Lipstick is one of the most popular makeup items and a beautiful shade can instantly lift up the entire personality of a woman. While most women love their lipsticks, there is one problem. Using lipsticks for a long time can lead to darkening of the lips because of some of the chemicals present in them. Dr Manasi Shirolikar, Consultant Dermatologist, tells us why lipstick can darken your lips and the steps you can take to prevent them.
what causes lips to turn black
“Some lipsticks may contain chemicals such as ricinoleic acid, fatty acid esters, magnesium, ester gum, chromium, and coal tar dye, to name a few. These chemicals can irritate the skin of the lips, and lead to pigmented contact cheilitis, Lips can cause eczema. , or dermatitis, which appears as lip pigmentation on the lips. Pigmentation or hyperpigmentation is commonly referred to as darkening of the lips. It may appear as patches or as an overall darkening of the lips. as can be,” says Dr Manasi Shirolikar who is also the founder of online consultation brand drmanasiskin.com.
Matte Lipstick Vs Glossy Lipstick – Which One Should You Choose?
While matte lipsticks are the current favorite of many, Dr. Manasi points out that matte lipsticks are made with alcohols, waxes, and pigments, and don’t contain as much (or even any) oil as glossy lipsticks. “These dry out the lips. When any surface of the skin is dry or dehydrated, the skin has a greater tendency to become pigmented. Lips, as they do, do not have sebaceous glands, which means is that they don’t produce any oil to keep them hydrated or moisturized. Add matte lipsticks to the factor, especially if you’re prone to lip eczema, and you have a guaranteed recipe for disaster aka dark, hyperpigmented lips. ,” shares Dr Mansi.
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4 tips to prevent dark lips
So, how can you stop lipstick from darkening your lips? Dr Mansi shares four important tips. read on:
1. Make sure your lips are not chapped or dry. Use a good quality lip balm, and if necessary, exfoliate your lips before sleeping. Lip slugging means first applying lip balm on your lips and then applying a layer of petroleum jelly on them. These will ensure that you have moisturised lips, which will prevent them from becoming hyperpigmented.
2. Avoid matte lipsticks as much as possible – As mentioned above, matte lipsticks make lips extremely dry. Avoiding these will help prevent your lips from becoming pigmented. However, if you want to use a matte lipstick, make sure that your lips are not dry or chapped. Coat them in a thin layer of lip balm or lip primer to protect and moisturize them, and then apply matte lipstick. Also, make sure you apply a thin layer of matte lipstick, rather than going over and over and applying multiple layers – the thicker the layers, the drier your lips and the deeper the stains.
3. If possible, choose lipsticks that are formulated with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, olive oil, amino acids, castor oil, petroleum, cocoa butter, lanolin or mineral oil to keep your lips well moisturized and hydrated. This will help prevent darkening of the lips.
4. An alternate suggestion that could possibly work wonders: Replace your lipstick with a tinted lip balm that will not only hydrate your lips but also give them a lipstick-like tint, without the fear of lip pigmentation!