The harshness winter affects hair, skin and health, and the lips are no exception. It is common to experience chapped and dry lips as the cold weather and dry climate sets in, and in more severe cases or if left uncared for, can cause lips to crack and bleed — not great when mistletoe could potentially add some fun to your winter season! Here are some tips on caring for lips to keep them soft in winter. 1. Moisturise Use some form of lip balm to keep the lips moisturised. If you want a glossy finish, there are plenty of oil based ones or ones which contain petroleum jelly which have that effect. Otherwise, there are more understated ones on the market which are suitable which keep the lips soft. It is important that you do not choose one which is too thick, or settle for cream that is designed for other parts of the body, as the lips are not as absorbent as skin. It is fine to wear lip stick but just ensure that you have a nice layer of lip balm on before you apply. 2. Things to avoid There are a few things you can do to avoid making your lips worse or to work against the efforts you are putting in to keep them soft and crack free. Firstly, try and avoid licking your lips too much. Although this is a natural instinct when they feel dry, this makes it worse. You are better off reapplying lip balm frequently. Another thing to avoid is to peel the dead skin which is especially hard to resist when you can feel the skin already peeling off. This will make the lips uneven and sore. Just try and keep them as moisturised as possible. If your lips are flaky and it is irritating you, wet a soft towel with warm water, and gently rub it on your lips in circular motions — this will remove dead skin. 3. Exfoliate Just as you exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin, your lips can benefit a great deal from exfoliating. You can do this inexpensively and at home. One way is the warm towel technique as mentioned above. Another is to get some face cream which should be slightly thicker in consistency, and mix with a small amount of sugar. The texture you want to create is that of wet sand, so add the cream or sugar as required. Apply this to the lips, using your fingers to rub the mixture over them, and after a few minutes, wash off, dry and moisturise. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11