Hugs and Kisses

Hugs and kisses are fun, especially the kisses, unless your lips are feeling dry or chapped! And well, it's the time of year for that exact thing to happen. Perfect timing right? Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you don't have kissable soft lips! Now, whether you celebrate or don't are coupled up or are single, you should always have kissable lips! I mean you just never know when someone might want to plant one on you! You should be prepared! Exfoliate those lips! There are lots of ways to do this. You can use a soft bristled tooth brush or a damp wash cloth. Just gently rub either one across your lips dry them off and apply your favorite chap stick to lock in moisture. If you are anything like me, these two options might be a little harsh on your sensitive skin. You can always buy a lip scrub, but they can get pretty expensive. So do what I do, make your own! And most likely it won't cost you a dime, because you probably have all of the ingredients you need right in your kitchen! What you need: a regular spoon, a teaspoon, a tablespoon, a small container with a lid, honey, olive oil, and sugar. What you do: Pour a tablespoon of sugar into the container, pour a teaspoon of olive oil into the container, then add about a teaspoon of honey, mix it with a spoon so that it becomes a paste-like consistency. You may need to add more honey. I usually just eyeball the ingredients. Once its all mixed use your finger to gently massage it onto your lips, let it sit for a minute and then wipe off with a damp cloth. Apply your favorite chap stick to lock in that moisture. What are the benefits of these ingredients? Well the sugar acts as an exfoliater. As you massage this rub onto your lips, the sugar particles slough away the dry skin on your lips leaving them super smooth. Honey is full of vitamins and antioxidants that actually help nourish the skin. It also has the added ability and benefit of absorbing and retaining moisture. That's why there are so many lip products out there that have honey or bees wax in them, for instance Burt's Bees Lip Balms or Zambeezi Beeswax Lip Balms. The olive oil is there for an extra boost of moisture. Not only that, but olive oil has vitamins in it that help repair damaged skin. It also has antioxidants in it that actually stimulate skin cells and helping to make them healthier and smoother. With all these moisturizing agents, why the need for chap stick? Well, whenever you exfoliate anything, you are basically wiping away a layer of old skin and the new layer of skin that is now showing can be super vulnerable to the elements and a little more sensitive. Have you ever noticed that whenever you exfoliate anything and then apply lotion after, your skin kind of sucks up the moisturizer? Exfoliating can actually be drying to the skin, so your skin is basically craving that moisture. So use that chap stick to help protect the new layer of skin that you have showing from drying out too quickly. The best part about this rub is that it will hold up in the fridge for a couple weeks, so don't forget to make it in a container that can be easily stored in your refrigerator. Happy smooching everyone!

Oh and this scrub is good for exfoliating your face too! Just make a larger batch!