If you’re like most people who struggle with dry skin, you have a love-hate relationship with your complexion. When it’s hot and humid out and everyone else looks like they bathed their t-zones in oil, you can’t help but to feel a little smug about your perfectly even complexion. However, when the air is dry and the only breeze is a hot one, your face may feel taught and overstretched, and your complexion may look downright dull. The good news is, with the right skincare products and tips, you can maintain a glowing complexion (and your smug attitude!) year-round.
Dry Skincare Tip #1: Wash With Lukewarm Water
Everyone loves a good hot shower to wash away the day’s stressors, but while your muscles may love the reprieve, your skin does not. Hot water strips your skin of essential oils, which is not ideal for any skin type. However, you and your other kindred dry-skin folks need all the natural moisture you can get. So, wind down with a lukewarm shower and then, if your muscles still need some love, throw a heat pack on your shoulders while binge watching Tiger King for the third time.
Dry Skincare Tip #2: Be Gentle (Very Gentle) When You Cleanse
Seriously — no fancy facewashes with microbeads and washcloths for you. Depending on how dry your skin is, you may want to consider using a no-rinse cleansing option. These options lift dirt, oil and makeup away from your skin without extracting essential oils from within the skin. If you’re partial to the water and washcloth approach, use a very gentle cleanser (without the microbeads!), lukewarm water and a soft hand.
Dry Skincare Tip #3: Exfoliate
Dry-skinned individuals are more prone to rough patches and flaking than their normal to oily skinned counterparts. Those rough patches can make you look years older than you actually are so, once a week, use a gentle exfoliator to scrub away dead skin cells and reveal the healthy, youthful skin beneath.
Dry Skincare Tip #4: Moisturize Damp Skin
Immediately after cleansing or moisturizing, apply a soft-finish moisturizer to lock in all that moisture from the water. Before applying it, let your skin airdry until it’s damp. Do not towel dry, as doing so will reduce the moisturizer’s effectiveness.
Though most people should take care to moisturize day and night, it’s especially important for you to do so. Because your skin is “parched,” so to speak, it will have soaked up most of the moisturizer you put on in the morning by nightfall. Gently rinse your face before bed, and then apply a night cream.
Dry Skincare Tip #5: Take Sun Protection Seriously
This is a must no matter what type of skin you have, but if you’re constantly battling rough patches and irritated skin, you may want to heed Grandma’s advice sooner rather than later. Sun exposure not only causes cellular damage but also, it seeps the moisture right out of your skin. Wear sunscreen, buy a large floppy hat and seek shade whenever possible.
Dry Skincare Tip #6: Masque Up
Masques are relaxing, it’s true, but stress relief isn’t the only benefit you’ll reap from a dermatologist recommended masque. Even the gentlest skincare moisturizers and creams can clog your pores and leave your skin looking tight and dull over time. Use a masque specially formulated for dry skin to lift the impurities from your skin and leave it looking and feeling soft, healthy and refreshed.
Dry Skincare Tip #7: Take Care of Your Lips
If your complexion is dry, so too are your lips. Compliment your newly glowing skin with a pout that is full, healthy and downright luscious with a specially formulated lip moisturizer.
Dry skin can be irritating, but it doesn’t have to be unmanageable. With the above seven tips, you can conquer the dryness and achieve a soft, healthy and glowing complexion year-round.
