causes of Dryness around the Mouth
- Lower concentration of oil glands: With less oil glands around the mouth area, as opposed to the nose and forehead, the area around your lips can feel drier and experience higher levels of dehydration.
- Sun exposure: I went to Bali for just 1 week and had significantly drier skin - not just on my face, but my body as well. This is because our skin cells are damaged by exposure to UV rays - thus contribution to dry skin. This can be worsened if you suffer from a sunburn.
- Cold climate: If you live in a country with cold temperates and strong winds, it is inevitable that you experience dry skin. Moisturising the skin with a good face and body cream is essential to replenishing much needed sebum and water in the skin.
- Skin conditions: Dry skin conditions like Angular cheilitis and perioral dermatitis can cause rashes and dryness around the mouth and is common amongst those people who are prone to licking their lips.
- Your lifestyle: Take note of triggers in your lifestyle that may be leading to dry skin around your lips and mouth - lack of good skin care to moisturise the area, drying mouthwash and toothpaste, frequent licking of the lips, smoking and excessive drinking or a lack of water in your diet.
How to Prevent & Treat Dry Skin Around the Mouth?
Prevention is important - and if the area is already dry, good treatment is essential to not only keeping the skin cells healthy but your lip and mouth area looking smooth and hydrated.
- Check your skin care ingredients to ensure that there are no trigger ingredients that could be drying your skin out. This include acid ingredients like retinoids, AHAs, BHAs and sulfates. They could be working other parts of your face but be causing dryness in one localised area. Avoid the mouth area if possible to see if it improves.
- Avoid fragrance and flavours in your lip products - they tend to encourage lip licking subconsciously.
- Use hydrating and healing serums and moisturisers on the dry area consistently to see improvements. Ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin are helpful in repairing the skin barrier and trap moisture in the skin.
- Make sure you're using a good cleanser that is not drying your skin out. One easy way to check is how your skin feels after cleansing - does it feel squeaky clean, or in more extreme cases, slightly hot and spicy? This is a sign that the cleanser is too harsh for your skin and swapping it out for a gentle cleansing is a good idea for both the mouth area, and the rest of your skin.
Here's some products we recommend for treating dry areas around the mouth:
60 Refreshing Cleansing Gel
On contact with water, this gel transforms into a refreshing foam that effectively removes all impurities.
It thoroughly removes all impurities of the day gently (pollutants, dirt, sun filters, etc.) to reveal fresh, revitalized skin at the end of a long day. Perfect for those who prefer refreshing foam textures and is suitable for all skin types without drying the skin out.
160 Sensi'Repair Cream
160 Crème SENSI'REPAIR, with its creamy texture, moisturizes, soothes and nourishes the skin to ensure optimal comfort. It is suitable for those with sensitive skin and require an effective cream to treat dry areas around the mouth.
A combination of innovative active ingredients associated with a complex of probiotics strengthens the skin barrier by acting on the regeneration and renewal of the skin, while maintaining its hydration. The association of Aloe Vera, vegetable oils and shea butter soothes and reduces redness while moisturizing and nourishing the skin.
Day after day, the skin of the face is soothed, de-stressed and more comfortable. Rebalanced and protected, it becomes more resistant and less sensitive to stress and the environment.
260 Hydra Global Cream
A daily source of hydration and energy, unctuous 260 HYDRA’GLOBAL Cream restores the hydrolipidic barrier, protects the skin and ensures optimum comfort. It is a must to treat the dry areas around the mouth, especially if you have dry skin on the rest of your face.
Hydrated continuously right around the clock, nourished and ideally protected, skin is energized and revitalized, its thirst quenched. Smoothed, calmed and supple, it reveals a new radiance.