Our lips are an integral part of our face and yet they often go neglected. We’re sometimes so busy focusing on decreasing the appearance of forehead lines or crow’s feet that we completely forget that our lips need some attention too. But here’s the thing: Lips should be exfoliated and moisturized and even masked just like the rest of the face. And don’t forget that lips can also develop wrinkles and succumb to the noticeable effects of time. If you’re reading this and realizing that you haven’t really done much for your lips beyond the occasional swipe of Chapstick, it may be time to develop a lip care routine to protect your lips from the visible signs of aging.

Lips are different than other parts of our skin. Like the eye area, they are much more delicate. They tend to flake and dry up much faster than, say, the skin on our cheeks or chin. Lips can develop wrinkles like your forehead, but often much faster and earlier than you’d like. If you’re a smoker or someone with the habit or pursing her lips, those wrinkles can form even sooner. Dehydrated lips can also look rather shrivelled or develop cracks. Even its natural colour can sometimes be affected.

A proper lip care routine will include exfoliation, moisturizing and the occasional use of a lip mask. If this sounds like too much, just think of all that you do for your facial skin and realize that your lips deserve the same amount of care.

1. USE SPF DURING THE DAY

If you’re applying sunscreen to your face and body, but forgoing your lips, you might want to reassess. Lips need sunscreen to prevent them from drying out and becoming chapped and flaky. With proper SPF protection, you can rest assured that your lips are safe. Choose lip treatments and balms that already include SPF in their formulations. Image Skincare’s RONERT MD Restoring Collagen Lip Enhancer SPF 15 is the perfect choice for a lip treatment that has SPF among other excellent ingredients (which we’ll explore more in-depth in a bit). You can also try PREVENTION+® daily defence lip enhancer SPF 15.

2. EXFOLIATE!

Regular exfoliation of skin boosts cell turnover and improves the appearance of rough texture. Think of how rough your feet would look if you never exfoliated while indulging in a pedicure. Of course the skin on your feet and the skin on your lips are completely different from one another, but the truth stands that exfoliation is important almost everywhere. Exfoliation can also greatly help remove flakiness from chapped lips in a much gentle manner. Also, please note that it is possible to over-exfoliate lips. This can lead to excess irritation that can be quite unpleasant. Don’t exfoliate your lips more than twice a week, and always follow up with a replenishing, nourishing balm or mask.

3. USE A REPLENISHING LIP TREATMENT AT NIGHT

Nighttime is the perfect time to indulge in a lip mask. A lip mask is basically like a balm that has an extra dose of hydration to help visibly restore the contours of your lips and plump them up more effectively than a regular lip balm. Think of a lip mask as not so different from a sheet mask for your face – its job is to inject a mega dose of hydration and moisture so you wake up with a much smoother, softer-looking pout.

The RONERT MD balm includes marine collagen filling spheres to enter into cracks and lines and make them appear plump, and it includes a peptide helps promote the overall look of volume. Lips can look slightly fuller and more nourished upon waking in the morning. Additionally, the ORMEDIC Lip Enhancement Complex actively works to hydrate and nourish in order to visually improve the appearance of lip contours. In easier-to-understand terms, it makes lips look plumper and softer.