Dry skin is an irritating reality that just about everyone faces. Whether it’s on your face or your feet (or anywhere in between!), dry skin can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Luckily, modern cosmetology has developed a small army of moisturizing products and lifestyle adaptations that can keep your skin glowing all year round.
drink (and eat) plenty of water
Are you bored of this tip yet? I’m not. Hydration really does start from the inside, and a good place to look for addressing dry skin is your diet. Drinking your body weight in ounces of water per day is a handy rule of thumb, and if you don’t like water, eat plenty of water-rich foods. Cucumber, peaches, zucchini, and mangos are all great foods that will up your water intake.
While you’re at it, I suggest picking up a cute water bottle to carry around with you. If you can find one with a straw, that’s even better!
know the difference between humectant and emollient moisturizers
Modern moisturizers work by combining two types of ingredients: emollients and humectants. The best moisturizers include both emollient and humectant ingredients.
- Emollients soften and smooth your skin, reducing redness and flakiness. They put a barrier between your skin and the air around it, and they include products like silicones, vegetable oils, and petroleum.
- Humectants bond to the water molecules on your skin to actively increase the hydration in your skin itself. As opposed to stopping your skin from losing moisture, humectants attract and bind hydration to you. Substances like glycerin, proteins, and collagen are all humectants.
check your lifestyle
Unfortunately, your choices do actually have consequences. That means that activities like smoking, drinking, and tanning can damage your skin if you do them to excess. So the next time you take a girl’s trip to Vegas, take it easy the week after and give your skin lots of love. You should live your life and pursue the things that are fun for you, but make sure that you’re doing it in moderation!
treat yourself with a hydrating mask
Nothing is more luxurious than laying back with a sheet mask on. It’s a tiny act of self-care that can really add up to more hydrated skin if you do it regularly. A weekly routine of masking can increase hydration and suppleness, and although the effects are only temporary, they feel luxurious even if you don’t spend a lot of money.
If masking feels like too much of a hassle, pick up some cute undereye masks! They’re small and very easy to use- no mess and no fuss.
moisturize- even if you’re oily!
If you’re an oily, acne-prone person, you should still be applying a moisturizer to your skin. If you don’t, your skin will dry out even further as your body produces more oil to cover the dehydration. Pick up a moisturizer that is non-comedogenic and won’t clog your pores, and avoid any products that use mineral oil, cocoa butter, lanolin, and petroleum. Cerave and Cetaphil have non-irritating moisturizers for oily skin that suit just about everyone.
Have fun, and stay hydrated!