Hey there, mama-to-be! If you're here, you might be experiencing one of the less glowy side effects of pregnancy: dry, chapped lips. First, just know—you’re not alone! Dry lips are a pregnancy mainstay for most mamas-to-be, but the good news is, we can fix it. Let’s explore why this happens and, more importantly, how to keep your lips soft, smooth, and glowing like you were promised.
Why Are My Lips So Dry During Pregnancy?
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Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy hormones, especially progesterone, have their ups and downs. While they’re essential for a healthy pregnancy, they can also weaken your skin barrier and strip your skin of its natural oils. The result? Dry skin and lips that feel like sandpaper and not like the pregnancy glow you were promised. -
Water
They say you're eating for two, but no one mentions that you're also hydrating for two! Try to up your daily water intake to about 8 - 12 cups to keep your skin and lips happy and hydrated. -
Frequent Bathroom Trips
In the first few months, hormonal fluctuations up your bathroom visits. Later, your expanding uterus pushes on your bladder, causing even more trips. This leads to water loss, dehydration, and—you guessed it—dry lips. -
Morning Sickness
If you're battling morning sickness, you're losing fluids fast (and likely don’t feel like drinking more water only to bring it back up). As a result, your lips—and the rest of your skin—suffer. We hear you, and don't worry, we've got solutions for the dry lips part of it at least! -
Environmental Factors
Dry air, cold weather, and harsh indoor heating can sap the moisture right out of your lips. Pregnancy makes your skin more sensitive, so these factors hit harder, leaving your lips parched.
How to Fix Dry Lips During Pregnancy
Now that you know why pregnancy has left your lips feeling less-than-stellar, let’s talk solutions to relieve dry lips!
1. Hydration, Hydration, Hydration
Aim to drink at least 8-12 glasses of water daily to support overall skin health and increased blood flow during pregnancy. Keep a reusable water bottle with you as a constant reminder to sip throughout the day. Add a slice of lemon or cucumber for a refreshing twist that might also help with nausea.
2. Lip balm that actually works
Here's the truth: not all lip balms are created equal. Some actually dry your lips out more and put you in a neverending dry lip cycle. Our 100% natural lip balms are the real deal. Handcrafted with the most hydration-rich plant butters, waxes, oils, and healing botanicals that nature has to offer, you'll finally have the sumptuously soft, happily hydrated lips you've been missing, - we promise.
Our Founder, Theora, a mama herself, handcrafts every lip balm with only 100% natural and organic ingredients so they're always safe for you and your baby.
For cold sore prone lips: heal your dry lips plus prevent and treat cold sores with our Lavender Lemon Balm Lip Balm. Deeply hydrating and hand-crafted with organic lemon balm, lavender, St. John's Wort, and comfrey, it’s a highly concentrated and ultra moisture-rich cold sore treatment.
For a subtle pink tint: have your hydration and a pop of color too! Our Pink Grapefruit Tinted Lip Balm is handcrafted with alkanet root-infused castor oil for color, organic shea and cocoa butters for deep moisture, and organic grapefruit peel essential oil to naturally boost collagen.
For a refreshing minty moment: Formulated with organic cocoa butter and shea butter for lasting hydration and organic spearmint and peppermint essential oils, our Pacific Peppermint Vegan Lip Balm is that invigorating fresh-gulp-of-mountain-air moment that will hydrate your lips and wake up that pregnancy brain right up!
3. Use a Humidifier
If your indoor air is dry, especially in the winter months, a humidifier can be a literal life changer. It adds moisture to the air, and helps bring your parched skin and lips back to pre-winter life.
4. DIY Lip Scrub
If your lips are at the ultra-dry flaking stage, try a healing lip scrub. A scrub helps remove dead skin, increases blood flow to the area, and prepares your lips to absorb more moisture. You can make your own DIY lip scrub at home with just 3 ingredients - check our favorite 3 ingredient lip scrub here!
6. Resist the Lick
Licking your lips might feel like it’s helping, but saliva evaporates quickly, leaving them even drier. Apply lip balm regularly to prevent the urge and protect your lips.
Pro Tips for Keeping Your Lips Healthy
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Carry a Lip Balm Everywhere: Keep one in your purse, by your bed, and in your car. Though our 100% Natural Lip Balms last all day long, we all know it's easy to forget which coat or purse we left the last one in.
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Apply Before Bed: Let your lip balm work overnight while you catch up on precious sleep.
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Layer Up: On extra cold or windy days, apply a thicker layer of balm as a protective barrier.
Here’s to smooth lips and happy pregnancies, mama! You’ve got this. Have questions about lip care, healing botanicals, or just want to chat mama-to-mama? Send our Founder, Theora a message anytime!
