How To Stop Picking Your Lips: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Stop Picking Your Lips PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Tymia Yvette

Last Updated: June 4, 2025 Approved

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  • Conditioning Your Lips
    • |
  • Keeping Your Lips Hydrated
    • |
  • Making Lifestyle Changes
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Tymia Yvette. Tymia Yvette is a Makeup and Lash Artist and the founder of Tymia Yvette Beauty LLC, a makeup artistry and lash extension company focused on customized beauty services based in Baltimore, Maryland. Trained by MAC Cosmetics, Tymia's work has been featured in the Bravo A-List Awards 2008, the BET Honors Award Show in 2011, 2012, and 2013, the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week 2011, 2012, and 2013, and the White House Correspondent's Dinner in 2014. She has also provided makeup and lash services for the Betsy Royal Casting Agency and the Baltimore Raven's cheerleading squad from 2010 to 2012. Her clients include Terrence Howard, Torrey Smith, Lester Holt, Adrienne Lofton, and Natasha Hastings. She has been awarded WeddingWire's Couple's Choice Award in 2017, 2018, and 2019. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 353,868 times.

Do you have a bad habit of picking your lips? You're probably doing it because they're dry and chapped. Taking good care of your lips will keep them smooth and supple, so you won't feel the need to pick them anymore. By exfoliating your lips, keeping them moisturized and making lifestyle changes to promote healthy skin, you can beautify your lips and kick your picking habit for good.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Conditioning Your Lips

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  1. Step 1 Work on conditioning your lips instead of picking. 1 Work on conditioning your lips instead of picking. Do you absentmindedly pick away the dead skin that builds up on your lips? When you feel a bit of skin flaking off, it may be impossible to resist picking it. However, picking your lips doesn't actually make them less dry or healthier. Instead of picking the skin off, try putting that energy into making your lips healthier. The result will be supple, dry-skin-free lips that look great, rather than rough-looking lips that bleed where you pick them.[1]
    • If your picking habit is actually a persistent bad habit or nervous tic, it'll take more than conditioning your lips to fix the problem. See How to Break a Bad Habit for help on putting a stop to your lip picking for good.
    • If you're worried you can't stop on your own, see a therapist and determine whether you might have Compulsive Skin Picking disorder, which is closely linked with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. This is very difficult to solve on your own, so seek the help of someone who can advise you.
  2. Step 2 Brush your lips with a toothbrush. 2 Brush your lips with a toothbrush. Moisten your lips with warm water, then use a clean toothbrush to gently brush them in a circular motion. This will remove the buildup of dry, dead skin that's causing your lips to be chapped and flaky. While picking your lips often removes too much skin and results in bleeding, brushing your lips removes just the top layer of dead skin, keeping the protective layer in place.[2]
    • A clean loofah is another good item to use to brush your lips. Just make sure you don't use an older loofah, since these can harbor bacteria.
    • Do not scrub your lips too hard with the brush. It's OK if your lips are still a little rough after brushing. You may need more than one session to completely get rid of the dead skin.
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  3. Step 3 Try a sugar scrub. 3 Try a sugar scrub. This is a great option if your lips are very chapped and sore, since it's a little gentler than using a brush. Make a simple mixture of one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of honey. Spread a little on your lips and use your fingers to massage the scrub across your lips. It will remove the top layer of dead skin without damaging the layer underneath. When you're finished, rinse your lips with warm water.[3]
    • You can exfoliate your lips as often as every other day.[4]
    • Never use an abrasive scrub to exfoliate your lips.[5]
  4. Step 4 Apply an emollient lip balm. 4 Apply an emollient lip balm. An emollient is a substance that traps moisture in your skin and protects it from getting dried out. When your lips are severely chapped or torn up, regular chapstick may not be enough to help them heal. Look for a product that contains one of the following emollients as a primary ingredient:[6]
    • Shea butter
    • Cocoa butter
    • Jojoba oil
    • Avocado oil no
    • Rosehip oil
    • Coconut butter
    • Always moisturize your lips after exfoliating them.[7]
  5. Step 5 Repeat until your lips are free of dry skin. 5 Repeat until your lips are free of dry skin. It may take more than one conditioning session to get your lips back into shape. Every few days, repeat the process of exfoliating your lips. In between sessions, wear an emollient product on your lips during the day and at night while you sleep. Don't repeat the process more than once a day, since that could cause skin irritation.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Keeping Your Lips Hydrated

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  1. Step 1 Avoid using products that dry out your lips. 1 Avoid using products that dry out your lips. Your average drugstore lip balm is likely to contain ingredients that actually make your lips drier over time. Keep using a good emollient balm with gentle ingredients. Avoid products (including lipsticks, stains and glosses) that contain the following skin irritants:[8]
    • Alcohol
    • Fragrance
    • Silicones
    • Parabens
    • Camphor, eucalyptus, or menthol
    • Flavorings like cinnamon, citrus, and mint
    • Salicylic acid
  2. Step 2 Don't lick your lips. 2 Don't lick your lips. You might be compelled to lick your lips when they're dry, but enzymes in your saliva will cause them to dry out even more. Just as you're resisting the urge to pick, resist the urge to lick.[9]
  3. Step 3 Protect your lips overnight. 3 Protect your lips overnight. Do you tend to wake up with dry lips? That may be the result of sleeping with your mouth open. When you breathe through your mouth all night long, your lips can dry out quickly. While it may be difficult to change your breathing habits, you can correct the problem by protecting your lips at night. Remember to apply lip balm every night before bed so you'll wake up with lips that are moisturized instead of flaky.[10]
  4. Step 4 Drink lots of water. 4 Drink lots of water. Dry, chapped lips are often a side effect of dehydration. It's possible you aren't drinking enough water during the day. Drink every time you get thirsty, and try to switch out coffee and soda for water whenever possible. Within a few days your lips will be softer and better moisturized.[11]
    • Alcohol is notorious for causing dehydration. If you tend to wake up with chapped lips, try cutting off alcohol use a few hours before bed and drinking lots of water before you go to sleep.
    • Carry a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day so you'll always have fresh water available when you're thirsty.
  5. Step 5 Try a humidifier. 5 Try a humidifier. If your skin is naturally dry, a humidifier can be a lifesaver, especially during the winter. Humidifiers add moisture to dry air so that it's much easier on your skin. Set one up in your bedroom and see if you can tell the difference after a few days.[12]
    6. Advertisement
Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Making Lifestyle Changes

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  1. Step 1 Eat less salt. 1 Eat less salt. Salt buildup on the lips can cause them to dry out quickly. Changing your diet so that it includes less salt might make a big difference in the texture of your lips. When you do eat salty foods, rinse your lips with warm water afterward so the salt doesn't sit on your lips.
  2. Step 2 Avoid smoking. 2 Avoid smoking. Smoking is tough on lips, causing dryness and irritation. If you're a smoker, there are lots of good reasons to kick the habit, and having healthy lips is one of them. Try to cut back on smoking as much as possible to save your lips from getting damaged.
  3. Step 3 Protect your lips from sunburn. 3 Protect your lips from sunburn. Just like the rest of your skin, the skin on your lips is susceptible to sun damage. Wear lip balm with SPF 15 or higher to protect your lips from getting burned.[13]
  4. Step 4 Cover your face in cold or dry weather. 4 Cover your face in cold or dry weather. There's nothing like the cold, dry air of winter to make your lips dry and flaky. If you tend to pick your lips more in the winter than in the summer, that's why. Try pulling your scarf up over your mouth when you go outside to protect your lips from the cold.[14]
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Expert Q&A

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Tips

  • If you discover that you are picking only when you are nervous or in discomfort, try to check when you are feeling nervous. For example, think 'oh, gosh, my homework is due in tomorrow and I haven't done it!' and you're picking your lips out of nervousness, you can change the habit by noticing it each time. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 4
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Warnings

  • If you believe you may have Compulsive Skin Picking disorder, it's important to get help right away. This disorder does not go away on its own; it is linked to deeper problems you'll need the help of a therapist to address. Thanks Helpful 97 Not Helpful 15
  • Picking your lips can lead to infection which is really nasty. Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 7
  • If your allergic to certain ingredients in chap sticks or petroleum jelly, tell your doctor right away. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
  • Always buy extra petroleum jelly or chap sticks if you run out. Dry lips can be a reason why you might pick at your lips. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 2
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-or-dry-lips/
  2. ↑ https://lifehacker.com/exfoliate-your-lips-with-a-toothbrush-1479376115
  3. ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sugar-skincare_b_2133060
  4. ↑ Tymia Yvette. Makeup & Lash Artist. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ Tymia Yvette. Makeup & Lash Artist. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/64128-does-chapstick-dry-lips.html
  7. ↑ Tymia Yvette. Makeup & Lash Artist. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/dry-skin/dry-and-chapped-lips
  9. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/why-your-lips-are-chapped
More References (5)
  1. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/why-your-lips-are-chapped
  2. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/dry-skin/dry-and-chapped-lips
  3. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/dry-skin/dry-and-chapped-lips
  4. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/skin-care/dry-skin/dry-and-chapped-lips
  5. ↑ https://www.self.com/story/how-to-keep-dry-lips-moisturized-during-winter

About This Article

Tymia Yvette Co-authored by: Tymia Yvette Makeup & Lash Artist This article was co-authored by Tymia Yvette. Tymia Yvette is a Makeup and Lash Artist and the founder of Tymia Yvette Beauty LLC, a makeup artistry and lash extension company focused on customized beauty services based in Baltimore, Maryland. Trained by MAC Cosmetics, Tymia's work has been featured in the Bravo A-List Awards 2008, the BET Honors Award Show in 2011, 2012, and 2013, the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week 2011, 2012, and 2013, and the White House Correspondent's Dinner in 2014. She has also provided makeup and lash services for the Betsy Royal Casting Agency and the Baltimore Raven's cheerleading squad from 2010 to 2012. Her clients include Terrence Howard, Torrey Smith, Lester Holt, Adrienne Lofton, and Natasha Hastings. She has been awarded WeddingWire's Couple's Choice Award in 2017, 2018, and 2019. This article has been viewed 353,868 times. 28 votes - 79% Co-authors: 21 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 353,868 Categories: Lip Health Article SummaryX

To stop picking your lips, try exfoliating them with a wet toothbrush so you’re not tempted to pick at the dead skin on your lips. Also, regularly apply a lip balm with moisturizing ingredients, such as shea butter, cocoa butter, or jojoba oil, in order to hydrate and heal your lips. Make sure to use your lip balm instead of licking your lips whenever they feel dry, since the enzymes in your saliva will cause them to dry out even more. You should also drink more water throughout the day to prevent dry lips as a result of dehydration. For more advice, including how to protect your lips in extreme weather conditions, keep reading. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Manav Athya

    Manav Athya

    Oct 29, 2020

    "Since the last 3 years I'm daily hitting and peeling the skin of my lips. They became black and rough. This..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Tymia Yvette Co-authored by: Tymia Yvette Makeup & Lash Artist 28 votes - 79% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 21 Updated: June 4, 2025 Views: 353,868 Manav Athya

Manav Athya

Oct 29, 2020

"Since the last 3 years I'm daily hitting and peeling the skin of my lips. They became black and rough. This..." more Haley Walk

Haley Walk

Aug 29, 2016

"Definitely going to give some of these ideas a try. I'm So tired of having ugly lips. Thanks for sharing. " Wesley Whitford

Wesley Whitford

May 3, 2017

"This whole article gave me better insight on what I can do to break this bad habit. Thanks!" Sparrow Williams

Sparrow Williams

Dec 2, 2017

"This was very helpful, and hopefully I can get myself to break my habit." Eve Devine

Eve Devine

Oct 18, 2016

"I do this all the time and I need to stop it. This is very helpful." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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