Lip problems and auditions

daktx2 · Post by **daktx2** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:08 pm

Anyone who lives in Houston right now knows that the weather is going crazy. Whenever temperature changes as much as it has been, my lips start to chap like crazy. Just today, the chapping got so bad a cut opened up right in the middle of my top lip. Normally, I would just take a few days off playing, but I have college auditions this Monday, and the Saturday after that. Does anyone know of anything (besides prayer) that can help me? Thanks a lot.

Albertibass · Post by **Albertibass** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:14 pm

blistex or vasoline?

daktx2 · Post by **daktx2** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:24 pm

I use vaseline religiously, but when it gets this bad, my sound still suffers.

jbeish · Post by **jbeish** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:00 pm

I recommend Burts Bees or something else that is made with all natural ingredients. I've found petroleum based balms to dry me out or leave my lips feeling greasy. Also, if your lips are extremely cracked, I also recommend buying those vitamin E gel capsules. Then poke a hole in the capsule and use the vitamin E inside the capsule on your lips over night. Works well for sunburnt lips as well. Works for me. Good luck, play well.

djwesp · Post by **djwesp** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 10:13 pm

Albertibass wrote:blistex or vasoline?

Don't use blistex...

it contains camphor bad...

everyone repeat after me...

"camphor bad"

don't use anything on your lips if you are brass musician if it contains camphor.

CAMPHOR BAD.

dtemp · Post by **dtemp** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:40 pm

Man, you folks from Texas and New Mexico really have it rough.

Current temperatures as of 10:37 CDT:

New Mexico - 62 degrees.
Texas - 47 degrees.
Minnesota - 11 degrees.

"You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone..."

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:48 pm

Hey, it's going to get down to 35 tonight!! I might have to turn up the furnace!

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:45 am

Hey dtemp, ""Pave paradise and put up a parking lot."

anonymous4 · Post by **anonymous4** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:17 pm

djwesp wrote:
Albertibass wrote:blistex or vasoline?
CAMPHOR BAD.

Why exactly is camphor bad?

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:52 pm

The purpose of aromatics is to numb the nerve endings. As a side effect, the reason they are called aromatics is because they evaporate quickly. Anything that evaporates quickly will draw out moisture. So, you're dehydrating your lips for the sake of numbing them out for a few minutes.

Chapstick and others made with beeswax or carnuba wax are made to be a coating or shield, and are too hard for brass playing.

The answer: ChopSaver Lip Balm. Read about it here:
http://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/products/inst024.asp
Get it here:
http://www.chopsaver.com

corbasse · Post by **corbasse** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:30 am

1) Drink lots of water (a 1 1/2 litre bottle a day or antiquated weird illogical measuring system equivalent

)

2)do not drink too much else like coffee, tea, or especially carbonated sweet drinks.

3) Cold turkey on all lip balm (take a few weeks when there's nothing going on and the weather is not too harsh)

In my experience, your lips get addicted to smearing stuff on them. (especially the Blistex cr@p) You literally need to take more and more stuff more and more often to keep your lips feeling good.

If you drink enough water you'll hardly ever nead to use anything on them except in extremely cold and dry conditions once or twice a year. Then use something natural as the products mentiond above and use them sparingly.

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:33 pm

dtemp wrote:Man, you folks from Texas and New Mexico really have it rough.

Current temperatures as of 10:37 CDT:

New Mexico - 62 degrees.
Texas - 47 degrees.
Minnesota - 11 degrees.

"You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone..."

Vietnam - 75 degrees.

When the weather is bad here, it's still good.