Winter is coming…. ’tis the season for lipbalm….

Guy Fawkes is over, Christmas adverts are on the TV, it can only mean one thing – winter is coming. There is definitely a chill in the air. As the temperature drops outside, it rises inside as central heating systems are ignited to keep us warm during the colder months. This does however start to take its toll on our skin, especially on our lips. They are the first place to show signs of dehydration and chapping – ’tis the season of lipbalm indeed.

Just make sure when you’re reaching for that gorgeous balm to lather across your pout, that it is one full of goodness to nourish and protect. NO PETROLEUM!!

Petroleum is such a common ingredient in many balms on the market, however it might not be actually helping your weather worn lips. Granted it might feel nice, instant relief in fact, but that be all. Petroleum cannot penetrate down through your skin so therefore will not actually moisturise. It acts like a barrier – nothing can get in and nothing can get out. It could actually make your lips worse. I meet so many people who get caught in the cycle of constantly applying their balm. It feels good for a short space of time but is in fact drying them out more, so they have to apply more soon after and so on…. I have this conversation SO often!

Choose balms with things like coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax and argan oil – nature’s solution to chapped lips!

Some of my favourites at the moment include Ren’s Vita Mineral Lip Balm. This is a new product that feels great on the lips, a good thick rich balm that you could use on numerous other places too. I also like the whole range from Hurraw – there are too many flavours to choose from but at less than £4 you can justify getting more than one! Raw, vegan, organic, fairtrade, black cherry, vanilla – need I say more?? I also love Intelligent Nutrients Antioxidant Gloss – OK not technically a balm but good enough to eat, literally, and packed full of a long list of lip feeding ingredients.