Get the perfect pout and give Priyanka Chopra a run for her money!

Priyanka Chopra

Uploading pictures of oneself donning peel-off face masks that promise to rehydrate, moisturise, whiten or cleanse your skin has become a Sunday norm of sorts for social media fashionistas. A similar mask for those who complain of perennially chapped lips is the new rage on Instagram, which comes with a promise of fuller and softer lips. Keep it on for 15 minutes, peel it off and see the change, these lip sheets claim.

Singer Chinmayi Sripaada posted a story with a lip mask last week

Collagen power
Make-up and beauty expert Aditi Mehta, who has tried the product, says that the trend that made its way into the Indian market three months ago, is now at a point where it may take off, primarily because it contains collagen, which isn't easily available in lip cr­eams and balms.

"Collagen helps hy­drate the lips. It also helps with pigm­entation. Who wouldn't want li­ps like Priyanka Chopra's?" asks Me­h­ta. But it's a product you have to be pa­tient with as it takes about a month for the lips to look distinctly supple. To maintain the look, the mask needs to be applied twice a week.

Actor Emma Stone goofing around with one while getting ready for the Golden Globes

Pigmentation and unhealthy lips are common among those in their early 20s today, points out Mehta, thanks to an unhealthy diet, smoking and pollution. "The number of inquiries and patients we get has doubled in the last year itself. Those who are 35 and above hesitate to get any lip-related procedure done as it's clearly visible," says dermatologist Dr Neha Mittal, adding a caveat, "We moisturise and hydrate lips, and these collagen face sheets offer the same, though the effect lasts no longer than a few days. And if you stop using the product, the effect wears off," Dr Mittal adds.

The flip side
Applying the mask restricts you from speaking for 15 minutes. Me­hta points out that it may take a while for the lip sheets to thrive in the country primarily because of their cost (approx Rs 250 for one piece). "They are priced as much as the face mask. And there's no point in buying the cheap stuff as it won't have the desired effect," she advises.

Aditi Mehta

Dos and don'ts
' Using lip and face masks is the best way to rejuvenate and keep your skin and lips hydrated during flights, especially long ones. You can just leave them on, ensuring constant hydration so that your skin and lips aren't compromised. You can also do it twice in a 20-hour flight, suggests Mehta. It's especially handy if you need to freshen up quickly before a meeting.
' You have to use the lip mask twice a week for a month and a half at least to see a difference.
' Make sure you put it on for 15 minutes at least - the minimum amount of time it takes for the skin to absorb anything. You can keep it on for as long as you want.
' You can make your own lip mask with aloe vera and Vitamin E oil.
' Don't use the mask if your lip swells up, accompanied by redness or itching, eruptions or peeling.
' Make a scrub with sugar and olive oil and use it once a week.
' Buy lip balms that have an SPF of 30.
' You can apply make-up right after wiping off the mask.
' Don't sleep with your lipstick on. That will ensure your lips don't get any breathing room.
' Don't use the mask if it's more than a year old, otherwise it may irritate the skin, causing a rash or an allergic reaction.
Inputs by Aditi Mehta

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