Understand what your skin is trying to tell you. It’s time to take some strict skincare measures to rejuvenate a skin that feels dry, tight and looks dull.
Dry skin can cause discomfort and leave you unattractive. It often breaks through as rough, red, and itchy patches in parts of your body that show hands, arms, lower legs and ankles. It also commonly affects the soles of your thighs, feet, and the abdomen. It can develop cracks and fissures in your skin. And because cold air outside and heated air inside cause low humidity, it’s often worse in winter.
Since most of the times, dry skin is caused due to external factors, it responds well to external skincare treatment. Just making a few modifications to your daily skincare regime can help you get a healthy skin. Whatever may be the cause, there are numerous things you can do to make your dry skin smooth and supple.
Also Read: All You Want to Know About Dry Skin
Why your skin gets dry: The prime reason your skin becomes dry revolves around impairment. This happens when the outer layers of your skin lose their ability to keep up the normal moisture levels. Most of the times, this happens due to sun damage and, to a certain extent, the use of skincare products that comprise of irritating or drying ingredients.
If you have ever observed that the parts of your body that don’t have sun damage that is the parts of your body that are not regularly exposed to the sun are hardly ever, if ever, dry. This is due to the fact that areas with little to no sun damage don’t endure the array of problems that arise from collective sun exposure.
How to Fix Dry Skin: Your dry skin needs barrier-repairing ingredients that help your skin act younger so that it can uphold a healthy water balance. Here are our best tips to stop the cycle of dry, itchy and uncomfortable skin:
The foremost step is to cease damaging the outer layer of skin by avoiding:
- Soaps (all kinds, and anything in the form of a bar)
- Harsh cleansing elements such as sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate or sodium lauryl sulfate
- Products with irritating ingredients such as menthol, alcohol, peppermint, mint, citrus, fragrance, eucalyptus
- Contact with hot water
- Abrasive scrubs
- Loofahs (natural fiber scrubber)
The next move is to give your skin what it cries for getting toned as it was before it was damaged by the sun. Here are some foolproof tips to help you have beautifully smooth, younger-looking and glowing skin:
1. Wear sunscreen everyday, even in winter: Sun damages your skin’s ability to hold moisture or feel soft. 2. Use state-of-the-art moisturizers (moisturizers include all sorts of serums, gels, lotions, creams, anti-wrinkle, anti-aging, firming, etc.): Moisturizers should be jam-packed with antioxidants, ingredients that help skin lock moisture, anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing ingredients. 3. Exfoliate: Skin cell turnover (exfoliating) is a function of healthy skin, but if your skin gets sun damaged, it needs help with this process. A well-formulated alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA) product can help skin cells turn over in a more natural, young manner by eliminating the upsurge of old skin cells and substituting them with newer and, smoother ones. 4. Nourish your dry skin cells with pure plant oils such as olive oil or jojoba seed oil. 5. Don’t forget your lips: Lips easily get susceptible to dryness. Do not leave your lips bare day or night. Apply and reapply a softening lipstick or gloss during the day whereas at night do not go to sleep without protecting your lips with a healing lip balm throughout the year. 6. Never use products that contain drying or irritating ingredients. 7. Stay warm without cozying up to a fireplace or other sources of heat: Sitting in front of an open flame or other heat sources can cause your skin to become dry.
When to see a dermatologist: Your skin should start to turn healthy quickly but if this doesn’t happen soon, you may want to see a dermatologist. You may require a prescription ointment or cream for a very dry skin or a treatment. A dermatologist can examine your skin and explain what can help reduce your discomfort.
Also Read: Natural methods to get rid of dry skin
Conclusion: These fail-safe tips will help you replenish the moisture quickly and easily that your skin is missing. Follow this skincare regime for dry skin religiously to ensure a healthy and glowing skin.