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Fall is a transitional season that moves us from those long, hot summer days to the short, chilly days of winter. During this season it’s important that your skin care routine correct any damage that occurred in the summer, while fortifying and preparing your skin for the cold winter ahead. To adjust your skin care routine to the fall months, check out our fall skin care tips below.
1. Exfoliate.
It’s time to get rid of those old skin cells that are flaking and drying from your last summer tan. Gentle exfoliation will facilitate the process and reveal new, healthy skin cells underneath. Choose an oil-based scrub that will also hydrate your skin. Contrary to belief, these oil-based products are even appropriate for oily skin. Natural oils can dissolve sebum (facial oil) while providing the moisture you need.
2. Avoid harsh soaps.
Another change in your shower or bath routine is to be more mindful of the soap you are using. Many soaps on the market can damage your skin barrier and promote drying, which is made worse by pants and long-sleeved shirts that rub against your skin throughout the day and wick away the natural moisture. Instead, choose a gentle oil-based cleanser which will add the hydration you need during this time of the year.
3. Maximize your moisturizer.
The summer sun can rob your skin of moisture, so it’s time to correct the problem before it is made worse by winter’s cold temperatures and damaging winds. Now that you’ve exfoliated and used the proper cleanser, it’s time to pack on even more moisture in the transitional fall months. Like the tip listed above, fall is a good time to use an effective moisturizer that provides a barrier to help prevent water loss. The best time to apply a moisturizer is right after your shower or bath, and remember to moisturize every single day.
4. Don’t forget sunscreen.
It is incorrect and potentially dangerous to assume that sunscreen is only for the summer. Ultraviolet rays penetrate through the atmosphere in any season – including fall – and any weather – including both clear and cloudy autumn days. Your skin still needs protection, particularly for your face which is still exposed to the elements as you begin to bundle up in response to the colder weather.
5. Protect your lips.
One particular part of your face that cannot be ignored is your lips. The cooler temperatures and breezy conditions of fall can cause dry lips including cracking and splitting. As we draw closer to winter, the risk gets even greater, so defend your lips with a moisturizer or even better, a moisturizer that includes SPF.
6. Keep hand cream handy.
The colder temperatures of winter causes hands to become dry and cracked, and for many of us it’s not a question of if this is going to happen but a question of when. Dry hands are also caused by the amount of washing that we do in the fall and winter in order to prevent the spread of germs. The good news is that you can prepare your hands for late-fall and winter months by moisturizing your hands regularly.
7. Introduce serums to your routine.
Facial serum packs a big punch in a small package, and if you’re not currently using a serum then this fall is a perfect time to incorporate one into your skin care routine. Serums are light, fast-absorbing and efficient. A one ounce bottle of serum can last for several months, but it delivers high concentrations of vitamins and antioxidants that help improve sun damage and fight the appearance of aging skin.
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Do you have oily, acne prone skin and wish it would just go away?
I have a combination skin type with the lower half of my acne prone face leaning much more towards the dry side, and my forehead leaning toward oily – however, I’ve luckily never had to deal with a complete oil slick up there.
But, sadly, I know some of you are battling some serious grease, and you want to know what to do about it.
So what’s the secrets?
1) STOP WASHING IT SO MUCH!
I know this seems counter intuitive to everything you’ve ever been told about oil and acne prone skin, but washing too much and with harsh, drying products is probably making the situation much worse.
Why?
Because sebum (your skin’s oil) is not inherently a bad thing. It’s there to lubricate your skin and protect it. When you constantly strip it of its oils, it learns that it must over produce it and it ends up producing so much that you kind of look like you smeared bacon grease on your face. Fun!
So as crazy as it sounds, you really need to cut down on the washing and switch to super gentle, natural products. Absolutely do not wash your face more than twice a day. Personally, I’d recommend washing only once a day, or you can even quit washing altogether if you’re brave.
For natural, non chemical, non drying products to use, I recommend manuka honeyor just plain raw honey, or any of these natural options.
At first, your skin will definitely be really oily and you may be crying to wash it, but DON’T DO IT! Soon your skin will learn that you won’t be stripping it bare assed naked against its will all the time, and will begin to naturally stop producing so much oil.
PS – This trick also works for your hair.
2) Only Wash with Luke Warm Water
Hot water is super drying, and also irritating to acne prone skin. Using it will encourage over production of oil. So only wash your face with tepid water, and try to turn the heat down a notch in the shower if you can.
3) Improve Your Diet and Lifestyle
If you have already cut back on all the washing and products and hot water, but still find yourself a bit oily, then you will have to dig further to resolve the problem. This is because oil production is triggered internally by hormonal reactions that are influenced by your diet and lifestyle.
Improving your diet means cutting back on processed foods, eating more fruits and vegetables, and a few other tweaks depending on your situation. You may also want to try cutting dairy out of your diet for a while, as for many people, the hormones in milk products can have a big influence on acne and oil production.
Other lifestyle factors to improve include getting more exercise, lowering your stress levels, getting more sunshine, and sleeping better.
If you want more help with all this stuff (because it sounds oh-so-simple in a little paragraph like this, but obviously takes much more to really put into action), check out my ebook Ultimate Secrets to Acne Freedom.
4) If You Use Moisturizer, Cut Back or Stop
If your skin is already full of moisture, why bother putting more on there?
5) Instead of Conventional Moisturizer, Try Using Oil Instead
Yes, yes, I know. Much like the tip about “stop washing so much”, it may seem completely counter intuitive to want to put MORE oil on your already oily skin.
But despite what it sounds like, it’s not like dumping gasoline on a campfire.
Oil can do two things for your skin:
Trick your skin into thinking that it’s already produced enough oil, therefore, getting it to stop overproducing it, and
It can mix with the hardened sebum in your pores and dissolve it, allowing plugs (whiteheads and blackheads) to disappear for good.
Think about it – oil and water don’t mix, so how do you expect it to get into your pores and unclog them? Oil can do that. Like dissolves like.
My personal recommendation for an oil to use is jojoba oil. It’s especially suited for oily skin, and has a great track record for helping with acne. However, there are tons of other oils you can use, and so I suggest you read this article here for more ideas.
6) Try Using Milk of Magnesium
This quirky little trick is inexpensive and easy to use, and you can find milk of magnesium at any run-of-the-mill pharmacy or drug store. Just shake the bottle, apply a layer to clean, wet skin, and rinse it off 5 to 10 minutes later.
Apparently it works like a dream for oily skin without making it a flakey, gross mess on top of the oil. This is all according to this lady, anyway, which is where I got the idea (and also where I stole the picture at the top! Thanks!)
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Take a cue from nature: As the leaves start to change color, so should your makeup palette. And this season, fresh faces, strong brows and autumn shades, like jewel-toned eye shadows and wine-colored lips, are having a moment. So consider updating your regular daytime look with one of the following fun fall makeup trends. With my tips, you’ll look fresh and gorgeous in no time.
Fall Makeup Trend No. 1: Peacock-shade eye shadow
This summer has been about bright pastels, so I’m excited to transition to the jewel tones of fall. And this season, the shades of a peacock’s plume -- emerald green, sapphire blue and amethyst purple -- are popular. Some high-fashion looks have featured a mix of all three!
My favorite way to wear this trend: A new twist on the classic cat-eye. Dip an angled liner brush in water and then into a sapphire-hue shadow. Use as a makeshift eyeliner to get a pop of color without going overboard.
Fall Makeup Trend No. 2: Merlot mouths
The runways for fall featured dark merlot lips. While the colors on the catwalk were uber-bold, you can make the trend wearable for daytime by opting for a rich lip or cheek stain. Instead of swiping on the shade, use a lip brush to paint on a violet-maroon lipstick. Then apply a tissue to your open mouth and lightly peel it away. This takes off a layer of pigment without smudging, creating a much more subtle look.
Fall Makeup Trend No. 3: Understated skin
Forget bronzer and caked-on faces. This autumn’s skin regime is all about being fresh-faced and understated. For lighter coverage, skip the concealer and choose the right foundation for your skin type: If your skin is starved for moisture, an oil-based foundation will keep you from cracking. Does your face tend to get shiny? Opt for a water-based product. All skin types will look silky smooth with a silicone-based foundation, but be prepared to blot off shine with a tissue as the day goes on and the silicone resurfaces.
If you’re like me and only have uneven skin tone in a few spots, you don’t need to slather foundation all over your face. Mix equal parts foundation and a light lotion with the same base ingredient as your foundation (oil for oil-based foundations, water for water-based ones, etc.). Apply this blend to the under-eye area and any red or splotchy patches.
Fall Makeup Trend No. 4: Metallic nails
Metal hues, like gold, silver and bronze, are popular this fall, including shimmery, metallic nail polishes. For a playful daytime look, paint your nails a muted base color. Then accent it with an ore-hue French manicure crescent.
Fall Makeup Trend No. 5: Bold brows
I consider brows the punctuation marks of our faces: They give life to facial expressions and communicate how we’re feeling. As someone born with a uni-brow, I was bummed about my luck until Brooke Shields became an icon.
Fortunately, bold brows have come full circle again. It really doesn’t take much to follow this fall makeup trend. If you have full brows, keep them defined and groomed; fill in any sparse spots with dark shadow. But if you have pale or slim brows, consider shading them in: Using a folded tissue, follow the edge with a brow marker and draw the shape of the brow you’d like to achieve. Lightly fill in the shape. For even more definition, take a small eyeliner brush and flick in strokes of eyebrow shadow to mimic the shape and direction of your individual brow hairs.
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Fall makeup is here! It’s time to ditch summer and embrace metallic eyeshadows and burgundy lipsticks as your new normal. This is the time of year when you start pinning your fall makeup looks, watching dark lip makeup tutorials and learn how to transition your summer makeup to fall. You can easily update your makeup routine for fall by swapping out a few beauty basics that will pair well with your fall style staples. Transitioning your summer makeup to fall doesn’t have to be intimidating at all and you don’t have to get caught up in buying the latest makeup collections for fall either (ahem….unless you are a beauty product addict like me). Really, all you need to do is incorporate the current fall makeup trends and colors into your everyday makeup look, it’s as basic as that with these easy tips.
HOW TO TRANSITION YOUR SUMMER MAKEUP TO FALL
Take a look inside your makeup bag and see what you need to update for fall. Swap our your matte neutral eyeshadows for gold and silver metallics and try a dark lipstick instead of just gloss. If you need some new fall makeup ideas, check out my makeup must-haves for fall and beauty tips to keep your look current.
Fall Makeup Essentials
Here is what makeup you should have for your fall makeup bag
Metallic Eyeshadow
Dark burgundy or oxblood lipstick
Jewel toned eyeliners
Rose or soft pink blush
Highlighters
Medium coverage foundation
Fall Eyeshadow Palettes
Wearing the right eyeshadows for fall is essential to your over all look. Try ditching the matte neutrals and go for some matellics and jewel tones like I wore in this fall makeup look here.
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Oh, how I love fall. I love the cooler, crisper weather in much of the country. I love it when bare legs are replaced by tights and boots. Most of all, as a former celebrity makeup artist, I really love fall makeup. And after months of melted mascara and slippery eyeliner—I am so ready for fall beauty.
While autumn tends to bring heavy makeup and smokey eyes, this year things feel slightly different. Beauty trends are more relaxed and embrace elements from different decades—from relaxed hair and braids reminiscent of the ’70s, to intricate nail art that brings to mind the ’80s, to natural makeup that reminds me of the ’90s, there are lots of options and beauty trends to try. My favorite five in no particular order are:
1. Nearly Nude: Since you’ve probably picked up some sun over the past few months, you’ve still got time to flaunt your (rapidly fading) glow. This is a very good thing, especially during those mornings when you may have overslept and need a quick beauty routine. Prep skin by dabbing cover up on any blemishes or uneven skin tone. If you’re feeling very brazen, you can skip makeup entirely and use a tinted moisturizer or CC cream (color control cream, the next generation of BB creams or beauty balms). One of the more fun entries into this popular field is Kamou Pigment Matching Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, which corrects skin tone and refracts light away from damaged areas. The brand has an interesting pedigree in having been developed to mimic the techniques that soldiers in combat use to camouflage themselves. ($48 on kallinibeauty.com). For the drugstore equivalent, try Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Tone-Correcting UV Moisturizer, which is about $21.99 at drugstores nationwide.
2. Eyes on You: Oh joy! The best fall beauty isn’t only focusing on the intense smokey eyed look so popular in years past. For the best eye looks for autumn, you can either go all out and layer on colored and highly pigmented tones like purples or electric blue, add an edgy look with eyeliner, or opt for softer more natural and neutral looks. Michelle Phan, who’s known for her wildly popular YouTube beauty tutorials offers this tip for achieving the perfect cat’s eye look:
A cat’s eye is fairly easy to master. You just need to understand your eye shape. When you draw on your liner, extend the wing out just beyond the edge of your eye. For a more dramatic look, try flicking the line slightly upward.
If the thought of liquid eyeliner gives you a case of the jitters, you can achieve a similar effect with Clarins Long-Lasting Eye Pencil in Intense Black ($25 at department stores). Phan has a new line of beauty products out, Em Cosmetics; the Shade Play eye color palette in Sahara Nudes contains six highly pigmented shades that can be combined for mostly bare to neutral with impact ($38, emcosmetics.com)
3. Ruby Lips: I’ve always been a huge fan of retro-inspired glamor. In fact my first book, Hello Gorgeous! Beauty Products in America ’40s-’60s(which will be reissued in the coming months) was all about the allure of vintage beauty advertising. If you embrace only one trend this fall, you might want to try a deep red lip. Bear in mind though, that if you have sun damage, smoke (don’t!), or have lines around your lips, the color might bleed. It’s always a great idea to prep lips first, so keep them in prime shape with regular lip balm use. Lypsyl Intense Protection is made with Swedish beeswax, costs less than $3 at drugstores nationwide and provides long lasting softening. One of my all time favorite products isGuerlain Kiss Kiss Liplift. I wish I had words enough to describe the near magical quality of this product which plumps up lips without that minty sting and keeps lipstick exactly where you’ve applied it. ($33 at sephora.com).
4. Graffiti Nails: I must confess a shameful secret. When I was in high school I would spend hours each night figuring out my outfit for the next day and then painting and polishing my nails to match. Sometimes, I still do. Nail art is still wildly popular for fall and instead of spending hours trying to figure out a design, you can use a contrasting nail color to paint on a squiggle or line on just one nail for a bit of impact and lots of fun. One of my favorite colors this season is Essie’s The Lace is On, a pearlized magenta shade. ($8 at department and drugstores). Protect your artistic endeavors with Londontown Kur Protective Top Coat. At $25 (londontownusa.com) it isn’t a steal, but it protected my nails perfectly after a week of intense keyboard activity.
5. Braided Hair: If there’s one trend this season that truly saddens me, it’s braided hair. As someone with a pixie haircut, I’m pained to be missing out on one of the more versatile hair trends. Braids are everywhere this season and work in a multitude of styles: You can wear a long plait to work, weave loads of tiny braids into your usual hairstyle, or try braided chignons and up-dos. Or you might opt for French, mermaid, or herringbone braids. And even cornrows work. There is no wrong way to wear braids this season.
A final thought, plus a bonus tip: Just because a beauty tip or trend sounds thrilling, does not mean it will work well for you. For instance darker complexions will be able to be more playful with intensely pigmented tones, while lighter skins will have to be more vigilant about blending. And as mentioned, those of us with really short hair can’t play with braids at all. If you like the idea of a trend, try not to mix and match all at once, but rather introduce one new look or product at a time and see the reactions that you get from others and the way that you feel in your slightly updated face. Then again, if you’re so excited by all the fall beauty tips that you can’t wait to try each individually, Bobbi Brown’s new Rich Chocolate Collection (bobbibrowncosmetics.com) covers nearly all the seasons beauty trends. There’s a seven color eye palette that takes you from base to lid to liner ($52) and new limited edition lip color in Berry and sheer lipgloss in Chocolate Raspberry ($25 and $24 respectively).
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Cleansing is key to great skin. Keep it simple and gentle, and be faithful morning and night.
Cleansing is key to great skin. Keep it simple and gentle, and be faithful morning and night
PRO PICK
At the top of any dermatologist’s list, this gentle fragrance-free cleanser won’t dry out skin.
CETAPHIL OILY SKIN CLEANSER, $18.
NICE PRICE
A close relative of the iconic amber soap, this hypoallergenic formula expertly removes a day’s worth of dirt and makeup.
NEUTROGENA ULTRA GENTLE DAILY CLEANSER, $13.
WORTH THE MONEY
Don’t let the oil word scare you off. Thanks to eight ancient skin- loving botanicals, your skin will be moist, soft and radiant.
SHU UEMURA ULTIME8 SUBLIME BEAUTY CLEANSING OIL, $48.
MOST INNOVATIVE
This mild gel-cream can be simply rinsed off or wiped away with a cloth—no water required. And it’s safe for sensitive skin types.
DERMALOGICA ULTRACALMING CLEANSER, $44.
CULT FAVOURITE
Cleanse and revive your skin with the cooling, soothing benefits of aloe—perfect for irritated skin.
YVES ROCHER CULTURE BIO REFRESHING GEL CLEANSER WITH ORGANIC ALOE VERA, $18.
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Five best makeup removers
Beauty 100: The most effective, no-fuss makeup removers that make your night time skin care routine a cinch
Rub on, wash off: if only removing our makeup was that easy. With layers of serum, moisturizer and sunscreen to cut through; raccoon eyes to avoid and dark-hued lip stains to wipe, not scrub, away — you need to turn to the pros. Here are our top five makeup removers and why we adore them.
Klorane Soothing Make-up Remover Wipes
On the go: Klorane Soothing Make-up Remover Wipes, $11.
In constant motion with never enough time to sit still? We hear you. Toss these soothing wipes in your purse, gym bag or clutch and you’ll be ready for any make-up removing emergency.
Almay Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover Pads
No fuss: AlmayMoisturizing Eye Makeup Remover Pads, $8.
Perfect for the lazy gal, these eye makeup remover pads are no fuss, no muss. Just wipe the solution-soaked pad across your eyes and watch your eyeliner, mascara (yes, even waterproof) and eyeshadow disappear.
Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes
Top seller: Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes, $15.
Even the most sensitive I-wear-sunglasses-year-round woman can safely take off her mascara with this top-selling eye makeup remover. There’s no burning, redness, stinging or itching.
After a long day there’s nothing more frustrating than having to spend 10 minutes scrubbing your eyes in an attempt to get rid of all your makeup and not have it all come off. This powerful, yet super gentle remover does the trick minus the pain.
Multi-taskers rejoice: this water-based makeup remover isn’t solely for your eyes. It banishes blush, foundation, powder, lipstick and everything in between, too. Swipe it on, wash it off, go to bed.
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Do you know which is the best face cleansing method for you? We compare the three main types to help you get fresher, more radiant skin
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We all know that it’s imperative to remove our makeup before bed, but if you’re anything like me, you’re not certain of the best way to do it. I know people who use everything from Vaseline to baby wipes, but I’m not sold on those options so I set out to find out what I should be using and why.
Choosing the right makeup remover, or “cleanser” is super important because it dictates how your skin will respond to the other products you apply to your face. For example, if you use a product that’s too harsh, your skin will be dry, no matter how much moisturizer you put on it. Removing your makeup by wiping off a greasy cream can clog pores and leave a film on the skin, which will prevent your other products from penetrating, explains Paula Begoun in her book, The Beauty Bible, where she introduces three main types of cleanser. 1. Wipe-off cleansers
What they are: Milky formulas, creams and lotions that are removed, along with makeup on a cotton pad. Benefits: This product can be gentle and effectively removes makeup while leaving the skin feeling cool and clean. Look for: A variety that is designed for sensitive skin that is less likely to cause irritation through rubbing and you want one that doesn’t leave a greasy film on the skin. Examples: Bioderma Sensibio H20 sensitive skin solution, NeoStrata oil free gel cleanser, Nivea eye make-up remover
2. Wipes
What they are: Disposable cloths that come pre-soaked in wipe-off cleansers. Benefits: Easy, effective and efficient. Especially good for travel because there’s often no need to rinse afterwards. Look for: Cloths that are ultra soft and not abrasive on the skin or with a gentle formula for sensitive skin. Examples: Neutrogena make-up remover cleansing towelettes, Yes To cucumbers natural glow facial towelettes, Sephora Face 25 makeup removing wipes – face, eyes and lips
3. Water-soluble cleansers
What they are: Creams, lotions that you emulsify with your fingertips, massage into your face and rinse off. Benefits: Most gentle way to remove makeup because they’re less drying than other makeup removers and require less pulling of the skin to remove than wipe-off formulas. There’s no need for extra cotton pads. Look for: A clean feeling after all of your make up and the product has been washed off, without a greasy residue left behind. Examples: La Claree Oliv’ gentle cleansing milk with olive leaf extract, Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser,
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For the last few months, I've been battling the craziest, most annoying case of dry, tight, painful, peeling lips.
At first, I blamed it on an all-natural lip product I'd been testing.
But then I realized my lips were still a mess, even when I hadn't used it in weeks. In fact, I couldn't even pinpoint any one lip balm or lip colour as the source, since I'm constantly switching them up for the purposes of this blog. No matter what was in my rotation, I STILL had chapped lips.
So then I became convinced I had some kind of vitamin deficiency. Which would be weird, because I regularly track things in Cron-o-meter and usually hit or exceed every nutritional target.
Finally, a few weeks ago, I figured it out. I am allergic to... vitamin E! And possibly several other ingredients commonly found in lip balms.
As it turns out, many lip products contain allergens and irritants that end up perpetuating the very problems we're trying to treat: dryness, peeling, cracking and flaking. Insane, right?
If you, too, have suffered from chapped lips that don't ever seem to go away, one of these ingredients could be the culprit:
1. VITAMIN E
Just about every lip balm label I've looked at contains some form of vitamin E. A thick, sticky oil, you'd figure it would be the perfect lip hydrator. But it's not for everyone.
This Dermatologic Surgery study found that 33 percent of patients developed contact dermatitis from applying topical vitamin E. The Contact Dermatitis Institute also lists vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) as one of the most prevalent allergens.
Some of the ways vitamin E might appear on a lip balm's ingredient label include: natural vitamin E oil, tocopherol or tocopheryl acetate. It can be man-made or derived from plants, but contrary to popular opinion, both forms can be allergenic.
One reason it took me so long to figure out that vitamin E was the source of my chapped lips is because I was using an all-natural vitamin E oil every night as my lip moisturizer. It didn't even occur to me that it could be allergenic! It was only through a complete elimination, i.e. not putting any products on my mouth for a whole week, that I was able to identify the source. Now, I know that my natural vitamin E oil is derived from soy, so it is possible that the soy is what I was really reacting to. But since tocopheryl acetate, the synthetic vitamin E, is considered evenmoreallergenic onEWG's database, I think I'll just stay away from ALL types of vitamin E from now on. Unless it's quite far down on the ingredients list, it will probably irritate me.
2. CASTOR OIL
Castor oil is another thick, viscous liquid, and if you look, it's found in a heck of a lot of lip products. Derived from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, it is comprised of about 80 to 90 percent ricinoleic acid.
The problem with ricinoleic acid is that it can be an allergen—some even say, the main one behind chapped and inflamed lips. This Contact Dermatitis study found that ricinoleic acid was the most common contact allergen, accounting for 54 percent of contact chelitis.
None of this surprises me, considering my highly traumatic experience with castor oil and the Oil Cleansing Method. Not only is it extremely drying, but I suspect my terrible reaction started off as contact dermatitis, which left me vulnerable to infection... and finally, turned into full-fledged acne. I can't say for sure yet whether castor oil is a problem on my lips or just my face, but I will always look at it with deep suspicion!
It's less likely, but other oils in lip balms, such as coconut, olive and almond, can be allergens, too.
3. BEESWAX
I don't mean to point fingers at specific brands here, but the one that comes to mind when you think of beeswax lip balm is obviously Burt's Bees. Accroding to Dr. Cynthia Bailey, it's the product she sees the most problems with.
The beeswax in your lip balm might not be that soothing, after all. (Photo: Rakka)
The issue is the propolis that gets mixed in with the beeswax. Propolis is a kind of "glue" that bees make from tree and plant resins to fill in the spaces in their hives. According to this Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences study, it seems to be one of the most frequent contact sensitizers, with possible reactions including chelitis and peeling lips.
I guess this is why I didn't got the hype over the original Burt's Bees lip balms! They never seemed to work for me, so probably I have some minor sensitivity. I'm allergic to honey, so I'm sure there is some link with bees and bee products in general. Too bad, so sad!
4. LANOLIN
Lanolin is a waxy substance that is secreted by the oil glands of sheep, like this fella below. It is used in lip balms such as the cult favourite Lanolipsbecause of its highly emollient properties and ability to prevent water loss.
Lanolin, derived from the oil glands of sheep, is a known allergen in lip products. (Photo: noquarter)
For those who aren't sensitive, lanolin can be great. Dior Crème Abricot, for example, contains lanolin and is my most favourite cuticle cream in the world. (I hear some people even use that on their lips!)
However, lips lack oil glands and could be more reactive to it. Dr. Sharon Jacob considers lanolin a "significant sensitizer," and on the "A-List" for top allergens.
If you do a search for "Lanolips allergy," there appears to be quite a number of people who can't use lanolin.
5. FRAGRANCES AND FLAVOURINGS
It should come as no surprise that fragrances can be allergens. One would think perfumes would have no place in our lip balms, but often, they are used to mask unpleasant smells from other chemicals, or to add flavouring.
The Contact Dermatitis Institute has identified two fragrance mixes—list oneand list two—that are problematic, including geraniol, citronellol and cinnamaldehyde. These can be derived from plant, animal and synthetic sources, so just because a lip balm is 100 percent natural does not mean it is free from potentially allergenic fragrances.
Peppermint oil is one of the worst offenders. This Dermatitis study tested sensitivity to propolis, lanolin, coconut oil, almond oil, peppermint oil and vitamin E. Out of all those things, the peppermint oil was shown to be the most likely culprit in the patients' acute contact dermatitis.
Peppermint is one of the most irritating ingredients in lip balms. (Photo: Michael Lehet)
Other fragrance/flavour ingredients to watch out for include menthol, camphor, eucalyptus and limonene.
6. SUNSCREEN
If you're especially diligent about always wearing SPF on your lips, that could be the cause of chronic chapping, at least if you're using products that protect with chemicals, not minerals. Studies such as this one in Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine have identified chemical sunscreens as a cause of allergic skin reactions.
Chemical sunscreen ingredients may cause allergic skin reactions. (Photo: Tyler)
Oxybenzone (also known as benzophenone-3), octinoxate, avobenzone, octisalate and octylcrylene are the hard-to-pronounce words to avoid on your labels.
Instead, choose lip balms with mineral sunblocks such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which shouldn't give you any issues.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT AN ALLERGEN
If you are allergic to an ingredient, signs such as dryness, tightness, flaking and peeling should should appear within a few days of your lips
