Although often overlooked, your lips MUST be protected from the summer sun. While your lips need extra attention all year round, in summer they actually lack the natural glands to keep them moist. As the temperature rises and your lips are exposed to harmful UV rays, heat, and transitions from the heat to air conditioning, your lips may become dry and chapped, which leaves them looking unappealing.
First, be sure to find a lip balm with SPF – this is crucial to protect the lips from harmful UV rays and to moisturize them, thereby preventing dehydration and chapping. Choose a lip balm that has an SPF of at least 15 and moisturizing ingredients that leave your lips feeling and looking luscious. When you apply sunscreen all over your face & body, don’t forget to protect your lips with lip balm!
Wearing an antioxidant designed for the lips is the best thing you can possibly do to prevent damage. Lotus Skin Care Center & Medi-Spa (http://www.lotuslasertreatments.com) recommends SkinCeuticals’ Antioxidant Lip Repair. This amazing product combines two powerful antioxidants, vitamin E and silymarin, to form a unique combination antioxidant therapy for the lips. This potent treatment helps prevent environmental damage, while smoothing and rehydrating the lip surface. It also helps attract and retain water to rejuvenate, reshape and replenish lip tissue, and alleviates dryness and tightness. Buyer Beware: purchase these products from authorized partners with SkinCeuticals only, such as Lotus Skin Care Center and Medi Spa (www.lotuslasertreatments.com). You may find a list of authorized dealers on the SkinCeuticals website (http://www.skinceuticals.com/_us/_en/members/locate_professional.aspx). Sources that are NOT on this list are dispensing products that are expired or counterfeit!
If you don’t already, remember to gently brush your lips with a soft toothbrush in the morning. This will help eliminate residue from the surface of the lips and leaves them feeling smooth. This is an important step to make sure you have a soft canvas for your lip balm and lipstick.
Many spas offer professional high performance lip treatments that are a great investment, especially during season changes. Lotus Skin Care Center & Medi Spa, located at 5368 Merrick Road, Massapequa, NY 11758, 516.798.0200; (www.lotuslasertreatments.com) offers an amazing lip treatment as an add-on service to facials for $25. This three step treatment begins with a citrus-enzyme lip exfoliator, where effective citrus and pineapple enzymes refine the lip area removing dryness and fine lip lines. Potent fruit pulp infuses bioflavonoids and vitamins to parched lips leaving them smooth and ready for the next step. After the high performance exfoliant is removed, A plumping hydration masque is applied. This masque deeply hydrates with rich shea butter and avocado oil and imparts incredible softness while natural peptides stimulate collagen production and fullness. Finally, a petroleum-free citrus balm with shea butter and sunflower seed oil is applied to give lips maximum hydration and a sexy sheen.
Lastly, keeping your lips hydrated throughout the night is a fundamental step. Lotus Skin Care Center & Medi-Spa (http://www.lotuslasertreatments.com) recommends Vivant’s MaxiLip Plumper. This amazing balm contains Petrolatum, an occlusive moisturizer which when applied topically, forms a protective barrier that moisturizes skin, thus preventing trans-epidermal water loss. What’s even better, this balm imparts fuller, firmer, smoother and better defined lips. It contains benzyl nicotinate to increase blood flow and peptides to stimulate collagen and improve lip contour. You can expect to experience a semi-permanent lip plumping effect. In a 29-day study Vivant did on this product, women ages 22-40 experienced a 40% increase in volume, 30% reduction of surface folds, 60% boost in hydration, and a 70% increase in protection, comfort, and softness. Vivant’s MaxiLip Plumper is also available Lotus Skin Care Center & Medi Spa, located at 5368 Merrick Road, Massapequa, NY 11758 (www.lotuslasertreatments.com).
