Why do we have lips?
Scientists and historians believe lips were first evolved to help us eat. Later on, our lip became useful for speech and reproductive purposes.
The first lip product has been around for much longer than you think. Men in Ancient Sumeria started wearing lipstick over 5,000 years ago.
Humans have been dealing with chapped lips forever.
Ancient Egyptians created lip treatment out of animal fat, olive oil, and beeswax as early as 40 BC.
In 1829, a book titled The American Frugal Housewife suggested using earwax on chapped lips.
Thankfully, the invention of vaseline lead to the creation of lip balm. Lip balm was first created in the 1880's to treat chapped lips. (This was also the beginning of Chapstick.
Nowadays, we have plenty of lip moisturizers and masks to choose from. How do we know which ones are better?
Here's everything you need to know about your lips.
Lip Skin
The skin on our lips is slightly different than the rest of our face.
Here are the similarities:
Our lips are an extension of our stratum corneum - or our outermost layer of skin. This means they are also susceptible to aging factors.
A short recap on the stratum corneum: The stratum corneum is about 0.01-0.03 mm thick and is composed of dead skin cells called corneocytes. The corneocytes are held together by cholesterol, ceramides, and fatty acids.
And here are the differences:
Ever wonder why our lips have a red/pink hue?
Our lips have lower density of keratin and melanocytes. Melanocytes are skin cells that produce melanin that give our skin color. These factors make our lips more translucent. The reddish color comes from the blood vessels and capillaries underneath.
Another notable difference in our lips is the absence of glands. Our lips do not sweat or produce oil on their own.
In conclusion: Because our lips are part of the outer layer of skin, they are susceptible to aging.
Due to the lack of glands, our lips are more susceptible to dryness.
In fact, our lips are not able to retain much water and have low skin barrier function.
These two characteristics makes them even more susceptible to aging.
Aging lips
Studies show chronic dryness in our lips is one of the leading factors in aging. Other factors include sun exposure and environmental exposure, such as wind, cold temperatures, and smoking.
The signs of aged lips include:
- thinning lips due to fat and collagen decline
- lose of color due to blood vessel decline
- more visible lip wrinkles and lines
- actinic cheilitis, or chronic lower lip inflammation from UV exposure
One study found lips tend to become visibly aged in our 50's, but the signs can start showing in our 40's.
Lip care
Like our skin, it is best to nourish our lips early on. Our lips tend to be overlooked in the world of skincare. Finding the right lip moisturizers can make a difference down the road.
The good news is our lips don't need special ingredients. Turns out, the ingredients that work for our skin also work for our lips. Remember our lips generally need more hydration than our skin due to the lack of glands.
Ingredients
Lip skincare science isn't all too different from the rest of our skin. Think: skin barrier hydration, nourishment, and function.
All the ingredients that work to improve our skin barrier also works for our lips.
These include:
Humectants attract moisture to your skin. Famous and effective humectants include: (glycerin, betaine, licorice root, and various forms of hyaluronic acid).
Emollients are another type of moisturizing ingredient. These form a thin barrier on your skin to prevent moisture from escaping. Great emollients include: Green tea extract, squalane, oat extract, and plant oils.
Besides hydrating ingredients, be on the lookout for nourishing and strenghtening ingredients too.
Peptides and ceramides help support our skin and lip structures. Our skin uses essential fatty acids as building blocks. Fatty acids also help nourish our skin, lending to a healthier complexion. Antioxidants protect our skin from harmful free-molecules.
Remember, it is best to incorporate UV protection into our lip care when heading outdoors.
Lip Products
Just like the rest of our face, our lips are aging. And just like skincare, lips are best taken care of preemptively. After all, it is easier to protect now than treat later!
Ready to find your perfect lip product? Check out the most loved lip moisturizers and masks by SkinSort users today.
Extra stuff
Here are some extra things to note in regards to your lip products.
One study found dried-out lip balm to attract more bacteria. This is due to the formula becoming more hydrophobic when dry. It is best to be careful when using lip balms long term.
You might have heard of the study that found trace lead in lip products. The study in China found trace lead in lip products popular in the e-commerce market. Yet, the trace lead was below the limit set by policy.
Another study in Saudi Arabia found trace amounts of metals in cosmetics. These levels were also below the allowed amount.
Both studies suggest increasing awareness but imply there is nothing to worry about it.
Continue Learning
Do you need a refresher on some key skincare terms?
Here at SkinSort, we believe education is the critical key to leveling up your skincare game.
All about your skin barrier and why it's important to keep healthy.
Get up-to-date with sunscreen ingredients.
Or check out what SPF and popular sunscreen labels mean.
