Dry Skin Drama?

Dry Skin Drama

Tips to Soothe Dry Skin

Very dry skin is itchy and flaky, and may even become red and painful. Don't put up with dry, itchy skin. Soothe it with the right dry skin care.

Flaky, scaly, itchy — these are the classic signs of dry skin. And who wants to look like a lizard, much less touch dry skin? Slapping on lotion when dry skin gets flaky isn't enough to kick the skin health problem to the curb — you need to take some serious steps to soothe dry skin.



Dry Skin-Soothers

Try these beauty tips to add moisture and bring dry skin back to life:

1. Cool down your showers. Very hot water will only dry your skin out more. So when you enjoy a bath or shower, keep the water lukewarm instead of hot. Ditto for when you wash your face.
2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. It seems like a no-brainer — if you've got dry skin, you need to moisturize. But how and when you apply moisturizer makes a big difference. If you’ve got dry skin, apply a moisturizer to your face and the skin all over your body at least twice a day for extremely dry skin. The best time to put it on is when you get out of the shower. You should always pat, not rub, your skin dry so that a little moisture is left on the skin. Apply treatment creams like ALA, DMAE, or Ester C, then moisturizer quickly to lock in the moisture from the shower. Adding a soothing oil like Olive Oil, or Lavender Oil to your bath will help moisturize your skin.
3. Exfoliate your skin. Avoiding exfoliation because you think it's drying your skin? It's not. Regular exfoliation is actually good for dry skin. If the skin is thickened, always exfoliate to help moisture sink in better. That thick, callused, dead skin that's covering healthy skin beneath is soaking up all the moisture. So slough it off with an exfoliant like Buffing Cleanser, then moisturize.
4. Be gentle to your skin. If you've got dry skin, it's time to skip those harsh, drying bar soaps and upgrade to something a little more soothing for your skin, like Creamy Cleanser. Some bar soaps are now made with moisturizers, but they are still the wrong ph. Body washes that contain a lot of moisturizers — and always look for for sensitive skin. If you're using an anti-aging cream to combat wrinkles, you may want to use Idebenone. It is moisturizing and anti-aging.
5. Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen like Day 25 will not only help protect your skin from drying burns and sun damage, but also offer moisturizing qualities. Men and women must apply sunscreen every day to all areas that see the sun — face, neck, ears. You can even get a moisturizer with built-in sunscreen to get the benefits of two products in one.
6. Cover skin in the cold. Extreme outdoor weather can suck the moisture right out of your skin, whether it's the bitter cold of winter or the dry heat of summer. Use physical barriers in the cold, like masks and gloves, to protect the skin from wind burn..
7. Use a humidifier. When the climate outside is dry, you can escape inside your home, but what if the air in your home is drying, too? Use a humidifier in the room to put moisture back in the air. This is especially helpful in winter if your home has drying central heat.
8. Cut back on bathing. One good way to preserve moisture in your skin is to cut back a bit on bathing. Don't bathe every day if you can get away with it. Don't let yourself go grimy. Instead use a washcloth and gentle soap, like Foaming Cleanser to wash your face and neck, under your arms, and any other areas where skin touches skin. It’s also a good idea to limit the amount of time you spend in the shower or bath — 10 to 15 minutes max.