how to remove dead skin from lips

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Dry, chapped, scaly lips can be a pain to deal with, especially during cold, dry weather. Exfoliation can help remove the dry, dead skin on the surface of your soft lips.^[1] Make flaky lips become moist and plump by gently exfoliating with a scrub or common household items and moisturizing well. You can make excellent exfoliants just from items around the house!

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Try a sugar-based scrub. Mix equal parts olive oil and sugar in a small bowl to get a paste. Stand over your sink so you don't make a mess. Use a clean, soft washcloth to gently massage the mixture onto your lips using a circular motion. Rinse the mixture off with warm, not hot, water – cup your hands and splash water onto your mouth until it's clean. Pat your lips dry and apply petroleum jelly or hydrating lip balm to moisturize your lips.
- You can use white or brown sugar, but not powdered.
- Coconut oil is a tasty alternative to olive oil.^[2]
- The longer (and harder) you rub the mixture on your lips the more intensely it will exfoliate. Do this for about a minute, maximum. Too much exfoliating can make lips sore or chapped.
- Oil-based scrubs are great for dry skin because they're very hydrating.
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Apply a baking soda scrub. Mix baking soda with water to form a gritty paste; you may have to experiment with the ratio. Use a clean washcloth or old toothbrush with soft, straight bristles to rub the paste onto your lips in a gentle, circular motion. Rinse with warm water, gently pat dry, and apply lip balm or petroleum jelly.^[3]
- Baking soda and water do not moisturize your lips at all, so be sure to apply a moisturizing lip balm when you're done.
- This scrub may be a good choice if you have oily skin around your mouth because it's non-greasy.
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Use a honey sugar scrub. Mix 1/3 honey and 2/3 sugar in a small bowl. Apply it to your lips in a circular motion. You can use your finger if you wash your hands first, or a soft toothbrush, clean washcloth, or cotton swab. Leave the paste on for 2-3 minutes. Wash it off with warm water – honey is sticky so it may take a few minutes of washing. Rub your lips gently with a cloth, then moisturize.

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- You can also leave this scrub on overnight if you wish. After you apply the scrub, put a strip of paper towel on your lips and lightly push it down – this will keep the scrub from getting all over your bedding and face. Sleep on your back and keep your head upright. Remove the paper strip in the morning, wash the scrub off, and moisturize your lips well.

1
Use a toothbrush. Take an old toothbrush, preferably one with straight bristles that are very soft, and put a bit of petroleum jelly on it. Rub the toothbrush on your lips in a circular motion. Leave the petroleum jelly on to rehydrate your lips, or apply a little more if most of it gets rubbed off.^[5]
- You can skip the petroleum jelly if you prefer. You'll still get some good exfoliation in if you just use a clean toothbrush.^[6]
- You won't want to use this toothbrush to brush your teeth again. You can save it in a clean dry place to use for exfoliation, but don't contaminate it by using it for other purposes.
- For sensitive lips, try a children's toothbrush. These are usually extra soft.
- If you don't want to use a toothbrush, you can do the same trick with a soft, clean washcloth.
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Exfoliate with lemon juice. Mix a tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of castor oil or glycerin. Apply this to your lips and leave it on for an hour or so. Then, gently rub the mixture off with a soft washcloth wet with warm water. Moisturize as usual. Although some studies support the use of lemon, it may cause an allergenic and irritating effect on the skin.

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- This works well for chapped, dry lips and skin.
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Nourish and soothe with oatmeal. Because of its grainy texture, oatmeal exfoliates well and can effectively absorb and remove dirt and impurities from your skin. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oatmeal with 3 tablespoons (44.4 ml) of warm water or milk, and rub the mixture onto your lips in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes. Afterward, rinse your lips with warm water and then cold water. Although some studies support the use of oatmeal, more research needs to be done to determine whether it is effective.^[8]
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Use rose petals on your lips. Not only does it sound romantic, but using rose petals to exfoliate can moisturize your lips and add some red color to them. Soak some clean rose petals in raw milk for about 3 hours. When the petals are completely soaked, mash them up to make a paste. You can use a mortar and pestle or just the back of a large spoon. Once this is mashed to a paste, apply it to your lips in an even layer.
- This is a gentle exfoliant and moisturizer and may be helpful for sensitive skin.^[9]
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Purchase a premade lip exfoliant. There are many lip scrubs on the market, such as LUSH lip scrub and e.l.f. lip exfoliator. Look for products with natural ingredients like aloe or shea butter, and avoid salicylic acid which can be too harsh. Proceed with caution with new products – use gentle pressure to avoid over-exfoliating.^[10]
- If your lips feel irritated after using a product, stop using it.
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Question

What's the easiest way to exfoliate your lips?

Daniel Vann is the Creative Director for Daredevil Cosmetics, a makeup studio in the Seattle Area. He has been working in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years and is currently a licensed aesthetician and makeup educator.

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Just take a clean toothbrush and move it around your lips for a minute or two. That will exfoliate your lips just fine. Just make sure there isn't any toothpaste on the bristles, since this can damage your lips.
Question

How often should I exfoliate my lips?

Daniel Vann is the Creative Director for Daredevil Cosmetics, a makeup studio in the Seattle Area. He has been working in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years and is currently a licensed aesthetician and makeup educator.

Licensed Aesthetician

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Question

Do I have to do it every day?

Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

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Question

The Honey Sugar Scrub didn't work. What did I do wrong?

Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

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It may not have worked because you didn't need any exfoliation. Were your lips dry or chapped before you tried the honey-sugar scrub? You can also try another method like the baking soda scrub-- that may work better for you. Just remember to be gentle and to moisturize after the exfoliation.
Question

My lips are raw and chapped from rubbing them too long with sugar and oil. What can I put on them to help them heal?

Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

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Use a moisturizing lip balm containing coconut oil, olive oil or coconut oil. You can also try a lip balm with castor oil or beeswax. Or, you can just get one of these and apply it to your lips---gently!
Question

Can I use salt instead of sugar to exfoliate?

Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

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Question

Can I use ground nut oil instead of olive oil?

Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

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Olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil are all safe ingredients to use for lip exfoliation.
Experiment with making flavored lip scrubs with different fruits, such as kiwi, lime, and watermelon.
If your lips feel dry, use chapstick or lip balm. Try not to lick your lips, which dries them out more. It helps to carry a lip balm or moisturizing lipstick with you during the day.^[11]

Do not over-exfoliate your lips. Exfoliating too roughly or too often can leave them dry, sore, and chapped. Exfoliate once a week, or less often if your lips are sensitive.
Don't use a toothbrush or washcloth on dry lips. Always use a scrub or petroleum jelly with gentle, circular exfoliation.

Things You'll Need

Sugar
Water
Olive oil or coconut oil
Honey
Baking soda
An old toothbrush with soft bristles
Petroleum jelly
Lip balm
Clean washcloth
Paper towel

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Article SummaryX

To exfoliate your lips, start by mixing together equal parts olive oil and sugar. Then, use a washcloth to gently scrub the mixture onto your lips, which will help exfoliate them. If you don't have olive oil and sugar, you can use baking soda and water instead. You can also try exfoliating your lips by brushing them with a toothbrush and some petroleum jelly. Whichever method you use, remember to apply some lip balm after so your lips don't get chapped. To learn other kinds of lip scrubs you can make at home, read on!

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