Viva Challenge: sunscreen around your lips
While I had earlier questioned the intent of the criticism from the Cotter about my skin, I did appreciate the highlight on my lips because it’s true I don’t protect them very well. Her comment made me think about giving my lips more protection as the lip balms and lipsticks I use are not always loaded with SPF. In addition, I sometimes use lip gloss, which can actually reflect UV rays and lead to sun damage.
And a timely article at the Allure Blog pointed out that the vermilion – that raised ridge around the lips – is most affected because of this. To counter this, dermatologist Heidi A. Waldorf is said to have suggested dabbing a broad-spectrum SPF 30 face sunscreen onto the ridge our mouth, and protecting the rest of your lips with an SPF 15 or higher lip product every day.
Apply sunscreen to the ridge of your mouth
So I invite those who have neglected their lips like me to start applying your sunscreen around the ridge of your mouth. I’ve started doing this since using Marie-Veronique Organics Creme de Soleil because it’s so lightweight. I will also be looking into applying a lip product with SPF more diligently and I’ll most certainly try to avoid applying shiny lip gloss on sunny days.
***
You’ve come to the last of the first series of Viva Challenge. We’ll take a break before a second series is introduced later. I hope the challenges have been meaningful for you so far and that you have tried your hands at some of them. Meanwhile, stay tuned at Viva Woman for my other posts on skin care tips, product reviews and DIY quick fixes!
Related posts
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Thanks for opening my eyes on this, come to think of it, I kept on complaining about my dry lips, but do I really take care of it? Nah..I skipped balms many times and I’ve always been a lip gloss user!!!
Nikki: Ya, sometimes there are some places that we just neglect…
I think I should start using my Stila Hi Shine Lip Color SPF20 more often from now. Most of my lip products have no SPF.
Vonvon: I think some of those with SPF comes with a weird taste/smell too.
I am so so keen to try the MV sunscreen but it’s not available here in Singapore. The price is so steep as well. Anyway what’s the difference between the ‘Jour’ and ‘Soleil’?
Happy Feet: Last I checked, Jour seems to be more plant based without usage of emu oil. Their ingredients is about the same but Soleil has got slightly more like pearl powder, neroli hydrosol which are great for repairing the skin.
You know, come to think of it, I have almost completely lost the coloration in MY lipline since I was in my 40’s! This information makes me wonder if this loss of pigmentation (in both our lips and skin!), which seems to hit as we grow older (I’m 55 now) could be prevented if we made sure of having SPF in our lipbalm and other facial care products from an early age! It is already too late for me, but perhaps starting to be careful to do this early could be helpful to your younger readers.
Sherry: Unfortunately the education on sunscreen didn’t come up until recent years…plus we didn’t have the benefit of this thing call Internet during our younger days!
Cool. I never knew the raised area around our lips had a name. Thankfully, when I apply my sun screen, my lips gets covered too.
The nivea lipbalm I use has spf… Yay! I think SPF15 but best of all, no weird smell!
Ms Blacklace: Read some raves on the nivea lipbalm but never tried…maybe should try one soon.
hehehehe i have a tube of banana boat spf15 lip balm…but..it is seldom on my lips too. ooop
prettybeautiful: Same here…don’t always use those with SPF.
Hi…i do that….But wearing sunscreen makes me sweat like a pig…
Babysaffron: Ah…then perhaps you want to read about my latest foray into Heliocare which are oral sun protectant. Or choose formulations that are lightweight and non-greasy.
I’d love to use lipbalm with sunscreen but my lips is allergy to anything with sunscreen. The moment I use them on my lips, I’ll get eczema. It’ll start to be very dry and eventually peel and makes the skin so painful. that’s so exasperating.
Jessica: Oh dear…Perhaps you just avoid those shiny ones. Is your lips allergic to all sorts of sunscreen or maybe just those of chemical formulation?
i’m supposed those drugstore’s lipbalm sunscreen are of chemical formulation 2 yrs ago when organic is still not yet an “in” thing? i hasn’t been using any other lipbalm except TBS cocao butter ever since then. Sesame, do you have any recommendation for organic lipbalm with sunscreen? maybe i could give it a try.. =)
Jessica: I haven’t come across one myself. Offhand can’t remember if the Lavera formula comes with SPF.
I use a ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine with SPF15, I swear by it because it doesn’t taste bad, looks pretty, high pigmentation AND has SPF. #k8SjZc9Dxk#k8SjZc9Dxk
You are so awesome for helping me solve this mytersy.