Skin is our body's largest organ, and it protects us from many risks, including catching an infection. It also plays a vital role in regulating the body temperature. However, certain areas of the skin are prone to becoming dry easily which would affect our skin's ability to keep the moisture in and work as a protective barrier.
Dry and dull skin, be it on your face, heels, your elbows, or your overly washed and sanitised hands these days, is an underrated menace. It can get quite uneasy and unsightly and in extreme cases, painful. Many things can lead to rough skin, such as certain harsh chemicals, sudden changes of weather, or skin irritation due to specific ingredients used in soaps, perfumes, lotions.
No matter what the cause is, following a consistent skincare routine for dry skin, with products that suit your specific skin type, not only helps improve the dryness on the skin, but is also instrumental in regaining the skin’s lost glow.
What keeps skin healthy?
Our skin has its own process of producing an oil that keeps the moisture trapped. A layer of fat particles (lipid) on skin surface is essential to trap the moisture in. It’s crucial to maintain the skin’s health to avoid the dryness and the discomfort it brings.
Anything from exposing the skin to sunlight without taking proper precautions, cooking for hours in the heat of the kitchen, aging, dehydration, or illness can lead our skin to lose its ability to fight the odds and keep itself healthy.
Let’s look at some tips that can help
First and foremost, find the root cause of the dry skin. Next, try the following simple tips that help even healthy skin glow naturally.
Studies have shown that dehydrated skin can speed up the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on skin. Water is responsible for skin smoothness, supple appearance, and skin elasticity. But with dehydrated skin, elasticity and suppleness are decreased, leading to visible fine lines and wrinkles.
- Drink more water – the moisture your skin receives also comes from your body. Drink at least 8 cups of water every day!
- Watch the temperature of water – Hot showers and baths are not good for your skin. Shower for a shorter amount of time and with warm water. You’ll see the difference in your skin.
- Pat dry, don’t rub dry – After a shower gently pat your skin dry instead of rubbing your skin dry. By patting dry your skin will retain more moisture you are going to seal in when you moisturize.
- Use mild soaps and detergents – soaps and shampoos that contain alcohol strip natural oils from your skin. Look for a mild, fragrance-free cleanser that has aloe minerals and vitamins.
- Use a humidifier – If needed, a humidifier can add much needed moisture to the air.
- Give extra attention to your hands – hands show the affects of a dry environment more than any other part of the body. Apply hand cream after each hand washing.
- Wear sunscreen when outdoors – nothing will save your skin more than protecting it from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Wear a low, or high, SPF sunscreen depending on your outdoor activities.
- Apply lip balm regularly – having lip balm ready and applying it frequently helps heal dry, cracked lips. Dermatologists recommend using a lip balm that has an SPF of at least 30. This can help reduce signs of aging and skin cancer on the lips.
- Regularly exfoliate with products containing fine, gentle granules to remove dead skin cells that cause the dry and dull appearance. Sugar works as a great exfoliator and removes dead skin cells without drying the skin. It's equally important to ensure your scrub has the goodness of Shea or Mango butter and some nurturing oils such as Almond or Olive oil.
Shae’s Lavender hand and foot scrub contains Shea butter, Mango Butter, sugar, and Lavender essential oil. It can do miracles in exfoliating dead skin while keeping the moisture locked into the skin.
For a whole-body exfoliation solution, checkout our Coffee Body Polish. Its intoxicating aroma is another bonus for a bit of pampering “me” time.