The Secret to Kissable Soft Lips

I've had extremely dry and cracked lips for as long as I can remember, I used to constantly pick at the dead and dry skin. It was a nervous habit and left me with undesirably rough lips. My boyfriend hated it and my family would constantly tell me off for picking away but I couldn't stand the feeling of dry flaky patches on my lips (I still can't) so I'd pull the flakes away, often to the point that I'd draw blood.

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to stop (not for the first time), but I find it indescribably hard not to pick away at the flaking bits of skin on my lips and all of my lip balms were wearing off in less than half an hour and leaving me with dry lips. I decided I needed to give in and buy the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm that I'd been pining after for a long time in the hope that it would sort them out and deeply hydrate them. Unfortunately it's not a balm that's easy to find, I planned to order it into my local M&S store but my lips were in such a state that I went out to boots and bought some Blistex Relief Cream and a Nivea Essential Care Balm to tide me over until I could get the Nuxe Balm.

As it turns out I didn't need to order the expensive Nuxe balm. I nursed my lips into a lovely plump and smooth pair with a few cheap products.

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○ Blistex Relief Cream ○
This is a medicated relief balm for 'occasional cold sores, cracked, chapped & sore lips' and it's really really good.
It comes out of the tube as an opaque thick off white cream but it won't leave your lips white once rubbed in. It tingles on your lips like any Blistex balm and leaves my lips feeling deeply hydrated.

This was the key ingredient in my routine that helped hydrate and repair my lips so that there wasn't any dry flaky skin for me to pick at.

• Available at Superdrug for £2.25 •
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○ Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub ○
I really love this lip scrub mostly as it smells so gorgeous I just want to eat it all. In reality it isn't a miracle product - it's a great lip scrub but something you could easily recreate at home for a fraction of the price. Aside from sugar it contains Jojoba oil along with flavour and colour, but I'm not sure that the Jojoba oil does anything for my lips, I always apply a balm right after so I don't need any hydration from it. I was lucky enough to receive it as a gift and I do love using it but I think once it's empty I'll refill it with my own concoction.

I used this lip scrub to help get rid of any flaking bits of skin on my lips in the morning or whenever I remembered. A lip scrub is something essential to anybody who puts anything on their lips, perfect for prepping your lips before applying lipstick or just to keep them smooth and soft. You can easily whip up your own with a little honey and sugar.

• Available at Lush for £5.25 •
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○ Nivea Essential Care ○
This lip balm is pretty basic but it does the job, I wanted a balm to apply when I was on the go and when I didn't need to put on more Blistex but I felt that all my others were drying my lips out. I bought this because it is so basic and because Nivea is a brand that I trust. Vaseline would be a great alternative if you like it but personally I feel that Vaseline doesn't penetrate my lips, it just floats on the skin without moisturising them.

◦ Available at Boots for £1.99 ◦
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