We always moisturise, exfoliate and pamper our bodies but our lips often take a backseat. In this generation of liquid lipsticks, our lips are always in need of a little extra TLC. Most of us tend to have dry and chapped as a result of our lifestyles and our lipsticks. Times like these, a lip balm doesn’t quite do the trick. To give your lips that plump, soft and kissable look, a lip scrub comes in handy.
What Is Lip Scrub
Lip Scrub AT Home (DIY)
FAQs
What Is A Lip Scrub?
A lip scrub is used to get rid of the dead skin cells that accumulate on your lips. You know the feeling when your lips have a little bit of rough, dead skin and your lipstick settles into it and starts looking funny? A lip scrub will both avoid and prevent that from happening. A lip scrub will exfoliate your lips in the most gentle way and will help you get rid of chapped lips. Applying lipstick after you have exfoliated your lips not only looks better, it also feels a lot better. A lip scrub is usually made using moisturising and exfoliating ingredients. The moisturising ingredient is usually some type of oil and the exfoliating agent is usually sugar.
DIY Lip Scrubs
While you can definitely go to the store and buy yourself a lip scrub, it’s cheaper to make your own lip scrub at home. You can use all-organic ingredients from your kitchen and whip up a fresh batch every time you need one. Now that you know exactly how and why you need a lip scrub, I bet you’re wondering how to make one? Here are 10 DIY lip scrubs recipes that will help you make your own lip scrub at home. Go on, get creative!
- Coconut Oil, Sugar and Peppermint Oil
- Olive Oil, Sugar and Honey
- Vaseline, Sugar and Peppermint Oil
- Oatmeal Powder, Milk and Honey
- Almond Oil, Coffee Grounds and Honey
- Walnut Shell Powder, Beeswax and Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar, Orange Peel Powder, Lime and Olive Oil
- Beeswax, White Sugar and Rose Essential Oil
- Brown Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Coffee and Coconut Oil
- Petroleum Jelly, Cocoa Powder and Coffee Powder
Also Read Best Lip Oils For Baby Soft Lips
1. Coconut Oil, Sugar and Peppermint Oil
If you’re looking for a lip scrub to use before applying your favourite liquid lipsticks, this is perfect. The coconut oil will nourish, white sugar will exfoliate while the peppermint essential oil will help plump up your lips. No lip plumpers or lip fillers needed!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp white or brown sugar
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil
Directions
Combine the ingredients in a small container and mix them well. You can use regular sugar or even coarse sugar powder. Add a drop of essential oil, not more. Don’t be alarmed if you feel a slight tingling sensation, it’s normal with peppermint essential oil. It means it’s working. Don’t add too much essential oil though, some people might not react well to the use of essential oils. Do a patch test if you are concerned. Rub the mixture on your lips for 2-3 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Also Read About bridal body scrubs
2. Olive Oil, Sugar and Honey
If you have very dry lips, this lip scrub is deeply nourishing. Olive oil will provide your lips with a burst of hydration and honey is a natural humectant, it will attract water to your lips and make them soft. Brown sugar will add texture to the mix and impart that beautiful, rich warm colour.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp honey
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, apply the mixture to your lips and rub for 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to sit on your lips for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Try not to lick the mixture, we know it’s delicious! When you keep the lip scrub on for a little while, the olive oil and honey have time to penetrate through and soften your lips.
Also Read: How To Treat Sunburned Lips
3. Vaseline, Sugar and Peppermint Oil
Don’t like the feeling of oil on your lips? Does petroleum jelly work the best at moisturising your lips? If the answer is yes, then this Vaseline lip scrub is perfect for you. It won’t take you more than 2 minutes to make and you will definitely have all of the ingredients in your house. You can use any lip balm or just good ol’ petroleum jelly to whip this up. If you’re really lazy, you can make the lip scrub at home in the vaseline container itself!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp petroleum jelly
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1-2 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a small container. Use coarsely powdered sugar if you want a more intense lip scrub experience. If you end up making extra, you can store this in the refrigerator for future use.
4. Oatmeal Powder, Milk and Honey
If you have very sensitive lips, this milk scrub is perfect for you. It’s mild and very gentle on your lips and the skin around. Just use coarsely powdered oatmeal powder, milk and honey. It won’t irritate your lips or the sensitive area around them.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oatmeal powder
- 1 tbsp milk
- ½ – 1 tsp honey
Directions
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and scrub your lips with it for 2-3 minutes. Since this lip scrub contains fresh ingredients, you would need to use it up immediately. If you end up making a little too much, don’t worry, you can use it on your face and body too.
Also Read: DIY Lip Oils For Smooth Lips
5. Almond Oil, Coffee Grounds and Honey
The perfect lip scrub for coffee lovers, this one is great to begin your mornings with. It will invigorate your senses while it scrubs all the dead skin off your lips. Almond oil is very light and hydrating in comparison to other bases for lip scrubs. If you don’t like something too emollient or oily, use almond oil in your lip scrubs!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp almond oil
- 1 tbsp coffee grounds
- ½ tsp honey
Directions
Use the coffee grounds that you used to make your morning coffee, if you don’t have coffee grounds, regular coffee powder works too. Only that it won’t be as coarse as coffee grounds. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and scrub your lips. I bet the smell of the coffee grounds will wake you up and make your morning routine a little better! Rinse it off with warm water and pat your lips dry.
6. Walnut Shell Powder, Beeswax and Cinnamon
Love cinnamon and want plump, plush lips? This is the lip scrub for you! It’s a heavy duty, exfoliating lip scrub that will take off all the dead skin on your lips. Cinnamon is extremely plumping, a lot of lip plumpers use cinnamon extract as it gives your lips an instant fuller look. If you have sensitive skin, you might not like this because it’s quite abrasive and cinnamon will sting a little. You can buy a packet of walnut shell powder and use it for many many DIYs. It’s a very handy ingredient to have at home! My personal favourite a 2-ingredient walnut body scrub. It’s one of the best body scrubs I’ve ever used and it costs less than Rs 200! Read about how I make it here.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp walnut shell powder
- 1 tbsp beeswax
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A drizzle of honey (optional)
Directions
Melt the beeswax in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, add the walnut shell powder and cinnamon to it and allow it to cool. Once it’s at room temperature, scrub your lips with it and rinse off with warm water. Pat dry and apply a hydrating lip balm or your favourite lipstick when you’re done.
7. Brown Sugar, Orange Peel Powder, Lime and Olive Oil
If you have a little pigmentation around your lips, this lip scrub at home can be used to lighten dark lips. Orange peel powder and lime are rich in Vitamin C, it will brighten and lighten pigmentation and fade any tanning you might have. Olive oil is rich in fatty acids, it will nourish your lips. You can even use orange juice instead of lime!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp orange peel powder
- ½ tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Combine all the ingredients together and scrub your lips with it. Leave it on for a few minutes to allow the orange peel and lime to brighten. Rinse with warm water and apply some lip balm.
8. Beeswax, White Sugar and Rose Essential Oil
Have extremely dry, cracked lips? Live in a place that has chilly weather? This beeswax lip scrub is the perfect solution. Beeswax is a brilliant healer, use it anywhere on your body where you have chafed, dry or cracking skin. It will heal, soften and nourish your skin. This lip scrub can also be converted into a DIY Lip Balm. Just skip the white sugar and add a teaspoon of almond or coconut oil, melt and combine. That’s it. You’ve just made your very own lip balm.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp beeswax
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2-3 drops rose essential oil
- 2-3 crushed rose petals
Directions
Melt the beeswax in a double boiler or in the microwave for a few seconds. Allow it to cool and then add white sugar and rose essential oil and combine. You can store this in a container for future use too. Just keep it in a cool, dry area. Allow the scrub to cool, it might solidify again if you live in an area with cool temperatures. Scoop out a small spoon of it from the container and scrub your lips with it. When it comes in contact with your body heat, it will melt! Allow the mixture to stay on your lips for a few minutes if you want to moisturise them. Rinse off with warm water and apply your DIY lip balm!
9. Brown Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Coffee and Coconut Oil
If chocolate is your poison, this lip scrub will make you feel like you’re eating a little bit of chocolate. This DIY lip scrub with coconut oil is effective and easy! Brown sugar is the main exfoliant here while the cocoa powder and vanilla essence will make the lip scrub smell and taste like chocolate!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 drop vanilla essence
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a small container. Take a small portion on the palm of your hands and begin scrubbing your lips. Work in upward circular motions and rinse off with warm water. Try and not lick the scrub off your lips because it’s delicious!
10. Petroleum Jelly, Cocoa Powder and Coffee Powder
Coffee and Chocolate, can it get any better? I think not! This invigorating lip scrub is a delightful way to begin your mornings. The best part is that you can store it in a container for future use if you make extra!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp petroleum jelly or vaseline
- ½ tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp coffee powder
- Sugar (optional)
Directions
Combine the ingredients in a small container. Try and not use a spoon to mix this because vaseline is very hard to wash off cutlery, use a toothpick or a disposable spoon instead. You can even cut the end off an earbud and use that. Once the mixture is combined, apply it to your lips and massage it for a few minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
FAQ’s
How Do You Use A Lip Scrub?
Take a little bit of scrub on your finger and rub it on your lips for 2-3 minutes. Be gentle but focus on problem areas that are prone to dryness. The inner corners, your lower lip and the centre of your lips. Once you’re done, use a warm washcloth to wipe it off or simply rinse. You can use a lip scrub during the day or even at night. The most effective way would be to use it at night and follow it up with a nourishing lip balm before bed. This way, you will wake up to the softest, most irresistible pout! If you have flaky lips, use a lip scrub before applying your lipstick and your lipstick will glide onto your lips like a dream.
Benefits of Using a Lip Scrub / Why You Should Be Using A Lip Scrub
A lip balm will help soften and nourish your lips, but a lip scrub will get rid of the dead, flaky upper layer on your lips. It will reveal softer lips and allow your lip balm to penetrate through your lips better. A lip scrub is great for people who have dry, chapped lips or for people who live in areas that are dry and chilly. These are just some lip scrub benefits, use one regularly and you will see how smooth, plump and pink your lips look and feel!
How Often Can You Use A Lip Scrub?
You can use a lip scrub as often as you like, it depends on how cracked and chapped your lips are. Under normal circumstances, once or twice a week is okay. If you want to use it more frequently, just remember to follow it up with a lip balm!
Can I Use A Lip Scrub Every day?
Yes, you can use a lip scrub every day if you have very dry and flaky lips. Just ensure you moisturise with a good lip balm after you are done. If you want to use it every day, use a gentle lip scrub like the DIY Oatmeal Lip Scrub or the Beeswax and Rose Lip Scrub!
Will A Lip Scrub Help Lighten My Lips?
Yes, to a small extent. A lip scrub will help slough off dead skin cells. This basically means it will get rid of the upper layer of your lips. If your lips appear darker because of the dead skin, a lip scrub will help lighten your lips a little. If you have dark pigmented lips, use a lip scrub with orange peel powder and lime. These ingredients are rich in Vitamin C and lime has a natural bleaching effect on the skin. While the lip scrub won’t help change the colour of your lips entirely, over time you will see your lips look a little lighter.
What Are The Common Ingredients That Can Be Used In A Lip Scrub?
The main ingredient every lip scrub needs is a base and an exfoliator. The exfoliating ingredient is abrasive while the base ingredient is usually moisturising. So any oil or petroleum jelly can be your base while ingredients like sugar, walnut shell powder or coffee grounds can be your exfoliating agent. To add a little bit of fragrance, essential oils can be used. If you want plumping ingredients, cinnamon powder and peppermint essential oil can be added. The possibilities are endless! Let your creativity run wild.
Is a Lip Scrub Edible?
Well yes, it is, IF you make it with edible oil and sugar. The lip scrubs with beeswax and petroleum jelly are NOT edible. Don’t try to eat petroleum jelly, please?
Images: Shutterstock
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