- The skin is made up of three layers: The epidermis (outermost layer), dermis and hypodermis. The epidermis has a protective layer known as the stratum corneum, which is much thinner on the lips than it is anywhere else on the body;
- Worse, the lips do not have oil glands—they’re depending on you to keep them moisturized; and
- The lips contain less melanin than the rest of the skin— melanin is the skin pigment responsible for protecting the skin from the sun.
The skin on your lips is very different than that of the rest of your body. Here’s how: