Beauty
Say Goodbye to Dry Skin
Photo: iStock
Beauty
Say Goodbye to Dry Skin
You may be feeling the drying effects of cold weather on your skin long after winter’s over. Read on if you’re in need of some rehydration.
Do you have Dry skin?
“Dry skin produces less sebum than normal or oily skin types and does not contain the lipids necessary to retain moisture and maintain a strong skin barrier that helps protect against external aggressions,” explains Shannon Hoover, field executive education manager at Clinique Canada. How can you tell if your skin fits that description? The expert recommends washing your face with a mild cleanser, then observing the appearance of your skin and how it feels after 30 minutes. If you feel tightness or some discomfort and if your skin is rough or scaly, you’re experiencing typical signs of dry skin. “If your skin is rough, it may also appear dull or lacklustre due to the layer of dead cells on its surface, which prevents light from reflecting evenly,” she adds.
The main causes of dry skin—which can affect the face and the rest of the body—can be chalked up to heredity, hormonal changes, harsh soaps, washing too frequently, over-exfoliating or showering in scorching hot water. And the bad news is that dryness tends to worsen in colder months due to freezing temperatures outdoors and dry air caused by indoor heating, which absorbs moisture from our skin!
Is your skin Dry or dehydrated?
It is important to differentiate between dry skin and dehydrated skin in order to find a routine that suits your needs. “Dry and dehydrated skin types have similar symptoms, such as tightness and scaling, but what sets them apart is the root cause of these symptoms,” says Regine Berthelot, lead esthetician and global spa training manager for skin-care brand Caudalie. Dehydration, which can affect any skin type—yes, even people with oily skin—indicates a lack of water in the epidermis (which is often a sign that you’re not drinking enough water). On the other hand, dry skin is caused by a lack of natural oil and inadequate sebum production.
Daily cleansing, yay or nay?
Should you avoid using cleansers daily to protect your skin? Not necessarily. Hard water, too frequent exfoliation or overcleansing can promote or exacerbate skin dryness, but you still need to get rid of the dead cells and impurities that accumulate during the day because they can damage the skin and block the penetration of hydrating products. So rather than avoiding soaping up in the shower, which is where many of us take our much-needed “me” time, Lauren Ireland, cofounder of the brand Summer Fridays, advises avoiding extremely hot water—which tends to irritate the skin and make it even drier—in the bath and to use gentle cleansers for the face and body. Above all, moisturize after getting out of the shower by applying a body butter, lotion or cream while the skin is still a little damp, which helps with absorption.
Try the “moisture sandwich” method
Applying skin- and body-care treatments to damp skin is also the principle behind the “moisture sandwich” trend. Inspired by a K-beauty technique, the method consists of wetting the skin using a mist or water, then applying a light cream or serum directly to the damp skin, which allows it to absorb more easily. Then layer on a richer cream or an oil to seal in the hydration. “Applying products in this order, from lightest to heaviest in consistency, is a good rule of thumb,” says Hoover. “And make sure to use products that are formulated to your skin type for the best results.”
Photo: istock
The importance of ceramides
“Hyaluronic acid is dry skin’s best friend,” says Hoover. It draws water from the environment and binds it to the skin, helping it stay hydrated and plump for longer periods of time. If this active ingredient has already found its way
into your beauty kit, it can now share the spotlight with another effective key ingredient: ceramides, which are fatty acids used in skin-care products to protect and repair dry skin. Ceramides make up about 50 percent of the outer layer of our epidermis and have great potential to help retain hydration.
Found naturally in the skin, these fatty acids ensure long-term hydration while strength-ening the skin barrier against external aggressors, such as pollution. However, dry air, very hot water or even the cold of winter can deplete our natural reserves of cera-mides, causing skin dryness, redness and irritation. Fortunately, you can incorporate treatments rich in ceramides into your routine to help combat this depletion.
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