Home Remedies Web

Chapped Lips Home Remedy

Find natural cures and home remedies for chapped lips.

Shahzad Malik, Ph.D.
2–3 minutes
Chapped Lips Home Remedy

Signs and Symptoms of Chapped Lips

Chapped Lips or cheilitis is characterized by dry, cracked, flaky and sore lips that can affect people from time to time at any time of the year. Occasionally, Chapped Lips can be can be painful, embarrassing, and uncomfortable because they can interfere with many daily activities, such as smiling, eating and talking. Common signs and symptoms include dryness, redness, tenderness and sensitivity, cracking, splitting, peeling, and pain.

Minor lip dryness can be healed by simply removing the cause of the dryness or using some of the home remedies listed below. However, if dry lips are causing inflammation and bleeding, it is strongly recommended that you consult with your doctor immediately since it can lead to severe infection.

Causes of Chapped Lips

Chapped lips (cheilitis) can have several causes, including dry weather, sun exposure, dehydration, lip licking or biting, and nutritional deficiencies such as riboflavin (vitamin B2), iron, and other B vitamins. In some cases, allergies, infections, medications, or underlying medical conditions may also contribute.

While lip balms are commonly used to relieve dryness, some products may contain ingredients that irritate sensitive or damaged skin, potentially worsening symptoms in certain individuals. Therefore, choosing gentle, fragrance-free products or trying the home remedies below may help reduce irritation and improve results.

Home Remedies and Natural Treatments for Chapped Lips

Chapped Lips Home Remedy Using Honey and Vaseline

Honey has antimicrobial and humectant properties that can help keep the lips moisturized and support healing. Similarly, petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is an effective skin protectant that helps lock in moisture. When combined, these can serve as a simple home remedy for chapped lips:

  • Put some honey on your lips let it dry for a few seconds.
  • Without moving your lips, apply some Vaseline on top of the lips.
  • Leave the honey and Vaseline on your lips for 10-15 minutes. or longer if you are comfortable.
  • Finally, dip a Q-tip dip in hot water and use it to remove the honey and Vaseline gently.
  • Do this once a day for about 2-5 days to get rid of chapped lips.

Coconut Oil for Chapped Lips

Many people have found that Coconut Oil is a wonderful natural remedy for chapped lips. Simply apply a small amount of oil to the lips several times per day, particularly when the weather is cold and dry.

Natural Remedy for Chapped Lips Using Water Therapy

Since dehydration is the main cause of dry or chapped lips, it is recommended to drink at least 2-3 litres of water daily. Also, on dry winter days, try to use a humidifier in your home to keep the air moist.

Treat Chapped Lips Using Cucumbers

Rub your lips with a slice of cucumber. Many people have found this to be a simple but effective chapped lip remedy.

Using Aloe Vera for Soothing Chapped Lips

The herbal benefits of Aloe Vera make it an amazing healing agent for skin. Therefore, to cure chapped lips, try putting a small amount of Aloe Vera gel on your lips daily.

References

Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk to your doctor before trying a new remedy, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.

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226 responses

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  1. Sabrina

    So i was on this forum the other day looking for help but didn’t find any. i went to the doctor and he gave me something that helped.
    I had swollen lips because of an allergic reaction, they were getting crusty and oozy on the outside too, but the reaction went away after about 2 or 3 days and to take down the swelling i took advil and allergy meds plus iced my lip.
    besides the allergy tho, my lips had been before and were again, extremely dry and cracked and painful. they at times were red around the outside too and looked like id sloppily applied lipstick. it was painful and embarrassing.
    So to my cure. This may not work for everyone, but its worth a shot.
    Instead of using any kinds of chap sticks or vasaline or anything, my doctor gave me some eucerin original moisturizing lotion. weird i know. so i use that in place of chap stick. directly after, i apply Aquaphor healing ointment (made by Eucerin) on top. It is thicker and kind of like vasaline but more healing.
    After 24 hours i noticed a huge difference and 2 days later my lips are almost 100% back to normal even with nothing on them. They don’t feel as tight as they did before when i had nothing on them and they deff. dont hurt anymore.
    I hope this helps you! Good luck!

    Reply
  2. mike

    I know the solution dont laugh i forgot the name but its thick lotion used by breast feeding mothers for their nipples

    Reply
  3. bumble2233

    The cuccumber slice is fast & efficient.

    Reply
  4. Santanna

    I have really bad chapped lips and the skin around the my bottom lip is also very chapped and painful and the past two days I have woken up and they have been swollen blistex DOES NOT HELP neither does vasaline.

    Reply
  5. abdul majid

    hi
    i have a some problem about my dark lips i am smoking
    10 to 15 cigratee every day but wen i see my lips in mirror i am very sad plz find for me some good tips how i pink my lips ?

    Reply
  6. blah blah

    Let’s talk about causes for a moment. Too much vitamin A can cause chapped lips in some folks. B vitamin deficiency can also be a cause, which includes folic acid. If you’re getting cracks in the corners of your mouth, that’s a b-vitamin deficiency. You can try taking a multi-vitamin. Get some extra folic acid. Vaseline & mineral oil lock in moisture. Licking your lips wets them, and the moisture wicks away in the air causing chapness. Oils moisturize by keeping moisture in. Wouldn’t add water to lips unless you’re drinking. And don’t bite your lips.

    Reply
  7. Hayley

    Vaseline is ok in the short term, but it is designed to not let moisture out so your lips can’t breathe, and it doesn’t do anything to heal chapped lips. Also, it trick the body into thinking that the lips are moistured, so it stops making the cells needed to naturally mositurize the lips. This is why you constantly have to re apply! I haven;t tried cocunut oil yet but I liked the idea of a natural cure. I know Arbonne has amazing skin conditioning oil that works amazing and vitamin packs than you can take, so I’m going to try these and see how it goes

    Reply
  8. Diamond

    As someone who has suffered from chapped lips for half of my teen life I know just how annoying it can be, especially when you have a date with someone you’re hoping would kiss you *wink* I tried these steps and it worked miraculously.
    1. The first thing to do when you notice chapped lips is wash or clean the lips with clean water. Yes that is essential, I know it’d come out drier but don’t worry.
    2. Dab petroleum jelly or Vaseline on the lips for about 10mins to soften the lips and the peels that would come off.
    3. Use a semi-hard brush (clean) or a new toothbrush to gently scrub the peels off. You can use a rough towel too. Repeat this step twice for both lips.
    4. Mix some Vaseline and Honey or Aloe Vera and apply on the lips. Then you go to bed. Make sure you apply enough to last the night.
    5. When you wake up in the morning, you’d definitely notice an improvement in your lips as it will feel smoother and softer to the touch. And the stubborn peels that didn’t come up the night before would have softened.
    6. Repeat step 3 before you leave the house and use lip balm before topping with gloss.
    BONUS:
    To make your lips pinker,apply beetroot juice on your lips at night before sleeping, and you will notice a reddish pink stain next day. This should last few days.
    I hope this remedy works for you. It did for me and I have smooth kissable lips that boys often dream of kissing now. The beetroot worked for my lips too, it’s naturally pinker now and it lasts for four days on me. Good luck.

    Reply
  9. Deziie

    oh my lord , i’ve tried the honey and vaseline trick , and i really hope it works , my mom said it would probably last for a month , and i dont wanna look like some freak with huge red cracked up lips at this dance im goin to D:

    Reply
  10. Anonymous

    julie u may have something else wrong, i suggest you visit a dermatologist.

    Reply
  11. Julie

    I have chapped lips 365 days. Tried lanolin, cortibalm, vasiline, olive oil, and everything over the counter. After reading all posts I have yet to try coconut oil, aquafor,vitamin e and a&d ointment. Hopefully something will help going on 12 years of painful, chapped, sometimes bleeding lips:(

    Reply
  12. Amelia

    I’ve had VERY chapped lips for the past few days and none of my lip balms were helping (Burt’s Bees, a shea butter balm, etc.) I started using Burt’s Bees Res-Q ointment last night, though, and it worked like a charm, the chapping is greatly reduced. I also put on a little honey and left it for a few minutes this morning and that also helped.

    Reply
  13. Judy

    My lips have been ravaged by the cold. It’s red, chapped and cracked at the corners. I also have a red ring around my mouth that make it uncomfortable and embarrassing. I’ve used chapstick, blistex and lysyl. All 3 seem to give very brief and temporary relief. It also goopey, greasy and after while, clumps and thickens. I’ve been using them for a long time cuz I thought it would eventually do the trick. But just moments ago, I tried coconut oil and saw results INSTANTLY. Though its still a bit red, my lips and infected area don’t burn as much and it *feels* like its working. After my shower, I tried the honey and–becuz I don’t have vaseline–carmex treatment. WOW! Also saw results!!

    Reply
  14. Rosci

    My lips look like a puffer fish today because of the lip gloss i used. It had beeswax and bee pollen in it. It was a gift and the person stood there and waited for me to use it, so i did without checking ingredients. My bad,

    I’m allergic to both and now I don’t want to leave the house! So be sure you look at the ingredients. Test new lip glosses on the inside of your elbow or some other spot to make sure you don’t wind up looking like a clown. Probably the only remedy that would work is lanolin or the honey/vaseline remedy above. This is NOT a time for exfoliation.

    Reply
  15. Rebekah Heller

    Try using Flexitol Heel Balm or Kerasal Exfoliating Moisturizer Foot Therapy (found at WalMart or CVS). Apply three to four times daily. Positive results within two to three hours after first use. Expect slight burning or irritation at first use, also unpleasant taste (avoid licking lips).

    Reply
  16. Lynn555

    What works for my dry, itchy lips is Lansinoh cream (pure lanolin) and 1% hydrocortisone ointment, mixed together in the palm of my hand. You must be sure to get hydrocortisone ointment, not cream because the ointment contains only hydrocortisone and petrolatum. Avoiding irritants on the lips is very important — the reason products like Blistex sting when applied is that they contain ingredients like menthol and camphor which are the worst things possible for skin. Hope this helps.

    Reply
  17. libby

    I switched to Lansinoh lanolin ointment ( for irritated nipples of nursing mothers) and I’ll never go back to regular lip gloss. I got one of those wands with a piece of foam at the end, for when I get tired of applying it with my finger. I put some in a little jar for my purse. If babies can eat it…..

    Reply
  18. Dry Lips

    I’ve had dry lips since I was an infant. Especially in the winter time, where I live it is very very dry during the month of December. My lips get painfully dry. I’ve used carmex for about a week and my lips seemed to get much better, but then I went ice skating outside with a friend of mine and as dry as it was my lips got worse than ever, carmex couldn’t quite do the trick for that sever dryness. I just used the honey/vaseline remedy and so far it feels very soothing, I really hope this works. I hate dry, cracked lips. *fingers crossed*

    Reply
  19. jackie

    use almond oil and a few grains of sugar to exfoliate. gently wipe off sugar and follow up with carmex. try and do several times a day. in my fourth day and seeing improvement.

    Reply
  20. nikki

    I have major dry flaky lips, I’ve been using pure jojoba oil on them, works great because it penetrates not just coating the lips. Then Burt’s Bees when i go outside. Gonna try the honey remedy.

    Reply
  21. An

    cucumbers help for a few seconds. Don’t try!(unless you’re willing to rub it on your lips day to night)

    Reply
  22. Senor Ed

    My lips have been killing me for a couple days. The weather has been really dry lately and I’ve had allergies too: runny nose and sneezing. I just put straight up coconut oil on my lips ten minutes ago. So far so good, the immediate symptoms have been relieved. I had it in my cupboard, I bought it from Trader Joe’s cheap. I’m gonna do a another application before bedtime and see how they feel in the morning.

    Reply
  23. Senor Ed

    All petroleum jelly products are not good for you. It’s called petroleum jelly for a reason because it is a by-product of the oil drilling. These are hydrocarbon products made from oil industry waste, so why in the world would you put that stuff on your lips for your skin to absorb into your body?

    So all the recommendations for Carmex is ill advised… as is Chapstick, lipgloss, and most beauty products. But whatever, do what you will.

    Reply
  24. Nina

    I have no Vaseline here at home right now, so I just put honey. I feel a little pain. Is this normal? The dryness has improved though.

    Reply
  25. beyonce

    guys i really dont think its that healthy to put all that on your lips trust me i have tried it all cucumber,honey,aloe vera,ect, ect. so i have tried carmex lately and its works like a charm go out to your local krogers its olny a dollar sorry i know this is a “home remedies” site but you know if you dont wanna spend the money try hetting olive oil and sugar mix them into a paste then apply in circle motions with a toothbrush i tried it works and its an alternitive for camex then wash it off with warm water love,
    beyonce

    Reply
  26. Anonymous

    I have really chapped lip. I stopped licking them and I started drinking a lot of water, after 4 or 5 days they kind of disappeared. But then I noticed areas around my mouth are getting dry. I’m afraid to use lip balm because I believe I’m allergic to them. I tried using cucumbers but they kind of burn and after a while the areas become dryer. I don’t know what to do, this usually happens to me during winter of ever 3-4 years or so.

    Reply
  27. Mrs.Durant

    My 4year old suffers with extremely dry cracked lips as soon as the weather gets cool.
    I literally put the vaseline and honey mixture on him maybe 5 minutes ago and he just ran up to me and said “mommy my lips feel better.”

    Reply
  28. Tiffany

    The website link below is http://www.amomknows.com/2011/10/never-ending-chapped-lips

    Reply
  29. Tiffany

    Sometimes chapped lips are caused by what you eat or what your lips come in contact with. This is called contact dermatitis. Read this article about a Mom who had chapped lips caused by toothpaste.

    Reply
  30. Lynn

    I happened to see a Doctor Oz show and the top 2 things he recommended for lips were lanolin or coconut oil. Tried the coconut oil and it WORKED!!! I got a huge jar at the health food store for less than !!

    Reply
  31. Shay

    Yeah A&D ointment is so great. I just apply it in the morning after every ,meal and at night. Usually by the next day its gone, but it even takes the pain away almost completely. And it doesnt need to sit for 3 hours for the pain to go away or anything, the pain is gone almost instantly.

    Reply
  32. Sammie

    Wow. I’m glad Im not the only one with this issue.. I’ve had this problem since as young as i can remember, and I’m now 22. Will definately be trying a few of these remedies as nothing has seemed to work so far! I get the swollen sore lips every few months… So sick of it!

    Reply
  33. satisfied

    A&D ointment NOT THE CREAM, works like a charm !

    Reply
  34. Ella May

    Vasaline, Nivea, Blistex – there all the same over priced lip treatment that smells nice or tingles but does nothing but make you lips greasy! YOU NEED CARMEX! A TRUE LIFE SAVER. CHERRY FLAVOUR OR NORMAL, KEEP APPLYING IT THROUGHT THE DAY AND YOUR LEFT WITH FRESH, SWEET, SOFT LIPS! I know it not a home remedy but you cant get better! Although a dab of honey works overnight quite well.. and the cucumber remedy really refreshes your lips and the skin around it!

    Reply
  35. Gibby

    My doctor told me to put a&d ointment on my lips before bed, or use aquafor. Lately I’ve used Sally hansen pm lip treatment that worked well but can be used up quickly so will try the others.

    Reply
  36. bee

    put on honey overnight, works like a charm! also, since chap stick tends to drag on dry lips and crack them, try mint based lip balm. it’s soothing AND fresh.

    Reply
  37. mario

    dear all our skin is mirror of our health dont try to solve internal problem externaly there is something going wrong in your gut see candida or yeast infection and stick to that diet for life if you want to avoid early trip to haven regards dr fungus

    Reply
  38. Dave

    Some had said that they went off a number of different food and that did the trick.

    I normally have chapped lips only in the winter but here recently (last month or so) I constantly have them with no relief. The food allergy post got me thinking about what I’ve eating for the last month. I love peaches and will eat 3 a day sometimes. I bet it’s the acid in the peach or the skin that’s bothering me. Thanks for the idea.

    Reply
  39. To the Loser

    Dear unsatisfiedlips, had you really searched the website, you would have found they have one called DCT, he might have just put the wrong letters.

    Reply
  40. GCW

    Beware!

    Please remind food allergic people (especially peanut allergic) that using coconut oil can cause a reaction as well

    Made the mistake of trying coconut oil for my really chapped lips and had an allergic reaction to make things even more attractive

    Raging red, peely and now swollen and itchy too!

    When I asked a pharmacist about things getting worse instead of better using coconut oil

    She told me Peanuts and Coconut have a common property

    Reply
  41. Larissa

    Ugh, my lips get chapped really badly in the summer, and the skin around my lips is red, and very irritated. I have no idea what to do, lip gloss doesn’t always do the trick.

    Reply
  42. Bee Gee

    Use pure 100% lanolin (wool fat) which should be cheap from a chemist but hard to get. Do not let them try to sell you an over-priced junk compound allegedly containing a small amount of “lanolin.”

    Reply
  43. mad and chapped

    dear unsatisfiedlips,
    what ever your doing Sean is compleat and uderly mean.did you ever think maby he had a typeing mishap.well any way,now that i have got that off my chest.my lips are usally read and kinda chaped i use Blistex Lip Massage it helps alot.
    love,
    mad and chapped

    Reply
  44. DESPERATE 4 HELP!!!!!!

    a few days ago, i was about to have a cold sore so i put toothpaste on it (i researched and found that it would work). In the morning when i washed my lips, i found they became chapped. the cold sore went away, but now i have another problem 2 tackle.Since my lips are chapped, when i kissed my boyfriend, it hurt like hell for me! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

    Reply
  45. Rebecca

    I am trying the honey & vaseline and it feels SO good! If it works, You’re frikkin amazing!

    Reply
  46. Lysssssa

    I have chapped lips all the time summer or winter it dosn’t matter everyday i have to deal with it. Not sure but could it be some sort of condition?

    Reply
  47. Arionna

    Im trying the honey and vaseline, so far it feel comfortable, and my lips feel great i think this on ewill work, also, coconut oil ive noticed doesnt really work for everyone

    Reply
  48. Matt

    If this works… YOUR A GOD 😀

    Reply
  49. Leona

    Try a drop of mineral oil rubbed on your lips. It will seem thick and sticky at first but it soaks in quickly. Do it as often as you can, especially before going outdoors. Mineral oil also works great for dry, chapped hands. Smear your hands with mineral oil and cover with gloves before going to bed. In the morning, your hands will be soft.

    Reply
  50. yanti

    i got the habit of peeling my lips whenever its dry and crack.. the problem is, sometimes it bleeds and leave a scar.. doctors say it might be burnt lips but may i know if theres any cure for this because it permanently discolouration till even lipstick cant cover it off.. help me!

    Reply