Licking, biting or peeling lips only makes them dryer, as does salty and spicy food, said Ashley. A matte lipstick can also suck moisture from the sensitive area that dries out ten times faster than regular skin. “Dry lips should go away within two to three weeks [of the treatments outlined below],” she said. “If it persists, there could be a medical reason.” The underlying medical reasons that cause dry lips include yeast infections, deficiencies in iron, vitamin B and folic acid, an allergic reaction, and the much more serious actinic keratosis, an early form of skin cancer to Ashley.