How To Get Soft Lips: 9 Expert-Backed Tips For A Smooth, Kissable Pout

No matter the season, keeping my lips soft and supple is a constant struggle (frequent lip picker, here; anyone else?). And as those with a perennially dry pout know, a mere lip balm is not enough to prevent the chap. Do I have a trusted tube lurking in every corner of my apartment? Absolutely. But sometimes, you just need to pamper the lips with something extra. 

Hydration works twofold: You'll want to coat the lips with hydrating ingredients and make sure you get enough water (the first sign of dehydration is often dry lips, in case you're unaware). Studies have even shown that adequate amounts of water can increase the dermal thickness of the skin1—including the lips. 

In terms of hydrating ingredients to swipe on, look for emollients that build up the skin barrier, such as fatty acids, butters, and oils. Humectants are great, but you might not want to use them as your sole moisturizer: "Lip balms that contain only humectant ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, can actually make lips more dry because they attract moisture, and if the air is very low in humidity, then they can pull moisture out of the skin, and then the moisture evaporates away," board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D., told mbg about healing lip cracks. 

Remember when we said your lip area is one of the first to show dehydration? Well, it's one of the first to show signs of aging, too: Because the skin there is so thin, it can literally deflate when the skin's structural integrity declines over time.

If you're dealing with painful chaps, take a peek at your ingredient lists: Some products may include drying or irritating players that can make cracked lips worse. "Avoid menthol, camphor, and phenol as ingredients in lip balms because they can dry out the lips. They are initially cooling and soothing, but they evaporate quickly, and you will need to reapply if you aren't using good emollients and occlusives," King says.

"Any alcohol ingredient will also be drying to the lips. And salicylic acid can be irritating in a lip balm. It is sometimes added as an exfoliant—to help remove dry flaky skin from your lips, but the lips are sensitive, and repeated use will likely lead to irritation," she continues. "Lip balms designed to plump the lips often contain cinnamon oil or peppermint oil, and these ingredients can also cause irritation." 

As a fellow lip picker, I know this is easier said than done. But do your best to refrain from manually peeling—even those dry, dead flakes of skin. "This delicate skin won't heal if the dry parts are continually picked off: The dead skin needs to stay on until the new skin underneath is ready to be exposed," says King. 

This tip is for the parched pouts among us (like, if your lips wither up seconds after swiping on a balm). To truly deliver moisture, you'll want to layer your lip care. 

See, if you're partial to a wax or oil product, you're not delivering any moisture—you're just coating the skin with the occlusive. To really hydrate the lips, layer a water-based hydrator first, then top with your wax or oil-laden pick. It's a similar logic to your skin care routine: Say, if you use a humectant serum (like hyaluronic acid), you'll want to apply a moisturizer or oil to keep all that hydration locked inside. 

"Cover your mouth when outside in the elements," says King. "Cold air and wind will be particularly drying for the lips, so it is helpful to cover them with a scarf to protect them." (Or, you know, with your mask.) 

Again, the skin on your lips is super thin and sensitive, especially if you overuse exfoliating ingredients. So if you use potent actives during your skin care routine (retinoids, AHAs or BHAs, and the like), the fragile skin around your lips may suffer.