Dry skin does show improvement and feels vastly better when a well-formulated moisturizer and gentle cleansing products are used, and dry air is kept off the skin. Here are some practical recommendations for helping your skin never have a dry day again:
• If you can add a humidifier in your home, bedroom, or workplace, do so. You can also fill your bathtub with water and let it sit. This will fill the air with much needed moisture in the winter. It is surprising how beneficial this can be for skin.
• Use gentle cleansers from head to toe. Harsh or drying soaps or cleansers of any kind will either create dry skin or make matters worse.
• Avoid immersing your skin in water for long periods of time. This includes taking long showers.
• At night, apply an effective AHA or BHA product. This is great for dry feet, legs, and arms, as well as the face! You may have to experiment to find out how frequently to apply these types of products, but it is essential to exfoliate the outer layer to get rid of the unhealthy buildup of dry, sun-damaged skin.
• In the morning it is essential to apply an emollient moisturizer with an SPF 15 or greater that has the UVA-protecting ingredients avobenzone (butyl methoxydiben – zylmethane), Tinosorb, Mexoryl SX (ecamsule), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.
• At night an emollient moisturizer that’s made with plant oils, skin-identical ingredients, antioxidants, and cell-communicating ingredients can help a great deal.
• For very dry skin, apply a layer of olive oil or other plant oils, such as safflower, almond, or canola, over your nighttime moisturizer as an extra treatment.