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Like cute ankle booties and cozy scarves, there are some things that inevitably come out every fall. One of our favorite essentials? Chapstick.
Lip balm is a must-have in the fall. The air gets crisper and our skin gets dryer. So it is imperative to keep lips hydrated and healthy.
But as it turns out, not all chapsticks are created equally. In fact, there is one ingredient that actually makes things so much worse… and it’s one of the most popular lip balm ingredients out there.
If you like minty chapstick, you might want to rethink things. The mint flavor is usually achieved from menthol, and according to dermatologist Erum Ilyas, MD, MBE, FAAD, lip balms made with menthol can cause more harm than good.
Dr. Ilyas told SheFinds, “Menthol gives a cooling sensation when applied and gives people the impression that their product is getting to work.This sensation is more of a marketing effect and less reflects an actual effect of the product.
“Patients often get ‘addicted’ to need this sensation to ‘feel’ like their product is working or do not think a product is effective if they do not feel the tingle! Menthol has been shown to contribute to some drying or irritation with long term use.”
As the weather gets colder, it becomes increasingly important to keep your lips hydrated the right way. And using menthol-based lip balm has the opposite effect.
“As the weather gets cooler and drier, the thin skin of the lips tends to dry out faster than the rest of our skin,” Dr. Ilyas said. “The lips can look dry, cracked, peeling and raw in some areas. It can be really sore and uncomfortable.”
Dr. Ilyas advised us to look for lip balms made with vitamin E or almond oil, or even using petroleum jelly in place of chapstick.
