5 Medicated Lip Balms DIY Lip Scrub by Anna Ervin
Two years ago, I was doing my absolute best to get through my first winter living in Colorado. If I’m being completely honest, I had never really thought much about my skin, nevertheless my lips, or the products I used on them. But there I was, four months into what felt like the longest winter of my life, and feeling every last effect of Colorado’s cold, dry weather. My lips burned, cracked, even bled that winter. I had never experienced anything like it. I ran to Pinterest for remedies and ended up learning a lot about what goes into the products we put on our lips in the process. While certain name brands in the cosmetics industry are beginning to look at their ingredients and make some long overdue changes, there are still a lot of bad apples out there putting harmful products in storefronts. Considering that your lips are right next to your mouth, I feel like it’s pretty important to pay attention to what goes on them. So what should you avoid? Parabens, synthetic fragrances and dyes, harsh chemicals, BHT, petroleum jelly, the list could honestly go on for ages. Imagine trying to keep all of this in mind during your weekly trip to the grocery store. So, I thought I’d make things a little easier and share 5 clean, toxin-free, and for the most part, locally sourced alternatives, as well as my own exfoliating lip scrub recipe. Oh, and did I mention these are medicated alternatives? Feel This Lip Balm, by Simply Bare LLC – 10mg THC I could not have dreamed of writing this article without mentioning Feel This. Utilizing as much of the plant as possible in order to provide maximum healing effects, Simply Bare is one of the first companies invested in independent research over the benefit of using Hemp Lipids in cosmetics. In addition to being full spectrum, Feel This products are leading the industry in sustainability with their FDA approved, recyclable packaging and labeling printed with biodegradable ink. The focus of this company is to trigger a lifestyle change for their consumers, one that prompts them to pay closer attention to the beauty industry’s carbon footprint, as well as to the ingredients used in our skincare products. Seven Wonders CBD Lip Balm, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD While most of our options are micro-dosed with THC, this particular lip balm is safe for those who simply prefer the power of CBD. Key to nature’s Blessings makes their Lip Balm with ingredients like Mango Seed Butter and Tea Tree oil to not only hydrate, but also heal dry lips. Tea Tree oil is also great for relieving cold sores, acne, and bad breath. This balm makes a great gift for friends and family that don’t have an OMMA patient card. Mint Oil Lip Balm by Mammoth Processing – 8.45mg THC Another local option, Mammoth Processing produces a medicinal lip balm that boasts 1063MG of terpenes per tube. Terpenes add anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, moisturizing, and mood enhancing properties to topicals (to name a few). This medicated balm uses a base of coconut oil, bees wax, and organic shea butter for maximum hydration and protection from the elements. CBD Lip Tint, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD In addition to their lip balm, Nature’s Blessings also offers a lip tint for those of us who like to add a little color to our palette. This has personally been my go-to lately. Despite wearing a mask that covers that part of my face, there is just something about wearing a little color on my lips that really boosts my confidence. Made with the same base as the Seven Wonders Lip Balm, the color of this tint is not overwhelmingly bold, instead adding a subtle depth to the natural color of your lips while still providing moisture. Lip Bong, by Mary Jane’s Medicinals – 9mg THC / 3mg CBD This Colorado born company focuses on a holistic approach by producing all natural and organic topicals. The packaging on this one claims that no chemical solvents were used in production. With ingredients like cannabis-infused grape seed oil, jojoba oil, and essential oils of peppermint, this lip treatment reminds me of my favorite natural products used in my own homemade remedies.
DIY Exfoliating Lip Scrub Ingredients: 2 Tbsp finely ground sugar 1 Tbsp MCT oil 1-2 drops sweet peppermint essential oil (or peppermint extract) Instructions: Mix sugar and MCT oil (can also use olive oil, grapeseed, or jojoba) and stir. Add more oil if mixture is dry. Stir in essential oil or extract a little at a time, perform a patch test and adjust accordingly. Try to avoid adding too much peppermint or opt to use a different type of essential oil to avoid irritating inflamed lips.
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