Unveiling the Best Lip Moisturizer Ingredients
Natural vs. Synthetic: Unveiling the Best Lip Moisturizer Ingredients
When it comes to skincare, it’s common to overlook your lips. But taking care of your lips is important, not just for aesthetic reasons but for health and comfort as well.
After all, dry and chapped lips can be painful. They can also create cuts and vulnerabilities to bacteria and infection, which can be a real problem if your lips are constantly dry. And what’s worse—so many lip products can make your lips feel even more dry every time you apply them.
In order to maintain lip hydration, it’s important to know what ingredients to prioritize when selecting a new product. Let’s talk about natural and synthetic ingredients that can help moisturize and soothe chapped, painful lips to get you on the path to a perfected pout in no time.
Peptides
Peptides—those small but mighty proteins—are majorly helpful when it comes to skin hydration. Made of short chains of amino acids, peptides act as building blocks of proteins such as collagen, elastin, and keratin. These proteins are vital for the skin's health, giving it firmness, flexibility, and integrity.
Peptides can help support visibly firmer, suppler lips. Collagen loss is a significant factor in lip aging, resulting in thinning and lack of plumpness. Peptides address this by supporting the body’s natural collagen production, thereby restoring youthful volume and texture.
Peptides also aid in hydration. Some peptides are known to support the hydration capacity of the lips by supporting the skin’s moisture barrier. They lock in moisture and can even help minimize transepidermal water loss, ensuring lips remain hydrated and feel soft to the touch.
The peptides used in skincare are typically synthetically produced to simulate those naturally found in the skin.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are well-regarded for their exfoliating and hydrating properties. Derived from natural sources or synthesized in a lab from synthetic origin, they work by breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing for their removal.
When it comes to the delicate skin on the lips, AHAs serve a special purpose. They gently slough away the outer layer of dead, dry skin, revealing the fresher, more glowy skin underneath. This exfoliation process is critical for those struggling with chapped lips, as it helps to smooth and refine the lip surface.
But AHAs are not just about exfoliation. They also play a role in increasing skin hydration. By removing the barrier of dead skin cells, AHAs allow other hydrating ingredients to penetrate more effectively.
This can enhance the overall moisturizing effect of lip products, resulting in lips that not only feel smoother but also look well-moisturized. Plus, they can also bind to water molecules to help keep moisture in the skin.
AHAs are found in nature (for instance, lactic acid is found in sour milk, while citric acid is found in citric fruits). However, most are created synthetically, so it’s important to do your research if you’re looking for specifically natural or synthetic ingredients.
It’s also important to note that if you use AHAs, it’s important to apply sun protection. AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to sun exposure, so wearing a lip sunscreen with SPF 30 at all times is key. Also, it’s important to include products with antioxidant ingredients to help defend against oxidative stress.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid, a type of beta hydroxy acid (BHA), is a fantastic ally in lip treatment for dry lips. Its unique oil-soluble property allows it to penetrate deeper into the skin, dissolving the debris that can cause flakiness and dryness.
Similar to alpha hydroxy acids, BHAs provide chemical exfoliation. By sloughing away dead skin cells, salicylic acid can not only smoothen rough textures but also clear the way for moisture to penetrate. This ensures that the hydration components of a lip product can work more effectively.
It's essential to choose the right product with salicylic acid. Concentration and formulation matter, as a well-formulated product can help you experience benefits without sensitivity. Whether in lip balms, lip repair serums, or specialized lip care treatments, salicylic acid stands as a versatile and effective ingredient for achieving soft, hydrated lips.
Salicylic acid is found naturally in white willow bark, although it is most often created in a laboratory setting.
Beeswax
Beeswax is a nourishing natural substance that can help support the skin's moisture barrier. This natural wax produced by honeybees offers a dual benefit for lip care. It forms an occlusive layer on the lips, acting as a barrier that seals in moisture, keeping the lips hydrated. This effect is particularly helpful in harsh weather conditions where dryness might prevail.
This natural ingredient also possesses emollient properties that soften the skin. By blending with oils and other ingredients in lip products, it creates a smooth and waxy texture in your product. Many board-certified dermatologists recommend beeswax-based balms for those suffering from dry, chapped lips.
Ceramides
Ceramides, naturally found in the skin, play a crucial role in lip therapy, offering moisturizing benefits that support a youthful pout. These lipid molecules create a protective layer that locks in moisture, preventing visible dryness and helping to maintain the lips' natural hydration balance.
Their function is particularly important in the context of the skin’s barrier, where ceramides act as a shield against environmental aggressors. In lip products, they can help fill the gaps in the skin's surface, smoothing out the lips and adding a soft, supple feel.
Ceramides contribute to the effectiveness of lip butter, balms, and salves, available at drugstores and specialty shops alike. The hydrating and protective qualities of ceramides make them indispensable in achieving fresh, healthy-looking lips.
Poly-Hydroxy Acid
The third ingredient to look for in our skincare acid trifecta is poly-hydroxy acids (PHA). As a chemical exfoliant, PHAs provide a gentler alternative to AHAs, working on the surface level to slough away dead skin cells without penetrating deeply. This makes it suitable for sensitive skin types or those new to chemical exfoliation.
PHAs help in revealing the newer skin underneath, encouraging a softer and smoother appearance. They’re also known for attracting moisture to the skin, providing hydration and exfoliation. Their mild but effective exfoliating actions, combined with their hydrating capabilities, make PHAs an appealing choice for those seeking a gentle path to luscious, hydrated lips.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is derived from the nuts of the Shea tree and is celebrated for its nourishing and moisture-defensive qualities in the world of skincare and lip care. Rich in vitamins and fatty acids, it provides an intense moisturizing effect perfect for tackling dry, chapped lips.
Shea butter's texture creates a smooth application, leaving a protective barrier on the lips that locks in moisture and offers immediate relief.
Its natural, fragrance-free nature makes it suitable for sensitive skin, too. You can find Shea butter-infused beauty products across a wide array of retailers, making it an accessible and effective solution for maintaining luscious, hydrated lips.
Similar natural occlusive ingredients include coconut oil, cocoa butter, castor oil, jojoba oil, squalane, and rosehip seed oil.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid—specifically our dehydrated long-chain hyaluronic acid formulation—is a scientifically advanced ingredient that is revolutionizing lip care. Unlike traditional hyaluronic acid, this dehydrated form allows for deeper penetration into the skin, ensuring plump, well-moisturized lips without reliance on ingredients like petrolatum or lanolin.
What makes this ingredient remarkable is its ability to attract and hold moisture. It can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, providing intense hydration and helping to visibly smooth fine lines on the lips.
Its synergistic effect with other hydrating and nourishing agents ensures a complete lip care routine that addresses not just hydration but overall lip texture and appearance.
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our bodies, where it is used mainly to provide hydration in the skin and to provide cushioning in the joints. However, like with many other natural ingredients, many skincare companies use synthetic hyaluronic acid in their formulations. This just goes to show how thin the line is between the two—often, synthetic ingredients are inspired by natural ingredients.
While this ingredient may be new to you, you’ve probably used it before. Hyaluronic acid is a popular ingredient in many lip shimmers, lip oils, lip treatments, and even vegan lip balms. Other hydrating ingredients you might find alongside hyaluronic acid include vitamin E, aloe vera, and glycerin.
Where Do You Get a Lip Balm That Uses All of These?
If you look up lists of the best lip balms or an ideal lip mask for dry lips, you’ll find no end of great products, from brand names you recognize to good, old-fashioned Vaseline or petroleum jelly. However, The PLASMA Lip Compound uses all of the above ingredients and more to hydrate, plump, and overall rejuvenate the appearance of your lips.
This transformative treatment not only hydrates your lips but provides a natural 3D pillow effect for immediate—and sustained—results. After even a single application, your lips can feel more hydrated. And, with a range of gorgeous colors to complement every skin tone and undertone, you’ll also get the benefit of a flattering lip tint that goes everywhere with you.
Using our double patent-pending SIREN Capsule Technology, this lip compound delivers ingredients where your skin needs the help—and nowhere else. So you don’t have to worry about stressing your lips out with a lip gloss or lip color that uses potentially irritating ingredients like peppermint oil or menthol additives to achieve its plumping effect.
Start a New Chapter Without Chapped Lips
Whether it's peptides enhancing suppleness, alpha hydroxy acids revitalizing dry skin, or unique innovations like our dehydrated long-chain hyaluronic acid, each ingredient, whether natural or synthetic, serves a distinctive purpose.
Understanding the science behind these ingredients can help you make informed decisions and choose products that offer not only immediate relief from dryness and chapping but also long-term nourishment. Not sure whether our PLASMA Lip Compound really works? Just check out the results from our clinical research!
Sources:
Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin | National Library of Medicine
Salicylic Acid as a Peeling Agent: A Comprehensive Review | National Library of Medicine
