Dry skin can be due to a number of reasons – weather conditions, water temperature, irritating ingredients and your skincare routine. As a guide for how you can address these factors, I’ve written down my top tips for dry skin sufferers.
For more understanding on what causes skin dryness, click here for my blog ‘Why is my skin dry? The science behind the two types of skin dryness’.
HERE ARE MY TOP 10 TIPS TO HELP ADDRESS YOUR SKIN DRYNESS:
1. Avoid dry interior conditions
Permanent heating or air conditioning is not good for your skin, and dry skin makes fine lines look so much worse. If this is unavoidable in an office, invest in an air humidifier to prevent your skin drying out.
2. Avoid cold, dry and windy climates.
This sort of weather plays havoc on dry skin.
3. Avoid hard water.
High levels of minerals and traces of heavy metals in tap water can lead to skin dryness. Some metals can also cause skin sensitivities and barrier disruption. A home filtration system is a great idea. Also, topical L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) binds to the metals and renders them harmless!
4. Cleanse with warm water
Using warm water and avoiding hot temperatures is far gentler on your skin.
5. Apply moisturisers immediately after washing
Moisturise straight after your shower of face cleanse to lock in moisture. Keep in mind, order matters! Cleanse/Serum/Moisturise in this order to lock in hydration.
6. Use topical pre and probiotics
Maintaining the balanced skin microbiome is crucial for skin health and it is clear every skin type will benefit from reducing inflammation and improving barrier function. Prebiotic/Probiotic combination products such as Synergie Skin’s Dermiotic should be an essential addition to all skin regimens.
7. Know your skin type.
There are two types of dryness. Our skin can be lacking oil or water, or both and it’s important to know what you’re dealing with to achieve the balance.
Water dry (dehydrated) skin – Dehydrated skin is usually a result of environment and lack of fluids. It is more easily addressed with good skincare and increased fluid intake. Which means, yes, you can have acne and still have dehydrated skin!
Lipid-dry skin – When skin starts to appear dull, rough and worn out it can often have a matte appearance that lacks sheen and is no longer supple. This is referred to as lipid-dry skin and tends to be a chronic condition. Those with this skin type often experience premature ageing and sensitivity. Lipid-dry skin needs long term protection as their barrier constantly needs to be supplemented with oils that are similar to the skin’s own sebum and ingredients to lubricate the skin and lock in moisture. It is recommended to consult a dermatologist for long term treatment.
8. Don’t forget sunscreen.
Dehydrated flaking skin is even more susceptible to solar damage. Use a high-quality mineral sunscreen (such as ÜberZinc and ÜberZinc Body) or minerals makeup (such as Synergie Minerals) containing zinc oxide and iron oxide pigments to protect the delicate barrier.
9. Drink plenty of water.
Water hydrates the entire body and your skin cells are no exception. Good hydration levels mean our skin is working properly and if the light is reflecting off a surface evenly, it appears more hydrated and dewy. It’s like comparing the surface of a perfectly round pearl to a rough rock for natural luminosity. I know what I’d rather my skin compared to!
10. Avoid irritating ingredients
Common ingredients that can cause irritation and excessive moisture loss are:
- Toners and other products containing over 5% alcohol
- SLS (found in harsh cleansers)
- Soap with a very stripping alkaline pH
- Artificial fragrance
- Harsh preservatives
- Propylene glycol
- Overuse of products with highly acidic pH (AHAs and BHA’s). It’s ok to exfoliate weekly but don’t be too aggressive.
- Excessive use of harsh scrubs. Again, do not aggravate flaking, sensitive skin.
- Excessive facial cleansing
