Lip Care for Flutists

“My Zombie apocalypse plan is simple but effective; I fully intend to die in the very first wave.
Seems more logical than undergoing all kinds of hardships only to die eventually anyway (through bites/malnutrition/or terminally chapped lips)” 
― Graham Parke

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Let's be honest, we all have ideas about what good lip care looks like and what it doesn't look like. My lips are more prone to chapping and peeling than most people I know (probably related to some hydration issues....). So what works for me may not be right for you. With that in mind, I'd like to share a few tips that have made a big difference for me:

1. Stay Hydrated  Are you anywhere close to eight to ten 8 oz. glasses of water today? (Me neither....)
   
2. Use a Humidifier at home or if you have a private practice room during the winter months.  Want some nerd points?  Keep a small hygrometer in your flute bag for feedback.  If the humidity is less than 40% it may be time to turn on the humidifier. Aim for room humidity of 45% - 50% (for fun!).
3. Exfoliate Gently Lots of sugar scrub lip products are available if you want to go that route. I prefer gently wiping my lips with a clean cloth after a shower and then sealing in the moisture with a good lip balm.
   
4. Reapply Lip Balm before your lips get dry again.
   
5. Remove any excess if your lips feel slick or weighed down before practicing or performing.
6. Reapply Lip Balm after practicing or performing.
7. Talk to Your Doctor if over-the-counter lip balm isn't cutting it. They will have more options for you to consider.  Discovery Health has an interesting compilation of lip issues here.

               Products I Like:

Fresh Sugar Rose is my favorite lip balm for flutists.  It has long staying power and feels lighter than most lip balms I've tried.


Pros:

• Light
  
• Doesn't Irritate My Lips
  
• Good Variety of Lip Products with Fresh
  
• Cool Tube Design

Cons:

• Tube runs out more often than I'd like
  

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Philosophy makes great lip balms in a wide variety of colors and flavors.  They last a really long time for me.  I haven't tried their more heavy duty lip repair since the regular lip balms/glosses work well for me.


Pros:

• Long-Lasting
  
• Don't Irritate My Lips
  
• Lots of Colors 
  

Cons:

• Thick
  
• Slick
  

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Aquaphor Lip Repair is designed to help you deal with more of a painful chapping issues.  It's not something I use every day, but it's available at most drugstores. It's thin and lightweight and easy to find in a pinch.

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