Why organic lip balms can dry out your lips

Lip balm makes dry lips worse

The air is dry in winter. Indoors, the air gets even drier due to heating and heaters, which can cause not only your skin but also your lips to become dry and chapped. The skin can peel and crack.
I think there are many people like that.

Many people use lip balm to prevent dry lips, but some people find that their lips get chapped only when they use lip balm. Some people even report that their lips get red and swollen.

You may wonder why, especially if you choose a lip balm that "seems" good and contains organic or natural ingredients.

In fact, there is a reason why lip balm can cause your lips to become dry. In this article, we will explain the reason in an easy-to-understand way, so please read to the end.

Question from someone whose lips got chapped from using lip balm

We received the following question from someone who experienced chapped lips after using organic lip balm.

"I have a favorite lip balm that I've been using for years. I use it multiple times a day, especially during the dry winter months. Recently, however, my lips and the area around them have started to become rough. They're a little red and dry. Just to be on the safe side, I tried a different lip balm, and it was fine for a while, but then they started to get rough again. This lip balm is made with natural ingredients like coconut oil, beeswax, and castor oil so I think it's safe, but why does it irritate my lips?

 

Allergic reactions to natural ingredients

Lips are very thin compared to other skin. They also do not have sebaceous glands, meaning they have almost no ability to retain moisture on their own.

Furthermore, because it is as delicate as a mucous membrane, it is easily affected by external factors such as cosmetic ingredients.
If you don't choose the right lip balm for your delicate lips, the lip balm itself can actually make your dry and chapped lips worse, or it can even cause skin problems such as swelling and rashes.

Also, it is a mistake to think that lip balm is safe because its main ingredients are "natural ingredients."

For example, the following ingredients are naturally derived, but are considered to have a high possibility of causing skin irritation, allergies, and dryness. There are actually many ingredients that pose such risks even if they are naturally derived.

• Essential oils (natural fragrances)
• Castor oil
• Propolis
• Carnauba Wax
• Naturally derived emollients (emulsifiers)

Let's take a closer look at the risks associated with each of the ingredients listed above.

Essential oils

Natural cosmetics are popular these days. Therefore, many lip balms contain natural essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances to create a natural look.

Unfortunately, just because something is natural doesn't mean it won't cause an allergic reaction.

One study compared four people who had experienced allergic reactions such as redness and swelling of the lips after using lip balm.
The results showed that the peppermint oil in the lip balm was likely the cause of the allergic reaction.

Peppermint is an essential oil that contains the aromatic ingredient menthol. It has a refreshing scent and is used in many lip balms in Japan. However, there are quite a few people who have allergic reactions to menthol.

You should also be careful with essential oils from citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit, as well as rose essential oils. Citrus scents contain limonene and linalool , while rose essential oils contain geraniol.

All of these substances are highly allergenic, and when exposed to ultraviolet light, they are said to cause skin reactions such as cracks and rashes.

As mentioned above, lips are a very delicate area, and applying natural essential oils to them poses the risk of irritation and allergies.

Castor oil

Castor oil is a thick vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the castor bean plant and is found in many cosmetics and lip products.

In a 2000 study of 202 people who had developed skin irritation around the mouth and lips, such as red, dry, and scaly lips, 44 of the 81 people (54%) who had allergic symptoms were examined. The cause of the allergic reaction around the mouth was identified as lip cosmetics, including lip balm. In particular, an allergy to the ricinoleic acid contained in castor oil was identified.

Related article: Is castor oil in cosmetics good or bad for your skin?

Propolis

Propolis is a resinous substance that bees collect from trees and use to fill and seal gaps in their hive.

Propolis is sometimes used as a cosmetic ingredient, but it has been reported that 1.2% to 6.6% of people have experienced allergic reactions to it . It has also been pointed out that it is an ingredient that poses a high risk of sensitization through contact .

If you have an allergic reaction, symptoms include soreness, redness, peeling, and inflammation of the lips and mouth.
Propolis is also found in beeswax , so people who have allergic reactions to propolis may want to avoid lip balms and cosmetics that contain beeswax.

Carnauba Wax

It is made from wax secreted from the leaves of carnauba palm trees that grow wild in the highlands of Brazil. Because it is hard and difficult to melt, it is often used to adjust the hardness of cream and stick-type cosmetics, and is also used in pencil-type makeup products.

It creates a glossy film on the skin, so it is often used in lip balms and mascaras. However, although rare, there have been reports of allergic reactions to cownauba wax.

Naturally derived emollients (emulsifiers)

Some people may find this surprising, but some lip balms contain emulsifiers. This is because many emulsifiers have an emollient effect that prevents moisture from evaporating from the skin. For example, ingredients such as the following:

• Glyceryl/Polyglyceryl-6 Isostearate/Behenate Esters
• Polyglyceryl-5 Polyricinoleate
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
• Dextrin Palmitate

These are all naturally derived. That's why they're also found in natural and organic lip balms. Of course, some people find these ingredients help relieve dry lips. On the other hand, it's also true that the same ingredients can make dry and cracked lips worse for others.

If lip balms containing these ingredients irritate your lips, you may want to try a lip balm that does not contain emulsifiers.

Highly allergenic synthetic ingredients in lip balms

It's not just organic lip balms that can cause chapped lips. Not only organic and natural ingredients, but also synthetic ingredients can cause allergic reactions. The most common ingredients are as follows:

• UV absorbers ( ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate , oxybenzone , octocrylene, ethylhexyl salicylate, etc.)
• Synthetic Fragrances
• Preservatives (paraben, BHT, phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, etc.)
• Artificial colours and dyes (e.g. Red No. XX, etc.)

If you continue to use lip balm, these ingredients can cause irritation and may even dry out your lips.

What happens if you have an allergic reaction to lip balm?

Allergy symptoms generally occur within a few hours of application, and some people may experience swelling or small blisters within minutes of applying lip balm.

In addition, the lips may become red and dry, and the dryness may worsen, causing itching. The symptoms may spread not only to the lips but also to the entire face and neck.
The symptoms will not go away as long as you continue to use the offending lip balm.

If you suspect that your dry, cracked lips may be an allergic reaction to lip balm, try stopping the use of the lip balm immediately. In most cases, the symptoms will go away within a week after you stop using the lip balm.