Are you struggling with dry, scaly skin that often feels tight, flaky, and itchy? Do you find that no matter how much moisturizer you apply to your face, relief seems elusive? While dry skin is a widespread issue, it certainly doesn’t make the discomfort any less frustrating. Fortunately, there are numerous effective strategies to tackle this problem. We have crafted a comprehensive skin care routine specifically designed for dry skin. This routine will help eliminate those troublesome flaky patches and restore moisture, allowing you to regain your luminous complexion and confidence.
5 Dry Skin Symptoms | How To Get Rid Of Dry Skin | 5-Step Routine
Recognize These 5 Common Symptoms of Dry Skin
Review the following symptoms to determine if you are experiencing the effects of dry skin:
- Your face and body feel excessively tight after activities such as showering, swimming, or cleansing.
- Your skin often has a rough and uneven texture.
- Flaking skin is noticeable around your lips or on your facial areas.
- Fine lines or deeper cracks are starting to form.
- You frequently deal with dryness that is painful, itchy, or scaly.
Still uncertain about your skin type? Check out this informative In The Mix video where Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar shares three straightforward steps to help identify your skin type.
Effective Strategies to Alleviate Dry Skin
Dry skin can be worsened by various external factors, including seasonal changes, environmental stressors, and hormonal fluctuations. To fully understand your skin condition, refer to our in-depth guide on dry skin. This guide will help you discern if dry skin is indeed your issue or if other factors, such as dehydration or reactions to certain foods or beauty products, might be at play. If dryness is confirmed as the primary concern, here are several simple yet effective methods to help keep your skin soft and hydrated:
1. Prioritize Moisturizing Your Skin
Moisturizers are your first line of defense against dry skin. Look for oil-based ointments, creams, and lotions that are rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) to replenish the skin’s natural oils and lipids. These products not only hydrate the skin’s surface but also strengthen the moisture barrier, ensuring that essential hydration is locked in. “When selecting a moisturizer for dry skin, opt for a thicker formula and seek out ingredients like hyaluronic acid,” advises Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a leading dermatologist. “In addition, look for components like shea butter and lactic acid for their moisturizing and exfoliating properties.”
Pro Tip: For optimum results, apply your moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp, either right after cleansing or following a refreshing spritz of a hydrating mist to maximize moisture retention.
2. Bathe and Shower with Lukewarm Water
Extreme water temperatures can worsen dry skin by stripping away essential oils. According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, a prominent dermatologist, “The ideal temperature for your shower water should feel like that of a heated pool, around 84 degrees Fahrenheit.” If you enjoy hot showers, limit their duration to no more than 10 minutes to minimize potential skin damage.
3. Choose Gentle Skin Care Ingredients
Just as extreme temperatures can be detrimental, so can harsh cosmetic ingredients. To safeguard your skin’s moisture barrier, avoid products containing harsh chemicals such as parabens, petrolatum, mineral oils, propylene glycol, or sodium lauryl sulfate. All Eminence Organics products are formulated free of these detrimental components, making the switch to our brand a potentially transformative choice for your skincare routine.
4. Shield Your Skin Against Winter Dryness
Winter air is notorious for exacerbating skin dryness. With lower moisture levels in the environment during colder months, moisture from your skin can evaporate rapidly. Moreover, many people increase their indoor heating, further reducing humidity levels. To combat this, Harvard Health recommends using a humidifier set to around 60% humidity, which can help restore moisture levels in your skin.
5. Make Dietary Adjustments for Healthier Skin
Address your skin concerns from the inside out by incorporating healthy fats into your diet. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for maintaining skin health as they combat inflammation and support the skin’s moisture barrier. Foods rich in these beneficial fats include salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, avocados, and sunflower seeds.
Now that you’re equipped with strategies to treat and prevent dry skin, consider integrating a range of gentle products into your routine that specifically address dryness on your face. Tailoring your skincare regimen to include moisture-rich products is one of the most effective ways to replenish and repair your skin. Below, we recommend a streamlined routine designed to heal and soothe dry skin, helping you feel more balanced and refreshed.
Follow This 5-Step Routine to Combat Dry Skin on Your Face
If dry, flaky skin is dampening your vibe, smooth things over day and night with these Eminence Organics solutions tailored for your needs.
1. Start with a Gentle Cleanser
Using harsh soaps or heavily fragranced products can aggravate dry skin further. Additionally, if you’re using a foaming cleanser, it might strip your skin of its natural oils. Instead, consider using a rich balm or oil, or, if you’re looking for a foaming option, choose a gentle formula like the Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser. As the initial cleansing step, purify your dry skin with a soothing, oil-based cleanser. We recommend the Stone Crop Cleansing Oil, which replenishes moisture with nourishing ingredients like sunflower oil and jojoba oil. This step is particularly effective for removing makeup.
Alongside adding moisture, consider exfoliating to eliminate surface debris. The Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating Cleanser is enriched with exotic monoi and features Eminence Organics’ unique Natural Retinol Alternative to promote a smoother and more youthful glow.
2. Exfoliate Weekly to Address Flakiness
The Product Support Team at Eminence recommends weekly exfoliation for dry skin to effectively manage flakiness. For this skin type, a gentle exfoliant such as the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant is ideal. This product combines lactic acid with rice and chickpea flours to gently remove dead skin cells and smooth rough areas. Salicylic acid is also included, providing gentle exfoliation and impurity removal to brighten your complexion and minimize the appearance of pores. If you’re seeing positive results without irritation, you can increase exfoliation to twice a week.
3. Use a Hydrating Toner
A toner is essential for balancing your skin’s moisture and pH levels after cleansing while also removing any impurities that may remain. Consider toner as the “conditioner” for your cleanser. A product like our Stone Crop Hydrating Mist features conditioning ingredients such as stone crop, lavender, and jasmine to restore moisture and nourish dry skin. After cleansing, apply one to two sprays to your face and neck or use a cotton pad for application, avoiding the eye area and allowing it to remain on the skin.
4. Apply Targeted Treatments
When selecting an oil, concentrate, or serum for dry skin, it’s best to choose a product rich in fatty acids. We recommend the Facial Recovery Oil, which includes a blend of nourishing oils beneficial for dry skin. This luxurious face oil is formulated with a variety of precious herbs and oils, including clary sage oil and sage leaf extract, to soothe and revitalize the skin. It’s a top-selling product for a reason; customers affectionately call it “liquid gold.” Even celebrity fans like Cameron Diaz rave about it, stating: “A drop of Facial Recovery Oil goes a long way to relieve any dryness from the sun and water. A drop on each cheek after your shower works wonders.”
5. Lock in Moisture with a Rich Cream
After showering or washing your face, make it a routine to apply a generous layer of moisturizer, ensuring you take the time to massage it into your skin thoroughly. Choose a cream that is rich in oils to replenish moisture and repair your skin’s lipid barrier. Our Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer is infused with deeply hydrating coconut oil and shea butter. Shea butter is particularly effective due to its high levels of triglycerides and fatty acids, which restore and retain moisture effectively.
If you’re aiming to target your neck and face overnight, consider using the Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream for Face and Neck. This cream is designed to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, ensuring you wake up with a refreshed and rejuvenated complexion.
Don’t overlook the rest of your body. Dry skin can be a year-round issue, whether due to salt water, dry air, dietary choices, or environmental stressors. Your arms and legs deserve care too! Establishing a nighttime skincare routine is an especially effective means of revitalizing and hydrating your skin, particularly if you have mature skin. After your shower, we recommend applying the Monoi Age Corrective Night Body Cream, which contains an exclusive Argan Stem Cell Complex to promote softer, smoother-looking skin.
Are you ready to revamp your dry skin care routine? Discover these products and more at an Eminence Organics Spa Partner near you.
This article was originally published in November 2020.