How to fix dry sore lips that won't go away?

i grew up in the cold and always thought chapstick was my cure but it never seemed to truly do the job. one day a friend started picking on me because i used it so much and he said to just wipe off your mouth with water or a wet rag or paper towel. I laughed at him at 1st but that was 10 years ago and i still use that trick til this day and have not used anything else. chapstic sucks and so does everything else