Lanolin or plain petroleum jelly for cracked, bleeding lips

For lips that are split or bleeding from cold, lanolin (like Lansinoh nipple cream) or plain petroleum jelly works faster and safer than most fancy lip balms.

The problem with most lip balms is they contain ingredients that can sting or dry you out more — menthol, camphor, fragrance, all that stuff. When your lip skin is broken, you don’t want that. You want a thick occlusive that seals in moisture and doesn’t add irritants.

Lanolin is great because it’s naturally similar to the oils your skin produces, and it stays put. Petroleum jelly is almost pure occlusion — nothing in it to react with raw skin. Both are dirt cheap.

While you’re healing, stop licking your lips. Licking feels good for five seconds then makes everything worse (saliva digests skin). Drink water, run a humidifier in your bedroom, and if the air is brutally dry, wear a scarf over your mouth outside.

If the split is deep and won’t stop bleeding, a tiny dab of antibiotic ointment (Neosporin) can help prevent infection, but don’t rely on it long-term. Switch to lanolin or Vaseline once the bleeding stops.

Your lips aren’t the place to experiment with trendy ingredients