By Shahnaz Husain
In winter, keeping the skin of the lips soft and smooth can present a problem due to the lack of moisture and dryness. Chapped and dry lips are common in winter and make it impossible to apply lipstick smoothly.
Nutritional deficiencies can also lead to dry, chapped lips. Include foods like oranges, ripe papaya, tomatoes, carrots, green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole-grains, oats, and milk products in the diet. Take advice from your doctor if you have any medical condition. Use glossy lipsticks and lip balm. Avoid soap and powder on lips.
Shahnaz Husain Lip Balm 
Shalips – Shahnaz Husain Herbal Lipstick
The skin of the lips is thin and delicate. It does not contain oil glands. That is why it becomes dry and chaps easily, especially during winter. After washing the face, the lips may be rubbed gently with a soft towel to remove dead skin. Apply cream of milk (malai) daily and leave on for an hour. If the lips become dark, add a few drops of lemon juice to the cream of milk. Look for lip balm with sunscreen, or apply sunscreen lotion, wait for a few minutes and then apply lipstick.
Many oils help to soften the lips and enhance their beauty. Almond oil, for instance, is very nourishing and also lightens skin colour over a period of time. Apply almond oil on the lips at night and leave on overnight. Almond oil contains several vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin E, potassium and zinc, as well as monounsaturated fatty acids. Oils like Argan and Coconut oil also help to nourish the skin on the lips in winter. Argon oil is native to Morocco. As it is easily absorbed by the skin, it can be ideal for care of the lips. The fatty acids also nourish and soften the skin. Use only a few drops directly on the lips.
Coconut oil has also been valued for its nourishing and moisturizing ability. It has a great skin softening ability and helps to make the skin soft and smooth. It may be applied on the lips and is also said to protect the skin from harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. It has a healing effect on chapped and cracked lips. Coconut oil can also be used to remove make-up. It can be applied on the lips and left on overnight or, leave on for 15 minutes and wipe off with moist cotton wool.
About Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain, pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement, heads the Shahnaz Husain Group, with a global network of franchise ventures and 375 Ayurvedic formulations. A Case Study at Harvard for Brand Creation, she is now a Harvard Subject for “Emerging Markets” She was honoured with the Padma Shri Award and is the first woman in 105 years to receive the World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award from Success, the U.S. business magazine. Indeed, Shahnaz Husain is a leading international beauty icon.
