Why Your Lips Crack in Fall (and How Beeswax Helps)
Every year, right around the time the first pumpkin shows up on a porch, the chapped lips start. If you feel like your lips crack more in fall, you're not imagining it. Here's what's going on and why beeswax is one of our favorite ways to deal with it.
Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Why lips dry out so easily
The skin on your lips is thinner than the skin almost anywhere else on your body, and it has no oil glands of its own. The rest of your face gets a steady supply of natural oils; your lips don't. That means they depend on moisture from the air and whatever protection you give them.
What changes in fall
- Drier air. Even in the Bay Area, fall days can be surprisingly dry, especially when warm offshore winds blow in.
- Wind and sun. Both pull moisture out of the skin, and many of us are outside more on crisp, sunny fall days.
- Indoor heat. Once the heater clicks on, indoor air gets drier still.
- Licking your lips. This is the big one. Saliva feels soothing for a second, but as it evaporates it takes even more moisture with it, leaving lips drier than before.
Why beeswax works
Moisturizers generally work in one of two ways: they add water to the skin, or they seal in the water that's already there. Beeswax is a sealer. It forms a thin, breathable barrier over the lips that slows moisture loss and shields them from wind. Unlike some petroleum-based products, beeswax is a natural material made by honey bees from glands on their abdomens, and it has a lovely, faint honey scent all its own.
Beeswax is also firm at room temperature, which is why it gives a balm structure. Blended with plant oils and butters that soften the skin, it makes a balm that both nourishes and protects. (It's the same reason beeswax works so well for dry, ragged cuticles.)
Our tips for happier lips this fall
- Break the licking habit. Keep a balm in your pocket so you reach for that instead.
- Apply before you go outside, not just after your lips already hurt.
- Put a layer on at bedtime. Overnight is when a barrier does its best work.
- Drink water. Balm keeps moisture in, but your body has to supply it.
- Don't pick or peel. Let flaky skin soften and come away on its own.
- Run a humidifier in your bedroom once the heater is on. A quiet cool-mist humidifier is easy to sleep next to.
When to see a doctor
If your lips stay cracked for weeks, bleed often, or crack at the corners of your mouth in a way that won't heal, it's worth checking with a doctor. Sometimes that points to an irritation, allergy, or something else a balm can't fix.
Curious about the wax itself? Learn how bees make it and why we love working with it in What Is Beeswax and Why Do We Love Using It? Or keep one in your pocket all season: our Peppermint Beeswax Lip Balm is made with wax from our own hives. Hands drying out too? Our Lavender Cuticle Balm uses the same beeswax barrier to keep cuticles soft.
