beauty

Have Cracked, Dry Lips This Winter? A Derm Shares The Lip Balm Ingredients That Make It Worse & Lead To 'Irritated Lips,' Plus What To Do Instead For 'Moisture'

January 31, 2025 by Mariam Qayum
shefinds | beauty

During the winter months, dry, chapped lips become a common struggle due to cold air, harsh winds, and indoor heating stripping away moisture. While lip balms seem like the perfect solution, some ingredients can actually make dryness worse, leading to irritation and discomfort.

Many people are left wondering why their lip balms fail to deliver the promised relief, leaving them with cracked, irritated lips instead.

Dr. Adel, a dermatologist who specializes in skin and hair, recently shared the ingredients to watch out for plus some helpful steps that will fix your chapped pout troubles. Read on to get all her insights.

The Worst Lip Balm Ingredients That Dry Out Your Lips

Dr. Adel says, “Any lip balm that contains menthol or camphor is basically going to be making your dry lips much worse.”

Menthol and camphor have a cooling or tingling effect that may feel soothing at first but can lead to further irritation. They are known to eventually strip away natural moisture, causing lips to become even drier and more prone to cracking and over time.

She adds that these ingredients are going to lead to “your skin feeling more irritated, which means that your skin feels drier.”’ This causes that urge to keep applying more product, which eventually leads to further dryness; it’s an endless “irritating” cycle!

Feel The Love This Valentine's Day With Our Editor's Top Picks For Him & Her!
vaseline

What To Do Instead

So, what should you use instead? She suggests to just apply a “small layer of hyaluronic acid and then seal that all in with a layer of Vaseline.” This is because hyaluronic acid is known to “draw moisture into your skin.”

The Vaseline will act as an “inclusivity.” It will also stop your skin “from losing moisture” due to environmental reasons.

Author:

Editorial Assistant

Mariam is an Editorial Assistant at SheFinds, covering everything from celebrity fashion to health and wellness. A true city girl at heart, she splits her time between New York and Philly, bringing that hustle and creativity wherever she goes. With a resume packed with internships and editorial roles, she's built a solid expertise in the field. When she's not writing, pitching, or obsessing over the latest TikTok trends, you can find her hanging with family, cooking up something delicious, or dreaming about her next travel adventure. You can reach Mariam at mariam@shefinds.com.

From Our Partners

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

From Our Partners

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

beauty

Your Six-Step Skincare Routine For Glowy, Glass Skin

If your TikTok FYP looks like the inside of a ...

beauty

Want Lush, Voluminous Lashes? This Must-Have Serum Makes It Happen Naturally!

Long eyelashes are my sister's pride and joy, but ...

beauty

This Award-Winning Face Oil Calms Redness & Zaps Pimples Fast (Yes Please!)

After going through a rough patch a couple years ago, ...

beauty

6 Of The Best Under-Eye Wrinkle Treatments Recommended For Anti-Aging

Your skin is thinnest right around your eyes. Because of ...

LOAD MORE
+
LOAD MORE POSTS