How to Care For Your Lips With a Mask

Why wearing your favourite gloss under your mask is actually a good thing

Nearly a year into wearing masks and we’re still applying lip products before realizing we’ll just be covering up the bottom half of our faces the minute we step out the door. But what if we told you that wearing your go-to gloss or lipstick can actually help prevent dry, chapped lips?

We break down four ways to best care for and treat your lips while wearing a mask…

1. Stop biting, licking and picking

Common habits among many people—biting, licking or picking at your lips—may provide temporarily relief from dryness and flakiness, but it’s going to prolong these issues. No matter how many moisturizing products you lather on, constantly playing with your mouth is going to draw the moisture out of your skin and cause dryness. To best help your chapped lips, avoid touching them all together and try products without a heavy scent so you’re not tempted to to lick. 

2. Exfoliate

Like all skin, lips tend to lose volume as we age, so take a light scrub to your lips to eliminate dead skin and increase cell turnover and moisture. Use a natural exfoliator like coconut sugar or coffee grinds and combine with a cream-based product like coconut oil to not strip the skin of its natural oils. Avoid harsh scrubbing and gently massage in for healthier looking lips.

3. Apply your favourite moisturizing product

Just because your lips are covered up with a mask doesn’t mean external factors like the weather won’t affect them. It may seem pointless to apply your favourite moisturizing product before putting your mask on, but your lips will thank you. Masks can trap bacteria—and combined with friction from talking and low airflow—chafing and dehydration are common, which means moisturizing products with ingredients like vitamin E and antioxidants are great for locking in that moisture and keeping those natural oils working their magic.

4. Wash your face masks

We’ve all heard of maskne—and re-wearing masks without washing them is just as bad for your lips as your skin. So if you aren’t already washing your face masks regularly, then this is your cue to start. As noted above, bacteria, sweat and saliva can build up in your mask and will ultimately lead to all kinds of skin irritation, including lip cracking and drying, so make sure to throw your mask into your next load of laundry as a preventative measure.