In the cold and dry autumn and winter, delicate lips are easily "injured". Many people suffer from dry mouth and tongue, and even chapped and peeling lips, which is both unsightly and uncomfortable.

What should be noted about chapped lips?

Do not lick your lips when they are chapped

Many people tend to make a common mistake: when their lips are dry, they lick them or moisten them with saliva, thinking this will relieve the dryness. However, this habit is harmful to the skin around the lips.

Licking lips causes two problems. First, it can lead to inflammation at the corners of the mouth. When you lick your lips, saliva is left on the lips. Saliva contains various enzymes that aid digestion, including two types: amylase and maltase. These can cause inflammation at the corners of the mouth because the residual enzymes essentially "digest the skin".

The other consequence of licking lips is a more common irritant dermatitis, also caused by saliva. Experts explain that, contrary to common belief, licking lips does not moisten them. When you lick your lips, the moisture evaporates, taking away the already scarce moisture from the lips, making them even drier. This creates a vicious cycle of the more you lick, the drier they become, eventually leading to eczema-like consequences on the lips. However, this "eczema" is not "wet" but "dry", causing the skin around the mouth to become rough and develop a different color from the surrounding skin.

Therefore, when your lips are chapped, never lick them, as this will only make them even more chapped.

For chapped lips, drink plenty of water and keep your lips clean.

When lip skin peels, do not pick it off with your hands, as this can easily tear the lips, causing pain and bleeding. You can use small scissors to carefully trim off the raised skin in front of a mirror. In windy or cold weather, the skin's surface layer cannot retain enough moisture, and water is absorbed by the dry air, making lips most prone to dryness. It is best to regularly apply colorless lip balm or lip oil.

Women with dry lips often have dry skin overall, so it is important to replenish moisture and oils. It is also beneficial to massage the lips regularly. The massage method is simple and does not require special time. Every morning before applying makeup and every evening before bed, apply moisturizer to your lips as well, then gently massage with your fingertips. This helps promote blood circulation, allowing the lips to obtain nutrients and absorb the moisturizing product quickly. After a few massages, wipe off any excess with a tissue, then apply a layer of colorless lip balm to keep the lips moisturized.

What should you drink for chapped lips?

Why do lips become chapped? On one hand, the dry weather lacks moisture in the air, and the body loses water, leading to deficiency of Yin blood and depletion of body fluids. On the other hand, during cold seasons, people tend to eat rich, greasy, spicy, and stimulating foods, which cause internal heat in the spleen and stomach, leading to insufficient body fluids and dry mouth and lips.

Experts remind that to alleviate these discomforts, first ensure adequate water intake, maintain indoor humidity, and use lip balm appropriately. Additionally, you can brew a cup of "Double Winter Tea" for daily consumption. Take 10 grams each of Ophiopogon japonicus (Mai Dong) and Asparagus cochinchinensis (Tian Dong), add a little white sugar, and steep in about 300 ml of boiling water for 10–15 minutes.

The effects of Ophiopogon japonicus are summarized in four phrases: "Mai Men Gan Han, Jie Ke Qu Fan, Bu Xin Qing Fei, Xu Re Zi An"—meaning it sweetens and cools, quenches thirst and relieves irritability, nourishes the heart and clears the lungs, and calms deficient heat. It not only replenishes lung fluids, relieving dry throat and cough, but also supplements stomach fluids, helps clear heart heat, and lubricates the intestines. Asparagus cochinchinensis has similar effects, clearing lung heat, reducing fire, nourishing Yin, and moistening dryness, while also tonifying kidney Yin. It is suitable for symptoms such as Yin deficiency with heat, insufficient body fluids, and thirst. The combination of the two complements each other, making them a good "partner" for autumn and winter wellness. However, it is important to note that these two herbs are cold in nature. Those with symptoms of spleen and stomach deficiency-cold, such as diarrhea with loose stools, greasy white tongue coating, poor digestion, or cold-wind cough, should not consume this tea.