Dry skin can be a difficult skin type to manage because it requires extra care due to its tendency to develop dry patches and inability to retain sufficient moisture. Dry skin without adequate moisturization can feel flaky, tight, and stretchy. In this post, we list out what people with dry skin actually should not do.
1. Using Strong and Harsh Cleansers: Strong cleansers have scary list of ingredients. So many chemicals are present in them. They will make your dry skin feel tight and itchy after cleansing. So always use very mild cleansers which will not strip your skin of natural oils.
2. Too Much Alcohol-Based Products: Alcohol in your skin care products is your worst enemy. It will dry your skin like nothing else. Try to avoid products that contains alpha-hydroxy acids. Always check the list of ingredients in the products. Lesser the alcohol and lesser would be your dry skin woes.
3. Skipping Moisturizer: Dry skin is really sensitive and it requires care and nourishment in summers as well as in winters. Never ever forget to moisturize your whole body. Instead of using chemical laden store brought products, you can also use cocoa butter or shea butter to moisturize your skin.
4. Taking Hot and Long Showers: Hot showers remove natural oils from your skin which obviously dries out your skin even more. We all love those long showers in the winters with hot water but it could be extremely drying for dry skin type. If you absolutely have to use hot showers then at least do not spend too much time under it. Apply a layer of coconut oil or castor oil before entering the shower to relax and soothe your skin.
5. Over-Exfoliating Skin: Over-exfoliating is only going to irritate your skin more. Exfoliate only once or twice a week. Try to use natural ingredients like honey and oatmeal to scrub your skin. Honey instantly gives immense moisturization and oatmeal scrubs away dead skin cells. A damaged skin barrier can also create more opportunities for allergens, irritants, and pathogens to gain entry into your skin, he added.
6. Following a Low-Fat or Fat-Free Diet: How can we not mention the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in maintaining healthy texture and quality of skin. Sometimes applying all the moisturizers in the world still doesn’t help dry skinned beauties. Try to include healthier oils like coconut oil, cod liver oil or Omega-3 eggs in your diet. People who follow a low-fat or fat-free diet often suffer from excessively dry skin. Here’s how you can get healthy fats through your diet. By the way, you can also check the diet programs on Rati Beauty app to lose weight as well as to improve the texture and quality of skin and hair.
7. Using Razors: Oh yes, it is the quickest to get rid of unwanted hair on your body. But it also going to irritate the dry skin a lot. Shaving will strip out all the essential oils from your skin and make it really dry. Try to avoid it and if you can’t then moisturize heavily after using a razor.
8. Skipping Sunscreen: A sunscreen is a must-have for all skin types, including dry skin. A good sunscreen with broad-spectrum coverage protects the skin from external agressors like harsh sun rays, pollutants, and dryness and can alleviate a lot of skincare woes that dry skin experience.
9. Using Skincare and Makeup Products with Fragrance: Strong fragrances are often added by makeup and skincare brands to increase the appeal of their products or to mask the unpleasant smell of active ingredients. It is usually made from synthetic chemicals, and can irritate skin, penetrate into the skin and alter hormones. Even natural fragrances from essential oils can irritate sensitive and dry skin. Particularly, on dry skin, harsh fragrances cause irritation by damaging skin’s barrier. That’s why people with dry skin should choose their products carefully and totally avoid fragrance in all their products.
10. Not Using Facial Oils: A facial oil is like an elixir for dry skin because it helps condition, reduce irritation, clear dry patches, and locks in moisture. Coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, olive oil, almond oil are all great with their oleic acid content because it can penetrate deeply into the skin and replenishing moisture and hydration.
11. Not Including Hyaluronic Acid: This is another great ingredient for dry skin because it absorbs moisture from the outer atmosphere into the skin. Here’s the list of 16 Best Hyaluronic Acid Based Products for all Skin Types.
12. No Hydrating Serum in Skincare: If you have been using an alcohol-based toner in your skincare routine, replace it with a hydrating serum which would help nourish, replenish, and hydrate dry skin deeply.
13. Not Applying Moisturizer on Damp Skin: When you apply the moisturizer on still-damp skin, it is the most effective in locking in moisture and in absorbing it more readily. Make sure you are applying the moisturizer while the skin is still wet to get the maximum moisturization out of the product.
14. Too Much Coffee: All of us love a cup of hot coffee, but too much coffee can dry out the skin because it acts as a diuretic, draining out extra water from the body. Limit coffee intake to just one or two cups a day and see how your skin won’t feel as dry as before.
15. Using an Abrasive Towel to Wipe Face: An abrasive towel can rip the natural oils from the skin, damaging skin’s barrier, making it dry and stretchy. Use muslin cloth or soft washcloth to dab water from the face.
16. Using Soap on Face: This is the biggest mistake dry skin people can make – using beauty soap with low TFM (total fatty matter) and high pH levels can make dry skin much more drier. Always use soap-free cleansers to keep skin soft and smooth.
Tips and Tricks:
• Minimize your use of soaps. Use the ones that are made for sensitive and dry skin.
• Apply the moisturizer when your skin is still moist to lock in the moisture.
• Suppress the urge to scratch the flaky skin. It will only worsen it.
• Do not forget to use gloves in winters. Hands and legs have the driest spots on them.
• Pat dry your skin and never rub it. Loofas should also be used gently.
• Use a good body moisturizer for your hands and legs.
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