Lip care is often the most-overlooked part of a skincare routine, but the skin on your lips is thin, fragile, and shows dryness and ageing faster than the rest of your face. The basics:

1. Hydrate throughout the day with a moisturising lip balm. Look for ingredients like shea butter, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and squalane.
2. Apply a thicker lip mask overnight to deeply nourish while you sleep. This is when the most repair happens.
3. Exfoliate gently once a week to remove flaky skin.
4. Use SPF on your lips too. Most lip balms don't include it, so check the label.

Cult favourites in our community: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for overnight repair, COSRX Lip Sleeping Mask Mini for travel, and Beauty of Joseon Glow Replenishing Balm for daily hydration that doubles as a tinted lip product.

Lip exfoliation removes flaky skin and helps your lip balm sink in better. Once a week is plenty for most people. More than that risks irritation, since the skin on your lips is much thinner than the rest of your face.

Method 1, lip scrub (gentlest and easiest): Pat lips dry. Apply a pea-sized amount of lip scrub. Massage in tiny circles for 30 to 60 seconds, then rinse with warm water and pat dry. Follow immediately with lip balm or lip mask.

Method 2, soft toothbrush: After cleansing your face, gently brush dry lips with a soft toothbrush for 30 seconds. Rinse and apply lip balm.

Method 3, overnight peel: Apply a thick layer of lip mask before bed (Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the cult favourite). In the morning, the dead skin will wipe away easily.

Avoid scrubbing if your lips are cracked, broken, or sore. Heal first, exfoliate later.