Every person has to roll

the image Pucker Up

Popularity of lip balm is on the rise

Brad Schlemmer • Reporter

As winter passes, students continue to fumble through their pockets, bags and purses searching for something to protect their lips.

Although some chap sticks have been modified to be nearly lip gloss, in general, chap stick is still universal. Students kiss winter goodbye and tell all about their way of protecting, beautifying and even enlarging their lips.

Lip maintenance might have started as, essentially, a wickless candle in foil, people have found multiple methods to make their lips tingle and burn for beauty. Any common brand of chap stick will contain some form of moisturizer that will protect lips and a type of sun block.

According to an Image, the most common brands are Burt’s Bees, ChapStick Lip Balm, Blistex and Carmex. Burt’s Bees is considerably more popular than the other brands. At first observation, one can guess it is more preferable because Burt’s Bees is the newest out of the remaining chap sticks.

On the other hand, Carmex is nearly the oldest chap stick invented, and it still remains among the most popular brands. “It leaves my lips really smooth, and it gets rid of dry skin and gunk on my lips,” freshman Helen Black said.

Protecting lips with chap stick doesn’t keep them perfectly secure. Sharing lipstick is not very safe, and even using samples in stores can spread bacteria.

Leaving the tops off lipstick containers allows them to be vulnerable to infection. A way to prevent spreading bacteria is using a Q-tip on samples so the lipstick doesn’t come in direct contact with someone’s lips.

Sophomore Missy Clay is in many theater productions and she says how it is vital that everyone usually has their own set of makeup to use. After all, it is a possibility that contaminated lipstick can spread herpes Type 1 or cold sores.

Even at home, Clay tries to keep track of all her chap sticks. After she is sick for a period of time, she will cut off small slices from the top of her chap sticks. She said that bacteria can fester in the chap stick if someone is sick and doesn’t get rid of the top layer. “It’s similar to food. It can be transported to different people, it’s just not ingested,” Clay said.

As of late, lipsticks, chap sticks and lip gloss are now joined by a fairly new product. Girls everywhere are trying a new stimulating lip innovation: lip-plumping gloss. Initially, this merchandise hit the shelves with a semi-painful side effect that would burn ladies’ lips and then it would build up the lips. The purpose is to acquire fuller, more voluptuous lips.

Even this new invention has taken a second step. More companies are trying to diminish the burning effect so girls won’t be turned away by the tingle.

The real question is: how does it work? Many of these products have some moisturizers that will soften lips, a variety of colors to choose from and a type of patented formula that will reach down into the collagen in lip tissue, enhance it, and the result is increased volume.

It seems lip-enlarging comes with added bonuses. For some brands such as CityLips, reviews say that it fights free radicals, reduces wrinkles around the lips and removes cold sores.

Whether it’s protecting lips from whip-lash, taking hygienic measures to keep lips clean or just trying to look good, nothing is taboo.

What moistens your lips?

20% Carmex

18% ChapStick 48% Burt’s Bees

14% Blistex

208 students polled

Fever blisters become a rising problem Brad Schlemmer • Reporter

Cold sores, also known sores has flared up the vias fever blisters, are a risrus lies dormant in the ing problem in today’s sonerve cells of the body unciety. til the next attack arrives.

Very contagious and Prior to full exposure the quickly spread, cold sores infected area on the skin often appear as reddish will become sensitive and purple blisters on the lips. may start to itch.

Cold sores are caused Onset of the infection by the Herpes Simplex may be triggered by fevers, Virus (HSV), which may menstruation, stress and spread through contamiheavy exposure to sunnated material, such as light. Cold sores cannot razors, towels or eating be cured, however, steps to materials. reduce their presence may

Sexual activity with an be taken. infected person may cause O v e r - t h e - c o u n t e r the spread of genital hercreams and pain relieving pes, which is a type two medication may help subvirus of this sort. side some of the irritation

Once an episode of cold and discomfort.

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