Does Over-Moisturizing Dry Out Your Skin?

by thebeautybrains on September 30, 2009 · 5 comments

Kendra’s question…Okay, if over applying lip balm dries out your lips. Does over applying moisturizer dry out your skin?

The Right Brain Replies:
Kendra is referring to our post on lip balm addiction where we said that constantly applying lip balm can reduce your lips’ ability to moisturize itself.

Skin deep

Luckily, most women don’t get addicted to skin lotion because the skin on the rest of your body is different than the skin on your lips. Lip skin is very thin and doesn’t have the same thick, protective stratum corneum layer that the rest of the body has. Also, lips lack the sweat and oil glands that provide moisture, so they dry out faster.

The Brains Bottom line

Over-moisturizing the skin on your body isn’t as “addictive” as moisturizing the skin on your lips because your lips dry out faster than the rest of your skin.

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

caitlin February 23, 2009 at 4:36 pm: so what about eye skin?
Tony Hurst September 30, 2009 at 12:41 am: Balms are emolients. They are waxy and seal the skin. Body moisturizers are generally humectants, they draw moisture in. Eye skin is very thin and fragile but not like lip skin.
Epione, Los Angeles Cosmetic Surgery September 30, 2009 at 10:43 pm: Any other treatment which can use in the place of balm to protect our lip-skin?
Tony Hurst October 1, 2009 at 12:54 am: In the piece on lip balms it was said, “Since the top layer isn’t drying and flaking off as much [due to balm use], the basal layer never gets the signal to produce new cells.”

MK makes a mask & balm set, Satin Lips. You use the mask first to remove the dead skin cells and then apply the balm. Using the mask every three days should trigger new skin cell growth and avoid the issue.