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Lips that are dark, blackish in color, dry and cracked can affect your overall appearance and lead to a negative first impression. Dark lips are caused by a number of reasons, of which the most common is smoking. The tobacco in the cigarettes causes the lips to start darkening and become almost black after some time. However there are other reasons as well for dark lips, including hyper pigmentation due to prolonged exposure to the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun, deficiency of certain Vitamins and even lack of proper skin care. You can restore the natural and healthy pink color of your lips by using simple home remedies.
If you have dark lips due to smoking, the first thing you should do is stop smoking. Apart from the damaging effect the cigarettes have had on your lips, tobacco is also bad for your general health. You can try gently scrubbing your lips using an old soft toothbrush and some baking soda. This will gently get rid of the upper layer of dead skin on your lips and reveal the skin underneath. However if your lips are dry and cracked you should avoid doing this, since this can lead to bleeding and further complicate the condition. Instead you can keep your lips moisturized by applying some petroleum jelly on them. Alternately you can apply fresh cream or even clarified butter on your lips to keep them moisturized. It is also a good idea to invest in a lip balm or lipstick which has sunscreen ingredients (SPF of 20 or more) in it to protect your lips from the harmful effects of the sun's ultra-violet rays. You should also avoid stepping out into the sun especially in the afternoon to protect your lips from hyper pigmentation. A good natural remedy for treating dark lips is application of a mixture of lemon and honey on the lips. Regular application of this mixture helps to gradually lighten the color of the lips and also keeps the naturally moisturized. In addition to all this, you should ensure that your diet is enriched with Vitamins, especially Vitamin A and E which are beneficial for the skin and that you drink the recommended amount of liquids in the form of water and fresh fruit juices. This will keep supply the essential nutrients to your system and ensure regular elimination of toxic substances from your body thus keeping it healthy. Drinking water regularly also ensure you're your lips are naturally hydrated and thus they do not become dark.
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