Despite working in beauty, I’ve been known to neglect my skin. I don’t exfoliate as much as I should and I certainly don’t moisturise every day (terrible, I know!). Not surprisingly, I have particularly dry skin as a result of this neglect. The skin on my legs often becomes flaky and when I apply fake tan (a regular ritual of mine), the product sticks to drier patches of skin on my upper body – not cool! My most hated symptom of dry skin is that it’s often extremely hard to nail a #flawless face when your make-up clumps and flakes *sigh*. Thankfully I was able to chat to NIVEA skincare expert, Robyn Hutch, to find out how to save my dry skin and the best products to use.
RELATED: Why you need to exfoliate
RELATED: Mid-season body maintenance
Causes
The moisture in your skin is protected by skin lipids. The level of lipids we have is directly connected to our skin’s natural production of oil. Now, we all have this layer naturally and it helps to keep our skin moisturised. However, Robyn explains when this layer is removed, the skin can lose its moisture and become dry. The lipid layer can be damaged or removed due to “personal movements and habits such as excessive hot showers or baths and excessive use of soap”.
Another factor affecting your skin’s lipid layer is drastic changes in temperature. In winter, our skin can become uncomfortable, dry and tight. Robyn tells me this is because of the extreme and frequent changes in our surrounding temperatures. We often have a heater on in our workplace and homes so we frequently transition from cold, dry air outside to artificial dry heat inside. As we come into winter, Robyn recommends using a humidifier to add some moisture to your environment.
Side effects
The main symptom of dry skin is the surface of the skin looks flaky, tight and cracked. This is easily remedied, however if dry skin goes untreated Robyn says it can lead to:
- Eczema
- Secondary bacterial infections
- Cellulitis
- Skin discolouration
Ingredients to avoid
It should go without saying that dehydrating ingredients are a big no-no – harsh soaps and cleansers should definitely not be used on dry skin. Some ingredients to keep off your skin include:
- Alcohol
- Ethanol
- Salicylic acid
Recommended ingredients
Robyn tells me the best way to treat dry skin is to use emollients and moisturisers regularly. She recommends products containing lanolin, panthenol and glycerin, as these will “intensively moisturise and soothe the skin”.
So, when you’re next shopping for products to treat your dry skin, start with some of these and remember, frequency and regularity are key!
Here’s a bunch of products that will be kind to your dry skin.
Face
Face
Face
Face
Face
Body
Body
St. Ives Naturally Soothing Body Lotion featuring Oatmeal and Shea Butter
Body
Body
Body
Body
Baby/Kids
Baby/Kids
Baby/Kids
Baby/Kids
Baby/Kids
Hair
Hair
Hair
Hair
Hair
Make-up
Make-up
Make-up
Make-up
Make-up
Estée Lauder Double Wear Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup SPF 12
Great article, I also tend to neglect my body when moisturising. I’ll moisturise my face but hard to maintain consistency all over my body.
I'm pretty good at keeping my bits moisturised. At the moment I'm using Vaseline Intensive Care and even though I have tried heaps of products for dry lips Vaseline petroleum jelly works best.
Rosehip oil at nighttime
I recently finished Vaseline intensive care lotion for body areas experiencing dry skin.