While lip balm could be your best friend because it moisturizes your lips, it is still not very effective if dead skin cells and bacteria are left on the lips.
This can cause over-moisturization, irritation and often lead to cracks on the lips or even a condition called “chapped lips.” The dead skin cells just sit there instead of absorbing moisture from the balm – which can lead to dryer lips.
Using the best lip exfoliator can be used to get rid of dead skin cells and ultimately help your moisturizer penetrate the lips. Scrubs can also help keep chapped lips at bay.
A lip scrub can be made at home, but it’ll cost you time, so it might be better to buy one, especially since it is a very affordable purchase.
We have analyzed 284 different products in the market, along with reading over 12,000 consumer reviews, to bring you the top 5 lip exfoliators to buy:
Just like with the skin on your face or body, you need to get somehow rid of built-up dead cells so that any moisturizing product (in this case, lip balm) can penetrate and do its job. Sure, it may seem like an unnecessary added step and product in your routine, but trust us, it’s one that will pay off bigtime.
There are a few easy ways of getting rid of dead skin cells. You can use a soft toothbrush to brush over the lips gently, or you can use an exfoliating lip scrub once a week for maximum results (especially if you have dry lips).
We have listed the top 5 choices. We personally loved the Hanalei sugar lib scrub exfoliator.
It will help if you exfoliate your lips once a week for the best results. You will see less dry skin on your lips, and your lip balm products will work better.
I bet you didn’t know that you could use your eyeshadow brush to gently brush over your lips to take off any dry skin. You will see that not only is the color of your lipstick better, but it’s staying power will also be enhanced. Additionally, making sure that you use an exfoliator on your skin once or twice a week can be quite beneficial.
It exfoliates by scraping off dead skin cells’ outer layer without causing damage to the bottom layer. This helps to produce healthier and more supple lips.
You can make a lip exfoliator using a blend of sugar, honey, yogurt, and milk.
Procedure to make lip exfoliator:
• Take one tablespoon of white sugar, one tablespoon of honey, one tablespoon of yogurt, and two tablespoons of milk in a bowl.
• Mix all the ingredients well to get the right consistency. If required, sprinkle few drops of water for the preparation to remain moist. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Gently rub this mixture over your lips with circular movements till you notice that the dead skin is coming off onto the surface. This will help you cleanse and remove dead skin cells accumulated in your lips, giving them a fresh look.
It should last for about 6 to 12 months if you use it once daily and clean it after each use. Lip scrubs are quite prone to contamination, so make sure that you wash them off with soap and water after each use.
• Take a small amount of lip exfoliator in your palm and gently rub it over your lips in a circular motion.
• Let the exfoliator stay on for about 30 seconds and then rinse off with warm water. You can also use warm water to help soften your lips before applying lip exfoliator.
Note: The process of exfoliating will make the lips dry and uncomfortable. You can apply a layer of moisture-rich moisturizer to avoid this.
It will help if you exfoliate your lips once a week for the best results. You will see less dry skin on your lips, and your lip balm products will work better.
No, exfoliation makes lip balm penetrate better so that it can do its job. Lip balm is a perfect companion that keeps your lips moisturized all day long, and you suffer less from dryness.
Last update on 2026-01-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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