Previously flawless skin can become unattractive and annoying as it dries out and flakes. Some people struggle with dry skin every winter, while others struggle with it more often due to ageing or genetic factors.
Fortunately, there are always ways to keep skin smooth and adequately hydrated. The following five remedies for dry, flaky skin are both nearby and effective.
1. Use a Moisturizer
There are a few different ways that skin can dry out, but all of them should respond well to moisturizer. For example, a detailed post on the Renee Rouleau blog discusses a skin condition known as “keratosis pillaris” that associates dryness with the development of red, unsightly bumps.
Even a relatively advanced related problem like this can partially correct with regular use of a moisturizer. People who agonize from dry skin due to less pronounced concerns such as low humidity tend to benefit even more from using a high-quality moisturizer as needed.
Such products work not so much by actually adding moisture to the skin as they are by applying a waterproof protective layer that prevents the skin’s health-promoting oils from escaping. Hence, adequately formulated moisturizers generally consider being reasonably safe and unlikely to cause any problems.
2. Use Milder Soaps
Each type of soap is designed to help separate typically sticky oils and greases from surfaces to be clean. Using too harsh a soap on your hands or in the shower will rob your skin of the moisturizing oils it works so hard to produce.
Switch to a milder type of soap, and your skin should become less dry over time. There are even soaps designed to work as moisturizers while still having a lot of cleansing power.
3. Use a Humidifier
Too dry air causes the skin to dry out by promoting the evaporation of moisture from the surface. Humidify your home, office, or another place where you spend a lot of time, and dry air will become less of a problem.
A humidifier can also help make the room air more comfortable and make it easier to breathe. However, some people with allergies or asthma find that humidifiers exacerbate them, so keep that in mind.
Also Read: Face Serum for your skin to Glow and Lighten
4. Do not Wash with Hot Water
Hot water dries out the skin by heating it to the point where the rate of evaporation increases. Take warm showers rather than steaming hot ones and you might find that your dry skin problems subside.
Hot water makes it easier to clean, so you may have to focus a little more on the task after switching. Wash your hands a little longer to ensure that the warm water you are using is still removing bacteria and other pathogens.
5. Try Wearing a Different Fabric
Some human-made substances are notorious for causing dry skin in certain people. Switch to natural products like cotton, and you can find that your skin is breathing more freely, getting over the dryness in the process.
Certain people, on the other hand, find that even natural fabrics like wool can cause dry skin irritation. It often takes a little experimentation to determine your own needs and responses, but switching up the fabrics you wear can easily pay off.
All of these tactics have been used successfully by millions to help overcome dry skin. Dry skin can be frustrating, but almost always, the problem can either be eliminated or minimized.