Lip Smacking Good
Think you suffer from a lip gloss, lipstick, or lip balm addiction? Well, you’re certainly not alone. Skeptical that your lip product contains some addictive agent in it? Again, you’re probably one of many. Though this mysterious agent doesn’t exist, you still may be suffering from a “habit,” but it’s not of the physiological kind.
“Hi, my name is [insert your name here], and I am addicted to ChapStick.”
Does this sound like a support group you should consider joining?
Like so many other closet junkies, we may be held hostage by our lip protectants, lip glosses, and lipsticks.
A rumor circulating on the web for years has been questioning the ingredients found in different lip products, and whether companies are trying to create an addiction to their products rather than a cure for the those stubborn, scaly lips.
Have you ever been sitting in a university class, or worse, at work all day having forgotten your coveted concoction of waxes, mineral oils - and a whole bunch of other ingredients you can’t pronounce - unable to concentrate, wondering if anyone sitting near you is a good enough friend to lend you her lip balm?
Certain aisle products have been accused of including salicylic acid in their recipe - a drying agent. Companies, however, do have reasonable explanations for this inclusion. These products, like Carmex, typically target cold sores and are supposed to dry and shrink these problem areas. Maybe we, as consumers, need to pay more attention to our purpose for buying the product in the first place. Instead of smearing a drying agent for cold sores all over our lips, perhaps we should only dab it on the cold sore spot. Still, some are convinced that these companies are drying out our lips for a reason: steady sales.
There has been no scientific proof linking lip balm to physiological addiction. However, lip balm users can develop psychologically-based habits with lip balm due to “good feelings” associated with its application. When your lips feel dry or chapped, you slather it on, and your mind says, “Ah, that feels better, nice and smooth.” Naturally, our minds like what feels good, and develop desires for more of that “feel-good” stimulant: in this case, lip balm.
For example, some foods are stimulants that can cause an increase in serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that many refer to as the “feel-good” chemical. Having too little serotonin can cause depression, troubled sleep, or heightened sensitivity to pain. Sugars and starches are known for creating small surges in serotonin and hence, our bliss while eating chocolate. Could lip balm cause those same surges? Can the positive thoughts associated with smooth, soft lips cause a similar chemical reaction in our brains? It seems plausible.
With little sticks covered in glitter and an assortment of cute colors, smelling of fresh fruit and baked goods, it’s tough to say no. Who can resist putting something on her lips that smells and tastes like cookie dough, and won’t pack on the pounds? What about things called “Ice Creamies” or “Lip Frosting?” Delicious lip products like these are fabulous for a little “flare” in our lives, but what if we need serious hydration?
Some of us don’t fall for all the bells and whistles of flavored and scented lip balms (we just eat the real cookie dough instead). We simply want our lips to feel smooth and hydrated. The lips, like the décolletage and even the hands, are sometimes places we forget to protect. The skin in these areas is very thin and therefore especially vulnerable to the dangers of sun and wind damage. A lip balm containing UVA/UVB protection, for everyday of the week, is essential.