Bright Red Lips and The New Shades

 Bright red lips. 

On my face. And no, I wasn’t sampling a new shade of lipstick. I was dealing with a horrible food reaction that inflamed my lips and caused the skin to flake and peel all around my mouth. I would have taken a photo, but I don’t really want to remember that horrible image. I almost wore a mask at work (I work in healthcare, so it would have been acceptable), but  I didn’t. Those bright red lips made me extremely self-conscious. It all seemed to start with my tuna reaction, then aggravated by a reaction to a new skin care product, and then further aggravated by excessive coffee intake and stress.

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Mind Over Matter A Decision To Make?

I sat in church last Sunday and decided to put on some lip balm, a natural brand. I wanted to fly out of that pew….the peppermint burned so intense. So, I mentally added peppermint skin products to the “Do Not Use” list. Fortunately, I have found another all natural lip product I like without peppermint oil from The Fresh Market.

I also tried a home remedy of avocado oil and beet sugar. It created a pretty, yellowish scrub for my lips which really seemed to help with the healing.

The bright red lips faded to my normal pink color by Tuesday, but a couple days later, the skin began to flake again. Frustrated. That’s how I felt. I don’t understand why I have to deal with food and skin issues. I am trying to be compliant with my diet restrictions. I recently visited my nutritionist, and I faithfully take my supplements. Yes, I realize it’s the holiday season which creates additional stress at work and home. And additional food temptations. All of these things affect how I feel.

On  Sunday, as I sat at church with the burning lips, I listened to the words of my pastor as he reminded me to learn to trust God daily. If God has helped me through some major crises in my life, surely He will help me through my bright red lip situation.  He uses the big and the small stuff. Maybe there is a lesson even in my bright red lips.