By: Nmerichukwu Igweamaka
Getting those succulent pink lips could be a little tough, thanks to our weather and climate here in Africa. But these are part of the fashion trends, don’t lose faith in your lips, you can work it out the way you want.
Follow these few steps zealously and keep an eye for the effects. Ensure you maintain your lip treatment to keep it healthy always.
To make your lips pink:
Use a natural lip scrub.
The first step to getting red lips is getting rid of dry, flaky skin that builds up and hides their natural color. Sloughing away the dead skin brightens your lips, brings out their inner red color and prepares them to take on a stain. Here’s how to make and use your own scrub:
Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon brown sugar.
Scrub the mixture into your lips in a circular motion.
Rinse the mixture away with warm water.
Repeat as necessary.
Try a toothbrush
Sometimes a basic lip scrub isn’t enough to get rid of the dead skin. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush will do the trick.
Choose a clean toothbrush, wet it with warm water, and gently scrub your lips in a circular motion. Rinse your lips. They should be left bright, plump and renewed.
Moisten them with a homemade serum
Now that your lips have been exfoliated and plumped, it’s time to make them soft and supple.
This will help them keep their color longer and prevent them from drying out. Use any of the following ingredients as a lip serum; just rub it on your lips and wait a few minutes for it to absorb:
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon almond oil
Use fruit juice on your Lips
Choose any kind of bright red fruit, nick it with a knife, and apply it to your lips. After the first coat dries, you can add more layers to deepen the red color. Keep going until you like the way your lips look, then add a layer of clear lip balm to seal it in for a few hours.
Cherries and pomegranates will provide the most color. Strawberries and raspberries may give you a more subtle color.
Protect them from the sun
Your lips are prone to getting dark spots from the sun, just like the rest of your skin. Protect them by using lip gloss with SPF of 15 or higher. That way your lips won’t get sunburned and dark when you carryout your daily activities outside.
Keep them from getting chapped
Chapped lips tend to look dull and washed out. If you want bright, pretty red lips, take steps to prevent them from getting dry and flaky. Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Use coconut oil, almond oil, or a good healing lip balm to keep your lips moist throughout the day.
Take extra precautions during harmattan
Dry harmattan air can chap your lips much more quickly than normal, so you’ll probably want to carry lip balm with you wherever you go to keep your lips healthy. You may also want to sleep with a humidifier to keep the air in your house from getting too dry. Your skin will thank you.
Avoid smoking
Smoking can cause lip discoloration and wrinkling, which is the opposite of what you want if you’re going for red lips. Avoid smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products.
In summary, pink lips could come naturally to some people, all they require is to maintain them. Meanwhile, some people are naturally born with dark lips which is a gift from our forefathers for being African. You dont have to force them to be pink if yours are dark. Because you’re beautiful the way you are.