Skin5 min
Ghee and honey for chapped, cracked lips
A dab of pure ghee at night — the way many grandmothers still do it — is one of the simplest fixes for dry, peeling lips. A little honey adds extra softness.
The Ayurvedic view
Lips have no oil glands of their own, so they dry out quickly in cold wind, dry air-conditioned rooms and summer heat. Licking them makes it worse, because saliva evaporates and takes moisture with it. Ayurveda recommends ghee as a nourishing, vata-soothing fat for the lips and the navel; in many homes a drop of ghee in the navel at bedtime is said to help dry lips too — a harmless tradition you may enjoy trying.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon pure desi ghee (cow's ghee is traditional)
- A few drops of honey (optional)
How to prepare
- Mix the ghee and honey on a clean fingertip or in a tiny bowl.
How to use
- At bedtime, apply to the lips and leave overnight.
- In the morning, wipe off gently with a soft wet cloth — this lifts dead flakes without peeling.
- During the day, use plain ghee or a fragrance-free lip balm whenever lips feel dry.
Helpful habits
- Stop licking or biting the lips.
- Drink water through the day and use a lip balm with SPF outdoors.
- Breathing through the mouth at night (from a blocked nose) dries lips — treat the congestion.
Precautions
- Don't give honey to babies under one year; plain ghee is fine for older children.
- Cracks at the corners of the mouth that don't heal may point to a vitamin deficiency or fungal infection — see a doctor.
- Stop if you notice itching or swelling, which can signal an allergy to a lip product or food.
