Taking warm (not hot) baths or showers. Managing stress, which can aggravate eczema and other skin conditions that cause dry skin. Minimizing sun exposure, which evaporates oils and moisture from your skin. Moisturizing as soon as you finish bathing, while your skin is damp.
When skin loses water too quickly, it becomes dry. This can happen for many reasons. Everyday things, such as using deodorant soaps and harsh cleaning products, can strip oils and fats from our skin. Taking long, hot showers can also dry your skin.
One primary reason for dry skin despite sufficient water intake is environmental factors. External elements such as cold, dry air, harsh winds, and low humidity levels can strip the skin of its natural moisture, leading to dryness and irritation.
You need to exfoliate
If you never exfoliate, a pile-up of dead skin cells may be preventing your moisturizer from penetrating. The solution to your dry skin could be as simple as regularly sloughing off those dead cells with a mild chemical exfoliant.
Coconut Water
The drink is full of vitamin C, calcium, and potassium that moisturize your skin and help shield it from sun damage. It's also rich in B vitamins and magnesium, which will make your skin look younger, keep your blood sugar levels stable, and help you build lean muscle tissue.
If nonfacial skin is very dry, you might want to use a thicker moisturizer (Eucerin, Cetaphil, others) or an oil, such as baby oil. Oil has more staying power than do lotions and prevents the evaporation of water from the skin's surface. Another possibility is a petrolatum-based product (Vaseline, Aquaphor, others).
Pure petroleum jelly is very gentle on skin, making it perfect to soothe dry skin on all areas of the body and keep it hydrated at the same time. Choosing a good moisturizing lotion containing micro droplets of Vaseline® Jelly will help heal dry skin deep down for fast relief from itchy dryness.
Use an ointment or cream rather than a lotion.
Ointments and creams are more effective and less irritating than lotions. Look for a cream or ointment that contains one or more of the following ingredients: Jojoba oil. Dimethicone.
“The best practice is to avoid over-scrubbing because you want to maintain a healthy and intact skin barrier,” Dr. Khalifian notes. Going too hard can leave your skin red and irritated. Use it after cleansing, and always follow with moisturizer to lock in hydration.
Environmental factors, such as cold weather or dry air, can cause dry skin. It may also be due to health conditions, including eczema, dehydration, and diabetes. People can resolve most cases of dry skin by taking simple steps, such as using moisturizer.
Choosing the right moisturizers for your dry skin. Using the right moisturizer can keep your skin healthy by hydrating that all-important layer of armor. Moisturizers for dry skin from brands like CeraVe®, Aveeno®, Avène®, La Roche-Posay®, Eucerin® and Cetaphil® are among those that Dr. Estemalik recommends most.
Argan oil is renowned for its moisturizing and anti-aging properties. It helps restore the skin's natural barrier, making it effective in combating dryness, flakiness, and reducing the appearance of fine lines. To use: Warm a few drops of argan oil between your palms and gently press it onto your face and neck.
With ¼ moisturizing cream, Dove Beauty Bar helps your skin maintain its natural moisture barrier and keep skin hydrated.
In general, the thicker and greasier a moisturizer, the more effective it will be. Some of the most effective (and least expensive) are petroleum jelly and moisturizing oils (such as mineral oil). Because they contain no water, they're best used while the skin is still damp from bathing, to seal in the moisture.
SkinCeuticals' Triple Lipid Restore is our top pick because it absorbs well and promises deep hydration while providing skin a youthful glow. Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream is a close second because it can moisturize and plump skin intensely. Aging is a beautiful thing, but change isn't always easy.
Dry skin is due to water loss from the outer layer of skin. It might be caused by: Heat. Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity.
Having a specific vitamin deficiency can cause dry skin. For example, if you are deficient in zinc, iron, niacin, vitamin D, or vitamin A, your skin may get dry.