Preventing Chapped Lips

• Exposure to cold weather and wind is one of the most common causes of chapped lips. Protect your lips with lip balm when you go out in cold weather, and make sure to use a lip balm with adequate SPF protection when you go out in the sun. You should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids each day, and consider running a humdifier in your home.
  
  If you use lipstick, apply a protective lip balm underneath your lipstick. Reduce smoking as much as possible. Smoking dries out the skin, making your lips more likely to get chapped.
  
  

Oil-Based Products

• Any gels, balms or lipsticks that contain alcohol will usually make your chapped lips feel even dryer and more painful. Natural remedies work best but there are many alcohol-free products on the market. When you can, use edible ingredients to cure chapped lips. Rubbing a slice of cucumber on your lips, applying neem extract, and using aloe vera gel or duck fat all work well.
  
  

Overnight Treatment

• Overnight is one of the best times to treat your lips because they don't see much action while you are sleeping. Start off by getting rid of all the dead skin on your your lips with a toothbrush or washcloth. Use warm water on your lips to allow them to absorb your lip balm. Really cold or hot water will constrict the skin of your lips, making it harder for the balm to absorb into them. After you gently brush your lips with warm water, apply a thick coating of petroleum jelly onto them. Don't be scared about putting too much, nobody will see you so it does not matter. When you wake up in the morning, wash off the jelly, exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush, and re-apply a thinner coat. You will notice your lips getting softer in just a few days.
  
  

Healthy Diet

• Dry, cracked lips can also be a symptom of Vitamin B-2 deficiency. To combat the problem you need to eat foods rich in riboflavin. These include red meats, dairy products, leafy vegetables and riboflavin-enriched breads and cereals. If you notice cracking at the corners of your mouth, you may suffer from B-2 deficiency and you should consult a doctor.
  
  

Trap in Moisture

• Rub some warm water on your lips to open up the skin. Cover your lips with your lip balm. Rub some more warm water on your lips and apply another layer of lip balm. Do this three or four times. You are trying to trap the warm water inside your lips, keeping them soft all day. After your final layer of lip balm, you should pat your lips with a dry washcloth.
  
  

Maintain Soft Lips

• When your lips are soft and smooth again, make sure to keep them that way. Use a lip balm or petroleum jelly several times a day, and make sure that your lips are always properly protected for the elements.