No one likes dry, flaky lips that hurt when you smile, sometimes leading to cracks or bleeding. Dry lips are an issue everyone goes through. Sometimes, even chapsticks aren’t enough to moisturize in today’s arid climates.
One way to get your shiny, healthy lips back is to exfoliate. There are many great ways to exfoliate, ranging from scrubs to chemical exfoliators, that can easily eliminate your lips’ flaky skin. However, buying them can be an added expense to your daily skin regimen, and they’re often forgotten, gathering dust on your vanity.
Sounds familiar? Here’s where this clever exfoliating hack comes in. Brushing your lips! That’s right. You can brush your lips just like you brush your teeth. However, is it okay to brush your lips? This blog will discuss whether lip brushing is safe, the potential risks, and how to do it without damaging your skin.
Is It Good to Brush Your Lips with a Toothbrush?
Yes, brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush is an effective way to exfoliate your lip’s delicate skin. It can prevent issues like chapping and dryness that lead to bleeding lips.
However, it’s essential to avoid over-exfoliation by using a light hand and brushing only for a short time. Additionally, brushing your lips might not work if there are other issues causing dryness.
Colgate adds that dry lips could be linked to cosmetic allergies, trauma, or health conditions. In these cases, brushing your lips might make the dryness worse.
What Does Brushing Your Lips with Toothpaste Do?
Many people brush their lips as part of their daily toothbrushing routine. They might use toothpaste as a surfactant to help remove dry skin. However, this can lead to irritation, redness around the mouth, or even more dryness.
Care Dermatology’s expert dermatologist, Dr.Tarek Shaath, MD, FAAD, explains, “Toothpaste is formulated to safely clean teeth. However, it may cause sensitivity or allergic reactions if used on the skin. This is because most commercial toothpaste contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and strong essential oils, which can cause dryness or allergies for some people.”
It’s best to avoid using toothpaste on your toothbrush to exfoliate your lips; a hydrating oil or moisturizer is safer. Moreover, it’s recommended to have a separate toothbrush for this purpose. Using your regular toothbrush to exfoliate lips can risk contact dermatitis, allergies, and bacterial contamination.
Does Brushing Your Lips with a Toothbrush Make Them Pinker?
Brushing your lips can eliminate unpleasant dry skin and reveal smoother, healthier lips. You might notice your lips becoming pink due to the increased blood circulation. This effect is temporary and fades after some time.
You can improve your lip color by practicing a regular lip care routine that moisturizes and exfoliates. Healthline says exfoliating and using cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E can help maintain a healthy lip color.
Steps to Brush Your Lips Safely
If you want to try brushing your lips to exfoliate them, you must know how to do it without damaging your lips’ sensitive skin. Here are the steps to exfoliating your lips effectively with a toothbrush.
Soft-bristled Toothbrush
It’s essential to use a toothbrush without rough or hard bristles. A soft, densely bristled toothbrush reduces the chances of damage or contact dermatitis while exfoliating effectively.
Moisten Your Lips
Don’t go in on your lips dry. You must wet your lips with lukewarm water. Alternatively, you can use a lip balm to protect your lips while brushing.
Apply an Exfoliant
A gentle exfoliating substance like coconut oil can moisturize your lips while aiding dry skin removal. You can also add gentle abrasives like coffee grounds or baking soda for improved exfoliation.
Gently Brush
Use small circular motions and gently brush your lips. Do not exceed 30 seconds. Don’t use aggressive movements, as you could over-exfoliate.
Rinse and Moisturize
Use warm water to rinse off the dry skin and excess debris. Immediately apply a moisturizing lip balm or cream to soothe your skin.
Takeaway
Dry and chapped lips give an unkempt look and can ruin facial aesthetics. Moreover, severely chapped lips can lead to severe skin conditions. Dr. Shaath adds, “Extremely chapped lips can develop cheilitis, which is trademarked by inflammation, sores, and sensitivity around the lips.” Hence, you must prioritize exfoliation as part of your daily routine.
Your lips could use a little help scrubbing off the dead skin. You can have healthy, smooth, and comfortable lips by dedicating just a few seconds of your daily routine to exfoliating with a brush.
