Eli5 why does licking your lips make them more dry
In: 752
Your skin, including your lips, is not wet with water but with oils. Water and oil does not mix. The oil in your skin helps make your body watertight as the water can not penetrate the oily layer. Your spit however is water based. When you lick your lips you might think that you are adding moisture by coating it with spit, but what you are actually doing is scraping away some of the oil on the lips making it dryer. This is why in order to fix dry lips you need to use an oil based substance of some kind. You can use petroleum gel, lip balm, lipstick, or any other similar substance. Similarly taking a shower can dry out your skin, soaps and alcohol are even worse as they dissolve the fat. But a moisturizing cream can add back some of that fat in the skin.
Latest Answers