If you use a lip balm that contains salicylic acid for your chapped lips, you could be doing more harm than good. Salicylic acid is used in many cleansers and lotions and certain lip balms to help the other ingredients seep into the skin. However, if you apply it to chapped lips, it can slough off surface tissue and damage the healthy underlying layers, which can make your lips even more chapped. Other irritants include isopropyl myristate, eugenol, and phenol.

In addition, salicylic acid has not been tested on pregnant women to determine its safety, so it's best to avoid daily use of any products containing the substance until it is proven to be harmless.

To prevent chapped lips, choose a lip balm that contains FDA-approved protectants such as petrolatum, glycerin, allantoin, mineral oil, lanolin, dimethicone, cocoa butter, or cod-liver oil. And avoid licking your lips, which can dehydrate them and increase chapping (I know, easier said than done!).