Avoid Sunburnt Lips

To avoid sunburning my lips this summer, should I slather them with the same mineral sunscreen I use for my face?

By Morris Westfried, MD, a dermatologist at Natural Balance Massage and Wellness Center in Brooklyn, Ne

If you don’t mind the texture, smell, and taste of your favorite mineral sunscreen, you can certainly use it on your lips. Zinc oxide, in particular, poses no harm. However, lip balms containing mineral sunblock lock in moisture more
effectively than lotion or powder sunscreens. Just be sure to reapply after eating and coming in contact with water, and when you feel your lips getting dry. When choosing a lip balm, take into account that certain ingredients, such as lanolin, cinnamic acid, cinoxate, octinoxate, and octyl methoxycinnamate, may irritate some people’s skin. A blend of SPF 15 or higher and aloe vera suspended in beeswax offers superior sun protection while keeping lips hydrated.

Try: Burt’s Bees Res-Q Lip Balm SPF 15 ($4; burtsbees.com); Sanre Organic Skin Food Sweet Kiss Lip Balm SPF 30 ($4; sanreorganic.com)

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