The grass always seems greener on the other side, huh? While anyone with oily skin knows the daily struggle of having to blot away excess oils and find makeup products that will not cause their oily skin to look much worse, having dry skin is no walk in the park either. If you have ever felt that your face is itchy and tight after washing with certain products, or struggle with signs of flaky or ashy looking skin you know that getting the hydrated, plump glow of healthy skin is often just a faraway dream. Fortunately, there is a fix for every skin type. If you see signs of being a dry skin type, such as tightness, itching, ashyness, or redness, you could likely be a dry or combination skin type. Check out these tips below for creating the perfect skin care routine based on signs of dry skin.
Cleanse With The Right Products
Choosing the right cleanser is important for any skin type, but for those with dry skin it can be particularly significant. We recommend finding a cleanser that will get the job done effectively without drying out your skin even more. Avoid products with ingredients like alcohol and sulfates, as these can be drying. Pro tip: sulfates are the active ingredient in personal care products that make soaps foamy—so anything that advertises with the word “foaming” is bound to have sulfates in it.
FYI: Double Cleansing - If you suffer from dry skin we recommend trying out double cleansing to help keep your skin from drying out too much. Double cleansing is when you use two cleansers for different steps in your skin care routine. An oil-based cleanser can help remove makeup without disrupting your hydration barrier, and a gentle cleanser can help remove extra dirt and any oil buildup left over in your pores.
Products We Recommend: To remove makeup before you use a gentle cleanser to clean your face, we recommend checking out the Probiotic Nourishing Gel To Oil Cleanser from Glowbiotics. This will melt off makeup without drying your skin, making it great for getting tough to remove products off of your face without being too harsh. After that, try a gentle cleanser like the Nu-Derm Cleanser from Obagi. This soap-free cleanser is gentle, yet effective at cleaning your pores.
Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate!
Often when you suffer from dry skin it means that your skin cannot make enough oil or stay hydrated to the extent that you need it. Dry skin can get worse based on your environment and climate, which is why you probably notice your skin dries out in the winter months when the air is less humid. Using products that dry your skin out do so by stripping your skin of its natural oils and impacting its natural hydration barrier. Replace these oils and hydration with serums and moisturizers that contribute to your overall hydration barrier. Products like hyaluronic acid serums and ceramide lotions are best for this, but gentle enough not to make your skin sensitive.
Products We Recommend: The Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Serum from Peter Thomas Roth can help improve your natural hydration barrier by helping your skin absorb and hold onto water molecules. Tidal from Sunday Riley can also help brighten and hydrate dry, itchy skin with enzymes and hyaluronic acid.
Never Skip On Moisturizer
Moisturizing, while different than hydration, is just as important to maintaining healthy skin. Skipping on moisturizing your skin with a ceramide moisturizer or cream can make your skin feel dry throughout the day. Try using two different products for night and day to assure that your skin is getting the right amount of collagen boost and nutrition. Opt for products that contain little to no fragrance, as those ingredients can help dry skin out even more.
Products We Recommend: Glo Oil Free Moisturizer helps to nourish and balance skin without adding oil to it, assuring that your skin is nourished with the vitamins and minerals that it needs without being weighed down or clogging your pores.
Don’t Over Exfoliate
Exfoliating is a great way to remove dead skin cells and help increase the turnover of new ones to keep your skin and complexion looking healthy and young, but exfoliating too often can make your dry skin out much worse, as it can irritate it or cause peeling that leaves your skin exposed to greater UVA damage. Exfoliate once or twice a week to maintain healthy skin without hurting it, and never use a physical exfoliator near your eye area as that skin is particularly delicate and prone to micro tears caused by physical exfoliants.
Products We Recommend: AHA/BHA cream from SkinMedica gently exfoliates your skin without leaving it prone to micro tears because it used alpha-hydroxy acids as an exfoliant. Any of our chemical exfoliant products, from lactic acid to retinol, are good options for this type of skin care step. To learn more about the differences between AHA’s and BHA’s, as well as how to choose the right one for your skin type, check out our blog post here.
Use SPF Every Single Day
Yes, even in the winter. Protecting your skin against harmful UV radiation can help keep it looking young and healthy. For people with dry skin, it can also help keep it from becoming sensitive or prone to peeling. SPF also prevents inflammation and redness, particularly around acne and blemishes that get irritated from exposure to UV radiation. Use an SPF of at least 30 on your face each day to prevent these problems, even if it looks cloudy outside or you plan on spending most of the day indoors.