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Beauty / Skin Care
What's in this story
- What is a lip scrub?
- What are the benefits of a lip scrub?
- How to use a lip scrub
- Do I need a lip scrub?
- Best lip scrubs and exfoliators
By Mary Honkus, CNN Underscored
Published 4:44 PM EDT, Mon June 17, 2024
Lip scrub quick picks
Best overall: Sara Happ The Lip Scrub
Best-tasting: Poppy & Pout Exfoliating Lip Scrub
Best budget: e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator
Best splurge: iS Clinical Lip Duo
Exfoliation is a key part of any skin care routine to keep your complexion smooth, soft and radiant. Whether you prefer chemical peels, lactic acid serums or a gritty body scrub, you’ve probably already curated the best exfoliation routine for your face and body. But have you ever stopped to exfoliate your lips? If you haven’t, it’s time to pick up a lip scrub, stat.
It may be even more important to exfoliate your lips than any other part of your body because it’s the only area that lacks oil glands. “Even your nail beds have oil glands!” explains Sara Happ, lip expert and founder of her eponymous lip care line. “Lips cannot shed dead skin on their own, nor can they self-hydrate. They’re also very delicate — lips only have three to five layers of skin versus your face which has about 15. To properly care for your lips, you need to exfoliate and hydrate daily.” You can do both in one fell swoop with the best lip scrubs.
What is a lip scrub?
Much like a face or body scrub, lip scrubs are physical exfoliators that slough off the top layer of skin and other debris to reveal smooth, soft skin underneath. “Lip scrubs typically contain small particles, like sugar or salt, to remove dead skin cells combined with moisturizing ingredients, such as shea butter, coconut oil or jojoba oil to nourish and hydrate lips,” explains Dr. Marisa Garshick, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist.
What are the benefits of a lip scrub?
According to Garshick, a lip scrub provides several benefits, the main one being exfoliating dead skin cells to reveal silkier, softer lips. “This helps to improve the texture and appearance of lips, making them look healthier and more vibrant,” she explains. Additionally, she adds that “lip scrubs can also reduce chapped and flaky lips, especially in dry or cold weather, and prepare your lips for a smooth lipstick or gloss application.” With regular exfoliation, your lips will be able to better absorb lip balms and overnight treatments, leading to a more hydrated, nourished and healthy pucker in the long run.
How to use a lip scrub
Lip scrub usage is pretty straightforward, explains Rachel Lozina, a New York State-licensed master esthetician, laser technician and founder of Blue Water Spa in Southampton, New York. “After washing your face, lightly apply the scrub to your lips in a circular motion,” she says. “Do not excessively scrub, you don’t want to tear the delicate skin.” After about 30 seconds, you can rinse what’s remaining or lick it off (if the label says it’s safe to do so).
I also like to use a lip scrub as the last step of my makeup routine to buff away any foundation on my lips and prep them for my lip products. From there, you’re free to apply a balm, lip liner, gloss or lipstick.
Most of our experts recommend using a lip scrub two to three times a week to maintain a kissable pout. Though, if you use a super nourishing scrub chock full of hydrating oils and butters, you can apply once per day.
Do I need a lip scrub?
“Quite simply, if you have lips, you need to topically exfoliate them for optimum smoothness so they can absorb hydration properly,” says Happ. That said, there are some telltale signs that indicate your lips are long overdue for a good scrubbing. “Those who experience dry, flaky or cracked lips need to exfoliate away the buildup of dead skin,” explains Garshick.
Once you begin regularly exfoliating with a lip scrub, Happ adds that chronic dryness and chapped feelings will disappear. “Truly, lip scrubs are essential,” she says.
Best lip scrubs and exfoliators
Want to experience the softest lips of your life? The following lip scrubs can help. Each of the 10 formulations have been tested and vetted by yours truly as well as our experts. A plush, smooth pucker awaits.
Editor Favorite
Best overall
In 2005, Happ created her first lip scrub in her kitchen. At the time, she didn’t see any on the market. “None existed, and I knew exfoliation was as essential to lips as it is to our bodies and faces,” she explains. The original still proves to be one of the best (maybe of all time), and it’s the only scrub I find myself constantly grabbing. Superfine sugar crystals slough off all traces of dead skin, while a blend of jojoba and grapeseed oil impart deep nourishment and a healthy glow to my pucker. I often get told I have the softest, most kissable lips — which I fully attribute to this unbeatable scrub.
Best gentle exfoliant
No matter how small, sugar crystals will always have a somewhat chunky consistency. Cherry seeds, on the other hand, can be crushed into a powder that produces an ultra-gentle scrubbing sensation. Naturopathica utilizes multiple parts of the juicy fruit in this sweet scrub — the cherry seed powder effectively eliminates rough skin, while antioxidant-packed sweet cherry seed oil replenishes lips and protects them from the elements so they remain smooth and supple.
Best flavors
Although you’re not technically supposed to eat lip scrub, Poppy & Pout makes it very tempting with its delectable flavors. Choose between 10 options, ranging from Blood Orange Mint and Marshmallow Creme to Pomegranate Peach and (my favorite) Lemon Bloom. Each iteration features tiny sugar crystals that are infused with a conditioning mix of coconut oil, beeswax, sunflower oil and natural flavorings for an energizing lip treatment.
Best budget
Everything about this lip scrub is convenient — from the incredibly affordable price point to the stick format. I appreciate that instead of having to dip my fingers into a tub, all I need to do is swipe the textured exfoliating and moisturizing stick for an instant lip refresh. These especially come in handy while traveling to ward off dry, cracked airplane lips.
Best splurge
If you’re going to splurge on your lips, Lozina can’t recommend this duo enough. Housed inside the luxe chrome containers are two supercharged formulas that reveal baby soft, intensely nourished lips. “The lip polish gently exfoliates the area [with sugar] while the lip serum deeply soothes and hydrates with hyaluronic acid and shea butter,” she says.
Best overnight treatment
You won’t find sugar crystals, seed powders, salt or any other physical scrubby element in this treatment. Instead, this butter sloughs away dead skin and debris with a mix of exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids to rejuvenate lips overnight. It glides on like your favorite balm and pumps lips with intense moisturizers, including shea butter, mango seed butter and licorice leaf extract. You’ll have the most buttery soft lips come morning each time you use it.
Best sugar scrub
Exfoliation feels like a sweet treat when you have Fresh’s cult-classic sugar lip scrub. Multitasking brown sugar crystals simultaneously polish away flaky skin and hydrate, while a slew of natural humectants, including shea butter and jojoba oil, pack in nourishment. Beyond simply leaving lips soft and smooth, this also produces an invigorating cooling sensation so your pout is left feeling oh so fresh.
Best drugstore
A cross between a lip scrub and a mask, this buttery formula restores lips to baby soft glory. Honey crystals buff away flaky skin before melting into lips and intertwining with replenishing beeswax. This combination coats lips in a silky balm and leaves them feeling velvety smooth for the entire day (or night!).
Best natural
A favorite of Garshick, this scrub calls upon the power of pomegranate seeds to get rid of any dead skin cell buildup that contributes to the look and feel of chapped lips. You probably won’t even need to follow up with a balm because it also contains rosehip oil to deeply nourish your pout.
Best application
If one of your girlfriends were to nab this out of your bag, they’d probably assume it’s your average glossy balm. Anyone will be pleasantly surprised to experience the subtle exfoliating power of the scrub inside this squeezy tube. Itty bitty sugar crystals are housed in a glassy glaze, creating a one-and-done treatment that buffs away rough spots and flakey skin and leaves a gorgeous sheen in its wake.
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Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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