I learned to take care of my dry skin the hard way.
It all started when I moved to London. The harsh winters, the unrelenting winds that blow all day long and the high temperatures indoors were no match for my dry skin: they sucked all the moisture out of it, leaving it all dry and flaky.
And SO thirsty. It always demands I give it more water. MORE. MORE. MORE. ALL THE TIME. It’s like nothing can quench it.
That’s how it feels, anyway. But it IS possible to treat dry skin and turn it all soft and supple again. Here’s the best skincare routine + tips to deal with dry skin once and for all:
How Do I Know I Have Dry Skin?
Here are the symptoms of dry skin:
- Skin flakes like a bad attack of dandruff, and why is it always so rough?
- You wish you didn’t have to wash your face, it feels so tight and uncomfortable afterwards.
- Inner glow? What’s that? You skin is as dull as dishwater.
- You’re no stranger to itchiness and redness.
- You develop wrinkles, and deeper ones too, earlier than your oily-skinned girlfriends. So unfair!
- On the plus side, your pores are so small, you’re not even sure you have them.
Related: How To Determine Your Skin Type (Plus Free Test!)
What causes dry skin?
Wondering why you have to deal with all those symptoms? Your skin is damaged.
Your skin has a protective barrier that keeps moisture in and germs, pollutants and other skin enemies out. When this shield is broken down in pieces, moisture evaporates.
Adding moisture back in won’t work. It’ll just evaporate through the cracks again. That’s why your skin is thirsty all the time.
Here’s what damages the skin’s protective barrier:
- Central air conditioning or heating
- Cold and humid weather
- Genes (yes, you can inherit dry skin)
- Harsh and irritating skincare products
- Unprotected sun exposure
It all gets worse as you age. As you get older, your levels of estrogen decrease. This makes your skin thinner and unable to retain moisture well. *sighs*
Dry, dull skin thirsting for moisture? This will do the trick. http://bit.ly/1XooSNN Click to TweetSo, how do I Treat Dry Skin?
The key to saying “arrivederci dry skin” is to fix the skin’s protective barrier. Here’s how:
1. Choose A Moisturizing Cleanser
Foaming cleansers and bar soaps are terribly drying for your skin type. They strip the little oil your dry skin naturally produces, wreaking more damage on its protective barrier. Ditch them.
Opt for cream cleansers, cleansing milks, and cleansing oils (my absolute fave). They cleanse just as well AND replenish the little oil they’re stripping away. Afterwards, your skin feels soft and supple, NOT tight and uncomfortable.
Best Picks:
Shop Cleansers
Related: How To Choose The Best Cleanser For Your Skin Type
2. If you must use a toner…
(And you totally don’t) opt for a hydrating formula. Anything with glycerin and hyaluronic acid is a good idea – they kiss your skin with moisture.
Instead, avoid astringents (toners with alcohol/witch hazel and little else) like the plague. They’re terribly drying.
Best Picks:
Shop Toners
Related: Why You Don’t Need A Toner
3. Exfoliate the right away
The best way to exfoliate dry skin? No, it’s NOT apricot or sugar scrubs. Get rid of those.
I’m talking about glycolic acid. The star in the alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) family, glycolic acid effortlessly dissolves the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, so they can slough off. When they’re gone, dry patches disappear and your complexion gets a radiant glow.
But, that’s something that every good exfoliant does. What sets glycolic acid apart is its ability to hydrate skin. A godsend for your skin type.
P.S. 10% and higher concentrations of glycolic acid also boost collagen production. That means fewer wrinkles, lucky you.
Best Picks:
Shop Exfoliants
Related: The Complete Guide To Glycolic Acid: What It Is, How To Use It & Where To Find It
4. Use a hydrating serum
The best way to hydrate your skin? A serum with hyaluronic acid (or its close cousin sodium hyaluronate).
You can find them in plenty of toners and moisturizers, and should use those too. When it comes to hyaluronic acid, your skin can’t get enough. 🙂
But I like to use a separate serum with hyaluronic acid because serums contain a higher dose that makes them work better and faster. Bonus points if they’re loaded with antioxidants and soothing agents (my best picks are 🙂 ).
Best Picks:
Shop Hyaluronic Acid Serums
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine
5. Lock moisture in with a rich moisturizer
It’s not enough to drench skin in moisture. You need to make sure that moisture stays there, too. Hard to do when your skin’s protective barrier is damaged.
That’s why you need rich moisturizers loaded with occlusive humectants, like mineral oil and shea butter, that can create a protective barrier on the skin that locks moisture in.
The best ones also contain skin-repairing ingredients. This is the stuff – like ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids – that makes up the skin’s protective barrier. They fill in the holes, stitching your barrier back together.
Best Picks:
Shop Moisturisers
Related: Dry Skin? Here’s What Your Moisturiser Should Contain6. Sunscreen
You know what’s constantly attacking your skin’s protective barrier? Yep, the sun. Those pesky UV rays give you wrinkles, dark spots, and cancer, AND destroy your skin’s natural protective barrier.
Rain or shine, pile on that sunscreen!
Best Picks:
Shop Sunscreens
Related: 6 Myths About Sunscreens Busted
Don’t know how to fit all these products into your skincare routine? Click on the image below to subscribe to my newsletter and receive the “Dry Skin Skincare Routine Cheatsheet.” It tells you the right order for both your AM and PM skincare routine + my fave product recommendations:
✕
The Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin
Sign up to receive the best skincare routine for dry skin cheat sheet.
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and receive the best skincare routine for dry skin cheat list.
7. Avoid Irritating Ingredients
Harsh and irritating ingredients are another thing that can destroy your skin’s natural protective barrier. The main offenders are:
- Alcohol Denat
- Citrus oils
- Lavender
- Menthol
- Peppermint
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Witch Hazel
Avoid them!
Related: Is Witch Hazel Good Or Bad For Skin?
8. Take short baths and showers
Man, I hate this one.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE long, hot baths. But, they are SO drying for my skin. If you can, don’t spend more than 15 minutes in shows or bath tub.
I know if it sucks, but your skin will thank you.
Related: 4 Ways To Prevent A Warm Bath From Drying Out Your Skin
9. Get a humidifier
My last tip is to get a humidifier. Low humidity causes dry skin skin, too. If you live or work in a place where the central hair conditioning or heating is always on, your skin’ll get stripped of the moisture it so badly needs. A humidifier will add moisture back into the air quickly.
When should I see a doctor?
Don’t panic just yet. You don’t need to see a doctor just because you have dry skin.
It’s when dry skin becomes red and inflamed that you need a dermatologist. This is a sign of dermatitis and you need the help of a professional who knows what to do.
How do you take care of your dry skin? Share your skincare routine and tips in the comments below.
Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping
Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams - even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.
The Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin syndicated from Beautiful With Brains
September 7, 2019 at 03:19AM
No comments:
Post a Comment