Lips Need TLC Too - We Try a New Cream Just For Smackers

I thought it was quite sad when Kylie Jenner (finally) admitted to using lip fillers because she was self-conscious of her perfectly nice but not exactly plump smackers. She's only 17 and shouldn't be worrying about that sort of thing. Leave lip talk to us auld ones.

I googled Kylie's age to make sure I had it right and it turns out we share a birthday. She's turning 18 on August 10th and I'm... I'm not a celeb so no need to divulge such details, but let's just say I have more to worry about looks-wise than our pouting pal.

I too have been bestowed with thin lips but I'm not too concerned about the lack of plump I can allude to plumpness with a slick of gloss. What I am worried about is that as I get older they will shrivel up and disappear (and my nose and ears will grow to Big Friendly Giant proportions). My lips don't have to be huge but I'd prefer if they were, like, there.

SkinCeuticals have launched a new lip treatment for damaged and ageing lips and there's a lot of interesting scientific info in the press release that I'm going to share because I think you'd like to know. Did you know that the only source of moisture your lips get is from saliva because lips have no sebaceous glands? And we all know that wetting your lips with saliva is not a good idea because it can make them drier and can lead to irritation and in turn can make you look older. Boo! There's also no melanin in lip skin so your kissers are not protected from harmful UV rays. I think these are two good reasons to look after your lips.

Also, you might have noticed in older people that the outline of the lips can fade over time. This is an instantly ageing look unfortunately (thank God for liner we say!) but SkinCeuticals think they can combat lip ageing with the Aox Lip Complex.

It's an unassuming little cream that you smooth over your lips, cupid's bow and vermilion border (the lip's outline) and pat in. Used as part of your skin care routine, you apply it after cleansing, on dry lips. I found it a bit strange to be putting a cream on my lips after so many years of avoiding the 'delicate lip area' and being so used to a more balmy texture but it made me realise that I don't do much to care for my poor lips at all, apart from slathering on vigorous amounts of Vaseline when they are chapped.

The texture is quite thick and it's moisturising and feels comfortable and it takes under a minute to apply and pat it in, so I will add it to my routine. Prevention is better than cure and all that. The only thing is, it has left me with a sinking feeling that I am neglecting some other oft ignored area...

Ingredient Info: The Aox Lip Complex features Vitamin E and Silymarin (an antioxidant) for preventing damage and smoothing and rehydrating the surface but it also contains hyaluronic acid with hydroxethyl urea and glycerin to help rejuvenate lip tissue.

It costs €40.00 - see www.skinceuticals.co.uk for where you can pick it up.

Last winter I started exfoliating my lips with a special lip exfoliator to combat dryness and peeling caused by the cold weather. Do you look after your lips? What do you use?