Questions about very dry skin and its care aren’t reserved for the wintertime. They seem to pop up all the time. How to care for dry skin? What to use for moisturizing dry skin? How to keep skin from losing moisture? You can fix the problem by following 6 essential rules for healthy skin.
6 rules for healthy skin: how to treat very dry skin?
1. Go through ingredients of all of your cosmetics
The composition of your skin care products has a huge impact on the quality and appearance of your skin. Apart from valuable active substances, plenty of products conceal ingredients that might irritate and dry out skin so make sure your moisturizer/toner/cleanser is free from heavy alcohols, silicones and parabens – dry skin doesn’t like them because they make it even worse. Check your cosmetics for moisturizing agents and substances that form so-called occlusion on the skin surface. Also, remember to apply a cream or other product right after washing the skin with water: the sooner the better. Cosmetologists recommend applying skin care products when the skin is still damp!
Note!!
If your skin is dry, beware of products that are perfumed, contain alcohols or have antibacterial effect.
Instead, choose cosmetics infused with glycerin, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, avocado oil and evening primrose oil.
2. Cut your bathtime in half and turn to one shower a day
Even though water doesn’t make us think of something that could dehydrate the skin, it does take moisture away… Too much bathing rips off natural protective barrier of the epidermis – the hydro-lipid film is weaker so the skin loses immunity, dries out and suffers from irritations. Remember that your shower shouldn’t be longer than 10 minutes and don’t use too hot water because it leaves skin extremely dry and irritated.
Don’t overshower! Once a day is fine. Right after towel-drying the skin gently, smooth a fragrance-free lotion over the body.
3. Soap is your top enemy
Have you noticed that most soaps leave your skin tight-feeling, rough and… not nice? It’s a sign the skin loses moisture because soap deprived it of lipids.
Turn to washing hands, body and face with mild dermocosmetics that purify, condition and protect the skin, not disturbing its balance. As far as face skin is concerned, always use a moisturizing toner to calm skin down and balance the pH.
4. Exfoliate the skin on a regular basis
Very dry skin has excess of dead cells so you need to repair it. Use a GENTLE scrub once a week or every ten days. Enzyme scrubs are made for irritated skin. From time to time, instead of exfoliating, brush the body before a bath.
5. Remember which ingredients to avoid in your diet
Give up on foods that may additionally irritate the skin: salt, sugar (incl. fructose), gluten. These are strong allergens which have a bad impact on the condition of skin, good neither for your skin nor for the figure!
6. Eat foods that moisturize skin from within
“Your skin is what you eat” so you need to eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids acting like the best moisturizer. Omega acids, hyaluronic acid and lots of water make the basis of your “moisturizing diet”. Fish make the most popular source of the acids but they can also be found in flaxseeds or fish oil. If you don’t like fish oil, have a spoon of coconut oil every day.
