Lip care is an important step in skin care.
Knowing that your lips are one of the first areas of your face to show signs of aging might encourage you to use lip balm more often.
Your lips may develop troublesome fine lines, loss of volume, blurred lip contours and pigment changes.
The skin on the lips is thinner than other parts of the body, making them particularly susceptible to the effects of aging.
This makes your lips more susceptible to damage from environmental factors like UV rays and pollutants.
And unlike the rest of your skin, your lips don’t have oil glands, so they can’t produce the natural oils that keep them moisturized.
Read more anti-aging tips
This can make your skin more susceptible to dryness and irritation, making you look older.
We may not realize it, but many anti-aging gurus do.
Recommended tips from Cat James
Professional makeup artist Cat James is one of them: she isn’t letting her lips fall victim to the effects of aging.
She’s still got juicy lips even at 51.
It’s all down to her carefully considered lip care routine and eschewing matte formulas that can accentuate fine lines or be unnecessarily dry.
Kat revealed all to Fabulous, sharing her obsession with exfoliating and moisturising her lips to prevent them from aging.
“Lips that have wrinkles and texture need a little extra care,” she says.
“The first step to achieving a smoother, more supple appearance is to exfoliate the area around your lips.
“A favourite with professional make-up artists is French brand Typology’s L38 – Resurfacing Lip Peel 2% Mandelic Acid + Pomegranate Enzymes (£23.90).”
“This lip peel is concentrated with exfoliating active ingredients that remove dead cells and regenerate the surface of your lips.
“The result is softer, smoother and fuller lips.”
When it comes to makeup, Kat never wears matte lipstick close to her lips.
“When it comes to lipstick, if you have wrinkles on your lips, it’s best to avoid matte products,” she says.
“Instead, use a tinted balm or gloss to make your lips look smooth and soft.”
Additionally, balms and glosses have moisturizing properties that help keep your lips hydrated, helping to reduce the signs of aging.
The importance of sunscreen in skin care
Dermatologist and skincare enthusiast Andrea Suarez, AKA Dr. Dray, reveals why you should wear sunscreen.
Andrea stressed that what makes the biggest difference – and this applies to all ages – is protecting your skin from the sun.
“Most of the visible aging is due to UV exposure,” she continued, “and not because you’re using fancy serums or layering 90 different things on your face every day.”
“If you’re not doing it in your 20s, start now.”
But Andrea says that using sunscreen alone isn’t enough: in addition to limiting your exposure to the sun, she also recommends wearing protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves.
Doing this throughout your life, all year round, not just in summer or on sunny days, “will reduce the visible signs of photoaging,” Andrea says.
These are wrinkles, pigmentation disorders and sagging skin.
