How to Use a Lip Scrub Properly and Effectively

Key Takeaways

• Proper Technique is Key: To effectively use a lip scrub, start by dampening your lips. Apply a pea-sized amount and gently massage it in a circular motion for no more than one to two minutes. Over-scrubbing can damage the delicate skin, so limit use to once or twice a week.
• Hydration is Non-Negotiable: After exfoliating, you must replenish moisture to protect the newly revealed skin. Always follow your scrub by applying a rich, hydrating lip treatment or balm to lock in moisture, prevent future dryness, and keep lips looking soft and supple.
• Choose Your Formula Wisely: Lip scrubs work through physical exfoliation, using ingredients like sugar granules to slough off dead skin. Whether you choose a DIY recipe with sugar and coconut oil or a store-bought formula, ensure it also contains moisturizing ingredients to condition your lips simultaneously.

What Is a Lip Scrub?

If you’ve ever used a scrub to slough off dry, flaky skin from your face and body, you know how effective exfoliation can be. Lip scrubs are physcial exfoliators that often contain sugar granules that can exfoliate the outermost layer of chapped, dead skin. In addition to exfoliants, lip scrubs typically contain moisturizing ingredients that leave a balmy residue on the lips to rehydrate them after you scrub off all that dead skin.

Lip scrubs come in the same formats that typical lip balms do: in pots that you can scoop out with your finger or a spatula, in tubes that you can squeeze, or in bullet form that you can swipe on like a lipstick. The format of your lip scrub doesn’t change its efficacy. You can choose the formula that you find the easiest and most convenient to use.

There are also plenty of recipes you can use to whip up a lip scrub on your own, making it a potential DIY project you can make at home. Try mixing sugar (exfoliant), coconut oil (moisturizer), and honey (thickener and antiseptic), to create a natural product.

What Do Lip Scrubs Do?

Lip scrubs can be used for exfoliating dry, flaky skin. Typically, they’re a finely granulated substance that mechanically removes dead cells to help refresh and condition the lips. Using one properly helps create a smooth surface for applying hydrating balms and a smoother application of lipstick.

Lip scrubs offer a form of physical exfoliation, meaning they contain visible granules that scrub off dead skin cells as you massage the formula onto your lips. Exfoliating products for the face often have chemical exfoliants instead. Chemical exfoliants are acids, such as alpha-hydroxy acid and beta-hydroxy acid, which dissolve dead skin cells instead of scrubbing them off. Both physical and chemical exfoliants are effective at creating a smoother, more polished surface of the skin.

Are Lip Scrubs Good for Your Lips?

Lip scrubs are a suitable way to remove flakiness and achieve a smoother lipstick application. As long as you don’t use a lip scrub more than once or twice a week (more frequent applications may dry out your lips even further), and remember to use a lip balm after the lip scrub. Talk to your dermatologist if you have concerns or persistent dry, chapped lips.

How to Use a Lip Scrub in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: Dampen Your Lips

Start with a clean, slightly damp base. Wipe your lips with a damp, warm washcloth to remove any makeup or oils that accumulated on your lips.

Step 2: Apply Your Lip Scrub

When it comes to safely and effectively using a lip scrub, be careful not to overdo it. After applying a pea-sized amount of your chosen product, massage it with your finger into your lips for one to two minutes using a circular motion, then remove with a warm washcloth. In order to avoid disrupting your skin’s moisture barrier (which could result in more dryness, the exact issue you’re trying to avoid), use a lip scrub only once or twice a week at most.

Step 3: Hydrate Your Lips

After wiping the lip scrub off with a warm, damp washcloth, seal in your lips' moisture with a lip treatment or balm. The Kiehl’s Buttermask for Lips is an option. It’s a deeply hydrating lip mask with fairly traded coconut oil and mango butter that you can slather on and let sit overnight for soft, supple lips by morning.

Lip Treatments to Try

Kiehl’s Buttermask for Lips
Formulated with fairly traded coconut oil and mango butter, this intensive overnight mask deeply hydrates your lips. Apply a generous layer after scrubbing to seal in moisture for a soft, supple-looking pout by morning.

YSL Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm
If you prefer a hint of color with major hydration, the YSL Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm is an ideal choice for post-scrub applications. This formula provides a soft-shine finish and a balmy texture that applies smoothly to lips, thanks to a formula containing shea butter and maracuja oil.

Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Cream Lipstick
For a touch of luxury, the Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Cream Lipstick delivers vibrant color with a creamy, comfortable feel. Its formula includes rose extracts and hyaluronic acid and helps provide lasting hydration. Prepping your lips with a scrub ensures this lipstick’s rich pigments look their absolute best.

Your Lip Scrub Questions, Answered

How often should you use a lip scrub?
For most people, using a lip scrub once or twice a week is ideal. This frequency is effective enough to remove dry, flaky skin without causing irritation. Your lips are delicate, and over-exfoliating can strip them of their natural oils, leading to more dryness. If you have very sensitive skin, you might even start with just once a week and see how your lips respond.

What should you do after using a lip scrub?
After exfoliating, hydration is crucial. Once you have gently wiped away the scrub with a damp cloth, immediately apply a generous layer of a deeply nourishing lip balm or treatment. Try the Kiehl’s Buttermask for Lips to lock in moisture and protect the fresh layer of skin. This helps your lips remain soft, smooth, and comfortable.

Can I use a lip scrub every day?
It's not recommended to use a lip scrub every day. Daily exfoliation is too harsh for the delicate skin on your lips and can disrupt your skin's moisture barrier. This can lead to increased dryness, irritation, and peeling — the very issues you're trying to address. Stick to a maximum of twice a week for the best results.

Does lip scrub help with dark lips?
Lip scrubs can help reduce the appearance of darkness on lips if it is caused by an accumulation of dead skin cells. By gently exfoliating, a scrub can reveal the brighter, fresher skin underneath. However, if hyperpigmentation is caused by sun exposure or other factors, a scrub alone may not be enough. Consistent use of a lip balm with SPF is also important for preventing further darkening.

What are the benefits of sugar lip scrub?
Sugar is a popular ingredient in lip scrubs for good reason. The fine granules are effective at physically buffing away dead skin cells but are typically gentle enough not to scratch the skin. Sugar is also a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the environment into the skin, providing a slight hydrating boost during the exfoliation process.

Can I make my own DIY lip scrub?
Absolutely. A simple and effective DIY lip scrub can be made by mixing one teaspoon of sugar (try using brown sugar for a gentler exfoliation) with half a teaspoon of a nourishing oil, like coconut or olive oil. You can also add a drop of honey for its hydrating properties. This creates a natural, preservative-free scrub that you can use immediately.

This article has been updated for accuracy, clarity, and relevant product data since its original publication.