Dry skin can be a chore to deal with. It has a less lush and attractive appearance. It makes wrinkles look deeper and more pronounced. It may flake off and shed onto your clothing, which is really not nice when you’re wearing black. Even worse, dry skin can be itchy, uncomfortable, and even painful.
In this article, The Art of Beauty has assembled practical advice and the right cosmetic products for dry skin for you. Let’s get into it!
Why Do I Have Dry Skin and What Can I Do About It?
This is a question we hear all of the time. Many of our new customers find The Art of Beauty when seeking appropriate products for their dry skin. They often have questions about what’s causing their dry skin as well. The truth is much of the dryness, oiliness, or moisture of our skin comes from mom and dad (genetics).
That said, there are certainly things you may be doing that make dry skin worse. There are also things you may not be doing which can improve your dry skin problem.
Other than genetics, some things that may contribute to dry skin are:
- Heat: Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces all reduce humidity and can dry out the skin.
- Environment: Living in cold, windy conditions or low-humidity climates can also lead to dry skin.
- Drinking and smoking: Both of these habits can wreak havoc on your skin. Keep them to a bare minimum or avoid them entirely.
- Bathing Habits: Taking long, hot showers or baths with the wrong products or scrubbing your skin too much can dry your skin.
- Harsh Soaps and Detergents: Many popular soaps, detergents, and shampoos strip moisture from your skin because they are formulated to remove oil.
- Other Skin Conditions: People with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or psoriasis are more likely to have dry skin.
- Aging: As you age, your skin naturally becomes drier and it requires attention to counteract this effect.
- Tanning beds and too much sun: Be careful. Use a bronzing agent instead.
- Medications: Certain medications can cause dry skin.
- Health Conditions: Conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, or kidney disease can cause dry skin.
- Medical Treatments: Certain medical treatments can cause dry skin, such as diuretics, statins, antihistamines, retinol, and topical steroids, to name a few. REMEMBER: Never stop using a prescribed medication without consulting your doctor first though.
Managing and Treating Your Dry Skin Successfully
The good news here is that there are lots of things you can do to treat your dry skin and greatly improve it’s condition. The key to nurturing your dry skin is establishing an appropriate skincare routine with the right practices and dry skin products and sticking to it. Consistency is everything here.
Also be mindful of habits that may make your dry skin worse, like the soaps, shampoos, or cosmetics you use. Don’t underestimate the role that diet and physical health can have on your skin either. It’s difficult to attain and maintain glowing, healthy skin if you’re drinking and smoking regularly, using tanning beds, or spending too much time in the sun. Carefully assess your lifestyle and diet.
Do this for dry skin:
- Eliminate habits that may contribute to skin dryness. Always consult your doctor before discontinuing any prescribed medications.
- Create an appropriate skin care regimen for yourself that also includes drinking plenty of water and eating healthful, nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Discard any soaps or cosmetics that may be drying your skin. Create a new inventory of appropriate dry skin care products and cosmetics.
If you follow these three steps to the letter — you will almost certainly see noticeable results.
The Best Skin Care Products for Dry Skin
First Aid for Dry Skin
Before we address maintenance, your dry skin is likely in need of deeper repair and restoration. Here are some of our favorite intensive care products for dry skin that help aid healing, moisturization, and restoration.
Best Lotions for Dry Skin
Having a high-quality moisturizing lotion to nourish and protect dry skin is an absolute must for anyone dealing with a dry skin issue. Here are our top recommendations:
Cleansers for Dry Skin
Choosing the right, gentle cleansers for your dry skin is one of the most important decisions you will make in your skincare routine. Harsh cleansers and soaps are a leading cause of dry skin for many. Here are our recommended cleansers for dry skin:
Nourish and Heal with The Art of Beauty
Our passion at The Art of Beauty is helping you look and feel your best from head to toe. Part of that mission is pairing people with the right products for their specific and unique skincare needs. We hope you found our primer on dry skin care helpful. Be sure to follow this blog for more advice and product information in the future.
The Art of Beauty is here to help you look and feel fantastic. Treat yourself to some self-care today.
