The balm is in your pocket, you reapply it every hour, and yet your lips stay rough, with those little flakes you want to pick off. In winter, it is often less a question of how much balm you use than of which balm you choose, and of a few habits.
In short
Chapped lips in winter are lips losing water faster than they can hold on to it, because of dry air, cold and the saliva we put on them without thinking. Choose a simple balm with no fragrance or flavouring, rich in film-forming ingredients (petroleum jelly, shea butter, dimethicone), reapply it several times a day and before sleep, and stop licking your lips. If nothing improves within 2 to 3 weeks, or if there is a sore that will not close, you need medical advice.
Why do my lips chap in winter?
Because cold, dry air, outdoors and in a heated home, dries out their surface faster. The skin of the lips is thin and permanently exposed: unlike your hands, it does not spend the winter in gloves, and unlike the rest of your face, we often forget to protect it.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) also notes that lips can chap for reasons other than dry weather: an allergic reaction to a product, for example. That is why the balm itself is among the suspects when your lips don’t improve.
If it is your whole face that feels tight, the causes and habits are detailed in skin that feels tight in winter: they are often the same.
Why does licking your lips dry them out?
Because saliva evaporates and takes surface water with it. The AAD explains it simply: licking gives a feeling of moisture at the time, but as the saliva evaporates, the lips become drier. It is a vicious circle: the tighter they feel, the more you lick them, and the tighter they feel.
The AAD dermatologists also advise stopping biting them and picking off the little flakes, which irritate the lips and slow the return to comfort. The replacement habit: when the urge to lick arrives, put on balm instead. Finally, they recommend avoiding holding metal objects, paperclips or jewellery, between your lips, as these can irritate them.
Which lip balm should you choose when your lips are chapped?
A balm that forms a film and contains nothing irritating. The AAD draws up two lists. The table brings them together.
| To look for on the label | To avoid on chapped lips |
|---|---|
| Petroleum jelly (petrolatum), mineral oil | Camphor, eucalyptus, menthol |
| Shea butter, castor oil, hemp oil | Flavourings: cinnamon, citrus, mint |
| Ceramides, dimethicone | Fragrance |
| Mineral filters: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide | Salicylic acid, phenol |
| Labels saying “fragrance-free” and “hypoallergenic” | Lanolin, octinoxate, oxybenzone, propyl gallate |
Two remarks on this list. First, a cooling or tingling sensation is not a sign that it works: according to the AAD, a product that burns, stings or tingles irritates the lips, and you should stop using it. Second, lanolin, often cited for dry facial skin, is on the list of ingredients the AAD advises avoiding on the lips: what suits the cheeks does not always suit the mouth. For the rest of your face, the ingredient families are explained in winter face cream: how to choose.
How do you apply your balm so it lasts?
Often, and always before sleep. The AAD advises applying a lip balm or lip care product several times a day and at bedtime. For very dry, cracked lips, it recommends a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly, explaining that an ointment holds water longer than waxes or oils.
A few habits help:
- a generous layer in the evening: this is when the balm stays in place longest, with no meals or drinks over it;
- a humidifier in the bedroom, which the AAD suggests mainly if you breathe through your mouth at night;
- drinking enough: chapped lips are dry lips, and the AAD counts hydration among its tips;
- not rubbing the little flakes: with a balm applied regularly, they end up coming away on their own.
Do you need a scrub? It is not an AAD tip for chapped lips. On cracked skin, rubbing adds irritation: if you want a face exfoliant, keep it away from the mouth area, and reread the difference between AHA and BHA before choosing.
Do you need a balm with SPF in winter?
Yes, as soon as you spend time outdoors. The AAD recommends a balm rated 30 or higher before you go out, even in winter, reapplied every 2 hours when you are outside, and preferably with mineral filters (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). It points out that sun burns already-chapped lips more easily, and that sunburn on the lips can trigger a cold sore in people prone to them.
On their sunscreen FAQ page, the same dermatologists advise a lip balm or lipstick containing a filter rated 30 or higher. In the mountains, where snow reflects a large share of the UV, this is even more true: the suitable routine is in sunscreen for skiing and the mountains.
When should you show your lips to a professional?
When simple habits are not enough, or when something doesn’t look like ordinary chapping. The AAD states that with these habits a clear improvement is expected within 2 to 3 weeks, and advises seeing a dermatologist if not: causes other than dry weather exist, such as an allergy or an infection.
The MSD Manuals list infections, sun damage, irritant substances and allergy among the causes of lip inflammation, and point out that cracks at the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis) can be linked to an infection. They also state that a lesion with hard edges on a lip should be examined.
In practical terms, show your lips to a doctor, a dermatologist or a pharmacist if:
- the discomfort lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks despite a suitable balm;
- a crack bleeds, will not close or keeps coming back in the same place;
- the corners of your mouth stay cracked and red;
- an area stays permanently dry and scaly, or a small sore will not go away;
- your lips swell, burn or itch after a product: stop it first.
Your face routine matters too: the free skin quiz asks you a few questions about your skin, your life and your budget, and builds a winter routine that takes them into account.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for chapped lips to feel comfortable again?
With the right habits (a simple balm several times a day, an ointment in the evening, no more licking), the AAD says a clear improvement is expected within 2 to 3 weeks. Beyond that, the AAD advises seeing a dermatologist.
Is petroleum jelly enough for chapped lips?
For very dry, cracked lips, it is exactly what the AAD advises: a thick ointment such as white petroleum jelly, which holds water longer than waxes or oils. It contains no sun filter: outdoors, a balm rated 30 or higher takes over.
Why does my lip balm make me feel I always need more?
Several balms contain ingredients that the AAD advises avoiding on chapped lips, such as menthol, camphor or mint and citrus flavourings. They can irritate. If you keep reapplying with no result, try a fragrance-free, flavour-free balm for a few days.
Do chapped lips affect the area around the mouth too?
Yes, the skin around the lips can feel tight too, especially if you lick them often. A richer cream or a balm around the edge helps. However, cracked, red corners of the mouth that persist deserve medical advice: the MSD Manuals note that an infection can be the cause.