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A quality lip balm can protect your lips.

Let’s take a look at some fun and useful facts about lips.

Everyone has lips. If you try to imagine your face without them, you’ll realize just how silly you look.

Lips come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are big, some are small and some are perfectly plump. Some are incredibly kissable and some, unfortunately, are not. However, lips are a lot more complex than just how they look. Just think, if we didn’t have them, how would we talk, eat, whistle, sip through a straw––or kiss?

These are some of my favorite fun facts about lips…

Let’s start with kissing

Lips have more than a million different nerve endings, which makes them one of the most sensitive parts of our body. They’re actually 100 times more sensitive than the tips of our fingers. Hence, why kissing is so fun!

The beauty of Cupid’s Bow

The double curve of our upper lip, or the two highest points closest to the bottom of our nose, is affectionately called a Cupid’s Bow, because it resembles just that. Cupid, as most of us know, is the god of love, affection and attraction. When it comes to the lips, the Cupid’s Bow is considered very attractive. And who doesn’t want to get hit by one of cupid’s arrows?

Red and pink are the colors of love

Healthy lips have a rosy or pinkish hue. The skin on our lips is incredibly thin and has only three to six layers of cells, whereas the rest of the body has 16 layers. Because of this, we are able to see the capillaries or blood vessels beneath, which display red and pink tones. Of course, the lighter the skin the more pronounced the color. There are some studies that suggest the redder the lips the more attractive they are. Hmmm…is this why the lipstick industry is such a moneymaker?

Our lips never sweat and are pimple-free

That’s right, our lips do not have any sweat glands or oil glands, so they don’t perspire and they won’t break out. This makes them even more kissable. The only downside is that because lips don’t have protective oils, they can easily get dry, flaky, chapped and irritated. This makes lip balm a must for many people.

Our lips need sunscreen

Unfortunately, our lips are incredibly susceptible to sun damage. In fact, they’re more prone to sun damage than any other part of the body. Our lips need daily UVA/UVB protection, just like the rest of our skin. They are often a common spot for skin cancer to occur. So apply, apply and reapply throughout the day.

Thin or plump?

As we age, our lips grow thinner. Don’t believe me? Just look at a picture of yourself when you were really young. You’ll see what I’m talking about. Aging causes our collagen production to decrease, and it’s collagen that gives our lips their shape and plumpness. Thankfully, there are lip-plumping products for those who want a little more oomph in their lips.

Lips express emotions

We all know this but it’s pretty cool when you think about it. Our lips can tell someone if we are happy from a smile or sad from a frown. They can even tell someone when we are annoyed by pursed lips and in shock and awe by our open mouth. Our lips are the perfect communicator, even before we start talking.

And my favorite fun fact about lips…

Our lips are totally unique to just us. Like our fingerprints, no two lip prints are exactly alike. How cool is that?

To keep your lips in their most kissable condition, here are a few tips:

• Always protect your lips by wearing lip balm and sunscreen. This will help keep them soft and smooth.
• Exfoliate your lips to keep them looking more youthful. Some people scrub their lips with a toothbrush. I prefer to use a facial scrub on my lips. I make my own scrub with a bit of honey and a pinch of sugar. It not only helps to remove dead skin, it also tastes great. And honey is a natural skin hydrator.
• Drink plenty of water to keep lips hydrated. If your lips feel dry, resist the urge to lick them. This only creates a vicious cycle that worsens the condition.
• Coconut oil is a great way to hydrate your lips naturally. Just a tiny dab on your lips before bedtime will do the trick.