Love your lips: new products give you the bold colors you crave with the gentle, nourishing ingredients your lips need.

The skin on your lips is very thin and does not have oil glands to provide protection. Just as your lips can absorb harmful substances, their thin skin can easily absorb beneficial nutrients. Because your lips cannot produce oil, you need to moisturize them so they don't crack, chap or peel. Sun and cold, as well as lipsticks with synthetic ingredients, are the main culprits for dry, chapped lips.

Licking your lips in an attempt to keep them moist will only aggravate the problem. Lips should be protected with a rich lip balm, and if you are in the sun, be certain to wear a lip balm with a sunblock. Drink plenty of water to moisturize your lips from the inside; if your lips are severely cracked you may be low in B vitamins.

Lipstick can also protect your lips while adding color and shine. Most mass-market color lipsticks, however, use are made from coal tar or petroleum-based synthetics. These ingredients may cause allergic responses in chemically sensitive people. Symptoms of this sensitivity may include headaches, nausea, inability to concentrate, asthma attacks, fatigue, irritability, nervousness and confusion.

Women who are chemically sensitive are subjecting themselves to unnecessary risks every time they apply lip colon And because lipstick is worn on the mouth, small amounts are ingested. Most natural cosmetics use pigments derived from beet powder, beta-carotene, iron oxides, grape-skin extract, turmeric and annatto, making them not only attractive and long lasting but also good for your lips.

(1) TERRAGLOSS SHIMMERING NATURAL COLOR from Alba Botanica provides vibrant color derived from natural minerals, while shea butter and vitamin E moisturize and protect lips. Choose from six glistening colors (Blaze is shown here).

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(2) Weleda EVERON LIP BALM moisturizes and protects dry lips with jojoba oil, shea butter and precious rose wax to seal in the conditioning ingredients.