Most of us are smart enough to slather on sunscreen to ward off UV rays and sun damage, but there’s one often overlooked body part that should be receiving extra TLC on these hot, humid days: your lips.

Lips are more prone to drying than any other part of your body because the skin is thinner and more delicate. Lips don’t have sebaceous glands that produce sebum, which keeps skin (and hair) moisturized. They don’t have melanin, a protective pigment that helps block UV radiation. Sun damage and constant UV exposure can lead to lip thinning or loss in volume and, worse, cancer.

An easy cure is to use a balm formulated with SPF to keep lips hydrated and protected throughout the day. Regular, gentle exfoliation can help rid lips of flakes and roughness. For severe tropical conditions like ours, incorporating an overnight regimen will also work wonders.

Lip care regimen

Burt’s Bees has formulated a three-step lip care regimen that does all these and more.

1) Exfoliate. Slough away rough, flaky skin with the Burt’s Bees Conditioning Lip Scrub. Crafted with exfoliating honey crystals and infused with responsibly-sourced beeswax and cocoa butter, it is formulated with 100-percent natural ingredients. It’s free of parabens, phthalates, petrolatum and SLS. Apply a generous amount of the scrub on lips, gently scrub in a circular motion, and rinse off. It’s important not to overdo lip exfoliation: doing this step two to three times a week should suffice.

2) Hydrate. Follow up with an overnight treatment that helps heal dryness and reduce appearance of fine lines. The Burt’s Bees Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment is equipped with a ceramide-rich formula and has natural emollients, vitamin E-rich jojoba oil, and refreshing peppermint. Apply liberally and leave overnight. It doesn’t feel sticky or slimy on lips and you don’t have to worry about staining your Egyptian sheets. You can also use this lip treatment during the day, to soothe dry patches on the lips.

3) Protect and color. Finally, keep lips protected during the day with the certified cult favorite, Burt’s Bees All-Weather SPF 15 Moisturizing Lip Balm. (A refreshing alternative is the Cucumber Mint Lip Balm.) Then add a hint of color with the Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm, which provides 8-hour hydration, care of all-natural shea butter and vitamin E, and the prettiest floral-inspired shade. Choose from Pink Blossom, Hibiscus (bestseller), Rose, Red Dahlia, Sweet Violet, and Zinnia. This balm is lightweight, doesn’t feel oily, leaves no residue, and isn’t too glossy—a good thing since glosses can attract more sun. —CONTRIBUTED