1. Exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush
Most often, the first place you should turn to when looking for answers is a good homemade solution; in the case of skin and lip care, there’s nowhere better to start than with exfoliation. Like the rest of your body and face, your lips build up dead skin particles; these reflect less light than the rest of your lips, and may have the effect of making your lips look smaller. Using a toothbrush and lightly scrubbing in small, circular motions for two minutes will remove the excess skin matter, leaving your lips looking brighter, and feeling softer.
2. Apply a DIY exfoliating mix
If you’re looking for a perfect, simple homemade exfoliator for your lips, a basic mixture of brown sugar and honey is just the thing for adding radiance and moisture. First, get a teaspoon of brown sugar, then proceed to slowly add the honey until there is enough to make a thick paste. Once this easy mixture is prepared, dab it with a washcloth and rub your lips in a gentle, circular motion. The grainy texture of the sugar will scrub away the dead flakes, and the beneficial chemical properties of the ingredients will give your lips a more radiant shine.
- Coconut and olive oil work in the place of honey for this mixture, if you have a supply or preference favouring one over the other.
- Apply some unscented lip balm after you’ve cleaned off the paste. This will help immediately soften your lips post-exfoliation.
3. Try a baking soda mix
If you’re looking for another DIY exfoliator to work with, try adding a small amount of water to a teaspoon of baking soda. Baking soda ranks among the most versatile home ingredients out there, and its benefits can be geared to apply to lip care as well. Making and using a baking soda mix follows a similar method to the coconut oil:
4. Rub some cinnamon on your lips
Beyond its granular texture (which helps to exfoliate in much the same manner as brown sugar) cinnamon has chemical properties that stimulate blood flow, making your lips naturally fuller. Keep in mind, however, that cinnamon’s spicy properties will agitate any open sores, so it’s not recommended if you have any healing in progress around the lips and mouth. To follow through with this:
- First put some Vaseline on your lips, and rub it around until it evenly covers your lips.
- Next, apply some cinnamon to your lips; the Vaseline will make the cinnamon stick.
- Rub the cinnamon around so that it has a chance to cover the entire surface of your lips, and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Afterwards, wipe it away with a damp washcloth. Following this, you’ll find your lips plumper, and looking more colourful than before.