So this is what happened…
Eating food that contains Chilli Powder + Skin Allergic Reaction + Hives/ Red Bumps on my lips = ?
Hazard a guess… No lipstick for Ms. Mara 🙁
However, after undergoing an intensive lips care regiment after the initial allergic symptoms had subsided, my lips are back to new after two weeks.
If you want to know the exact lip care regiment, carry on reading!
- Do not touch the inflamed red bumps
I know it’s difficult, trust me I know, especially as these fuckers are ON YOUR LIPS!
But the more you aggravate the red bumps; the faster it spreads; the slower the healing process and the shitter you feel – so please don’t touch. I can’t stress how important this is.
- Hydration
When the itching has diminished and it’s not inflamed anymore ( i.e. red bumps aren’t evident only flesh coloured bumps), then the next plan of attack is hydration. Moisture really should be your best friend when dealing with dry, chapped lips. My personal favourites are coconut oil, shea butter and good old Vaseline! The fatty acids in coconut oil ( Caprylic, Lauric and Capric) are known to reduce inflammation internally and externally. These moisturising benefits make coconut oil one of the best solutions for any type of skin conditions.
Shea Butter is next on my list. Not only is shear butter moisturising but it smooths the skin! Did you know the oleic, stearic, palmitic and linolenic acids protect the skin from drying out and aids in the skin’s natural collagen production? So make sure you grab some shea butter asap! But remember not all shea butters are created equally – they have different grades.
Grade A shea butter retains the most natural vitamins as it’s raw and unrefined. Grade B is classed as refined and Class C as highly refined (basically Class C is a shit version of B and an even shitter version of A)
Last but not least is Vaseline – this is truly a ‘wonder-woman’ jelly. It soothes chapped lips; aids in treating minor wounds like scratches and forms a protective barrier on the skin’s surface to prevent germs re-infecting the surface.
So I normally put coconut oil on my lips, followed by shea butter and then put Vaseline over the oil and butter to lock everything in.
- Exfoliation
Only when you start to see a 75% improvement, i.e soft, less chapped and dead skin on your lips is evident, THAT’s when you exfoliate. There is no need to waste your money on a lip exfoliation kit when you can make it quickly in your kitchen. All you need is some brown or white sugar, honey and coconut oil.
Apply this softly on the lips and use a circular motion getting the product on the lips. Afterwards, use lukewarm water (or cold water if lips are slightly tender) to wash away the sugar mix.
- Hydration
Yupp, my lovely readers – more moisture after exfoliation – pile it on!
- Follow this routine
Routine is key for seeing any results – for example if you constantly eat well and exercise; you are bound to have a fitter physique. Likewise, constant hydration and exfoliation will put the bounce back in your lips…
If you have used this regiment to get back your luscious lips, please let me know in comments and see you in my next post.
xx