Why Do My Lips Peel When I Put On Lipstick?

Are your lips chapped and peeling, and are driving you mad? Do you wear lipstick regularly? Well, unfortunately, it may simply be your lipstick that is the reason why your lips are peeling and not looking their best.

This is because most lipstick brands on the market include harsh ingredients in their formulas. And it’s these ingredients that will irritate the delicate skin of your lips and potentially cause them to become even more sensitive.

And as you well know, lips that are painful are a problem that you can do without So, if you’re wondering why do my lips peel when I put on lipstick, then read on to find out how to fix this extremely annoying situation.

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Why Do My Lips Peel When I Put On Lipstick?

Most brands of lipsticks that you’ll find for purchase at your local cosmetic counter have only one purpose — to make your lips look as beautiful as possible.

And unfortunately, many of the ingredients contained in them are chemical irritants.

This means that these lipsticks shouldn’t really be used if you have peeling or chapped lips. And you really don’t want to use these if they’re expired.

The chemical irritants found in most lipstick formulations can include things like petroleum jelly, mineral oil, silicones, waxes, and alcohol.

These actually strip the delicate skin on your lips of their natural oils and cause dryness if used regularly.

The chemical irritants found in most lipstick formulations can include things like petroleum jelly, mineral oil, silicones, waxes, and alcohol. These actually strip the delicate skin on your lips of their natural oils and will cause dryness if used regularly.

Four other chemical irritants that are contained in many lipstick formulations include:

Fragrance

The synthetic compounds found in all fragrances don’t need to be labeled, and each one can contain up to 72 unknown ingredients, which all have the ability to cause irritation.

Therefore, it is best to steer clear of lipsticks that include synthetic fragrances if the lipstick you’re using is causing your lips to peel.

Parabens

Both methylparaben and propylparaben are chemical preservatives that are routinely found in most of the major lipstick brands you’ll find in stores.

According to the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, these parabens are not only chemical irritants, but they are considered a high hazard, because of the toxic effect they can cause to the endocrine system, which plays an important role in your skin’s development.

Parabens are also linked to cancer, and routinely cause allergic reactions that can irritate skin, including the lips.

Pigments

The different shades that help to create a lipstick’s color include pigments made from minerals, which are natural, but can also include chemical dyes.

Whenever these substances hit the moist lip area, they can cause irritation that can result in peeling and chapping.

Tocopheryl Acetate

This chemical is also known as vitamin E acetate, which can make it sound quite innocuous. However, this irritant is considered a moderate hazard by the Skin Deep database, and has been shown to cause burning, scaling, itching, and blistering of the skin, including the lips.

You may have even been using your favorite lipstick for a while without a problem, and all of a sudden your lips are peeling.

This can happen because the brand you’ve been using may have reformulated the product, which they can do without providing these details to their customers.

So, it’s up to you to take charge of healing your chapped and peeling lips by using products that will help them to rehydrate and heal.

Best of all, you can even do this by adding natural color if the thought of wearing no lipstick at all has you filled with horror.

It’s up to you to take charge of healing your chapped and peeling lips by using products that will help them to rehydrate and heal.

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Natural Lip Balms to Heal Your Lips

The first thing you’ll need to do before finding a lipstick that won’t chap your lips with irritating synthetic ingredients is to heal your lips first.

A natural lip moisturizer like a toxin-free chapstick or balm will do the job by restoring your lips with the hydration they so badly need.

You may even want to create a new routine and use this type of moisturizer at night before you go to bed, or even as a primer under your lipstick once they are healed enough to start wearing it again.

RMS Beauty Lip & Skin Balm 

RMS Beauty Lip & Skin Balm is GMO, nano-tech, soy, and gluten-free, and contains ingredients that will help to nourish and soften your lips. This balm can even be used on dry and peeling areas of your skin.

The balm’s award-winning formulation includes coconut oil, cacao seed butter, shea butter, and rosemary extract, which provide skin rejuvenation and healing through the nourishment and hydration of these key natural ingredients.

Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter 

Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter is made from a dermatologically tested formulation, and is free from synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colors, and materials derived from mineral oil.

Featuring a rich blend of sunflower seed oil, chamomile and calendula extract, it will melt into your lips to leave them feeling soft and supple. It also gives lips a slight glossy sheen.

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm 

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm is a moisturizer that will provide a sheer tint to your lips and will enhance their look. This tinted lip balm even helps to keep them nourished and hydrated while they’re healing from peeling.

Its smooth texture will give your lips a sheer natural shade that is free of parabens, phthalates, petroleum and sulfates.

The range of tinted balms will leave your lips feeling smooth and soothed, and come in colors including Rose, Hibiscus, Pink Blossom, Red Dahlia, Sweet Violet, and Zinnia, a rich coral tint.

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Natural Lipsticks to Try When Your Lips Heal

Luckily these days, with the focus on more sustainable, non-toxic, and eco-friendly living, there are many lipsticks you can buy that will help your lips stay subtle and smooth while providing them with a more vibrant color than a tint.

Context Skin’s Non Toxic Liquid Lipstick

Context Skin’s Non Toxic Liquid Lipstick is a creamy liquid formulation that provides full coverage, and is also paraben, sulfate, and phthalate free. Its creamy formula glides on smooth and contains castor oil, sunflower seed oil and vitamins C and E, which provide antioxidant protection.

Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick 

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lipstick

, like the brand’s tinted lip balm (see above), will provide your lips with intense moisture, as well as leave them with a creamy satin finish.

This moisturizing lip color contains soothing ingredients like moringa oil, raspberry seed oil, beeswax and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Want to enhance your healing lips with something that will provide full coverage? Burt’s Bees has you covered with 18 shades, including Scarlet Soaked, a bold red, Iced Iris, a soft pink, Fuchsia Flood, a bold pink, and Russet River, a warm dark chocolate hue, which all come in a 100% natural toxin-free formula with recycled packaging.

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Our Natural Lip Fix Conclusion

So, as you can see, there’s no need to worry if your lips are in need of some extra TLC after peeling. Why do your lips peel when you put on lipstick?

It’s because of the harsh ingredients used in most formulations. But now you have all the answers you need to get your lips soft, smooth and ready for color again soon.