Dry Skin: Traits & Treatments

Dry skin can be a pain-between the tight feeling after washing your face and the annoying and sometimes itchy dry flaky patches it can be enough to make anyone feel like they don’t have control over their own skin. But with a few simple steps healthier skin-and a happier you-is possible.

Written by Elizabeth Jacobs, Green Health Research Contributor

Dry Skin Treatments: Skincare

If you have dry skin, it’s important to use cleansers and moisturizers that won’t further dry out your skin or strip it of its natural oils. Avoid cleansers or other facial products that contain alcohol because this will further dry out your skin. You should always wash your face with warm, not hot, water and use a cleanser that is allergy-tested, as these tend to be more soothing for the skin. Pat, don’t rub, your face with a towel after washing, as rubbing can irritate dry patches and cause skin to flake.

After you wash your face and lightly dry your face, apply moisturizer. Applying moisturizer when your skin is still a bit damp and your pores are open from the warm water helps to seal in that moisture and will protect your skin from drying out. Also be sure to use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15, even in the winter, because even mild sun exposure can aggravate dry skin. Once a week use a moisturizing facial mask to give your skin a heavy-duty dose of moisture.

Dry Skin Treatments: Cosmetics

Before applying makeup to dry skin you should always make sure you’ve applied a moisturizer, as this will help the makeup stay on your skin and will help mask the appearance of dry patches. If your skin is especially dry, you might want to try applying a facial primer before makeup, as primers seal dry skin flakes and provide a smooth base for makeup application. Try to look for makeup products that contain Vitamins C & E and aloe, as these naturally moisturize the skin and help protect it from the inside out. Also look for makeup that contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which have naturally occurring SPF to protect your skin from the drying and wrinkle-inducing effects of the sun.

Try to avoid makeup that contains bismuth oxychloride, an ingredient that gives some foundation, blush, and eyeshadows a pearlescent sheen, because this can be very drying to the skin and can cause itching. When removing your makeup at the end of the day, be sure to use a moisturizing makeup remover so you don’t have to wash as harshly to get hard to remove makeup off.