5 Do’s and Don’ts for Dry Skin
Dry skin may be at it's worst during the winter, but it can actually occur during every season.
We've compiled some of our best expert advice for dry skin on how to keep skin soft, smooth and supple no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.
Do’s:
1. Seal in the moisture
Showering and bathing is essential every day, and so is applying both a face moisturizer and a body moisturizer. This isn’t just a skin luxury—water on the skin evaporates into the air, taking the skin’s natural moisturizing barrier with it!
Using a good, hydrating body and face moisturizer helps to prevent this from happening, keeping skin soft and touchable!
2. Mind your environment
We all know that skin gets drier in colder months, but long days outdoors in the spring and summer breeze can also contribute to skin dryness as much as a blizzard.
Best advice: Pay attention to how long you spend doors, and always, always, always wear a protective SPF cream and keep skin hydrated morning and night!
3. Layer your skin care
When you go to apply your moisturizer in the morning, give it a boost by applying a serum beforehand so it can help seal it in.
Layering skin care properly allows the products to work with each other.
As a rule, apply products from thinnest to thickest.
If you were to apply a moisturizer first then a serum, the serum will have a very difficult time seeping through the cream, while the cream will easily get past the serum and onto your skin.
4. Give your hands and feet love
No matter what the weather, hands and feet always tend to be dry.
Give these hard-working helpers an essential break every few weeks by coating them in a skin-softening oil then layering over a good, occlusive hand cream or foot cream.
Put on a clean pair of cotton gloves and socks and go to sleep. When you wake up, you will have model-worthy hands and feet!
5. Get your beauty sleep
Stress and lack of sleep can be a contributing factor to dehydrated skin.
Deep sleep is also the body’s chance to enter “repair mode” and balance itself out for the next day.
Skipping out on this time means less of a chance for your body to be functioning in tip top shape, such as when we see emphasized fine lines and bags under our eyes.
Don’ts:
1. Wash with soap
Overly harsh soap strips our skin’s natural barrier, altering the skin’s pH balance, and compromising the skin’s barrier integrity.
It you notice increased dryness from using soaps, switch to professional cleanser with hydrating ingredients, such as seaweed, that won't dry your skin out.
2. Take long, hot showers
Love long, hot showers but suffer from dry skin? There’s your problem.
Washing overly long in hot water strips the skin of essential moisture.
Reducing the amount of time spent in the shower, along with reducing the amount of heat we shower with, will all contribute to better balanced skin.
We recommend lukewarm showers lasting 5 to 10 minutes.
And don’t forget to follow up with a moisturizer!
3. Constantly lick your lips
While it’s tough to remember at first, make a conscious effort to stop licking your lips if they feel dry.
All that re-wetting and drying of your lips is causing all the dryness and cracking!
Gently exfoliate your lips with a dry toothbrush, and don’t be afraid to cover your lips every few weeks with an essential oil to really lubricate dry lips.
4. Over-exfoliate
A lot of people tend to exfoliate too much, thinking the rougher they are the better. Wrong!
Overdoing it on exfoliators or peels makes them go from helpful to harmful. This is one of the most common causes of skin dryness and even skin damage.
Over-exfoliation disrupts the skin barrier, causing dryness and even inflammation.
If skin is naturally dry to begin with, choose a mild face exfoliator or face peel, or better yet, see a skin care specialist who will know exactly the right amount to use and how often.
5. Fly solo
When you find that your dry skin just isn’t going away, or you feel you’ve exhausted your options when it comes to products to buy, eliminate all doubt and let a pro handle it.
Booking an appointment with a licensed esthetician will give you the comfort that someone trained in skin care will analyze your skin, literally under a magnifying glass, perform the proper treatment and recommend the proper products for you.
Nothing gets your skin back on the road to soft and supple faster!
