How To Build The Best Skin Care Routine For Dry Skin

If you’ve landed on this page, chances are that you’re dealing with dry skin all over your body, not just your face – and it can be a downright nightmare! Your skin may look and feel incredibly unpleasant and uncomfortable. If it’s bad enough, it can even itch and flake. The good news is that with a good skincare routine for your dry skin and the right skin care products you can win this battle.

I’ve suffered from a dry skin issue my whole life. As a toddler, I was diagnosed with very dry skin and I’ve had many bouts of eczema over the years. I, therefore, have over 35 years of experience dealing and combating dry skin. Read on for my tips, tricks, and secrets to relieve your dry skin effects now.

While researching, I noticed that a lot of information available focuses on facial skin care. Of course, this is extremely important but for many, a good dry skin care routine is crucial for the entire body. For these reasons, this post will focus solely on developing the best skin care routine for your body.

Affiliate Disclosure: “This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link.”

What Is Dry Skin

Firstly, let’s start off with a definition of dry skin and what causes it. This will help you to understand why you need to develop a good skin care routine and what you should include in your dry skin care routine.

WebMD defines it as:

Dry skin is when you skin dries out because it doesn’t have enough moisture.

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/dry-skin#1

According to Healthline:

Dry skin is an uncomfortable condition marked by scaling, itching, and cracking. It can occur for a variety of reasons. You might have naturally dry skin. But even if your skin tends to be oily, you can develop dry skin from time to time.

Dry skin can affect any part of your body. It commonly affects hands, arms, and legs. In many cases, lifestyle changes and over the counter moisturizers may be all you need to treat it. If those treatments aren’t enough, you should contact your doctor.

https://www.healthline.com/health/dry-skin

Why Is My Skin Dry & Flaky

Now that we have our definition, what causes our skin to become dry?

There are a few causes :

1. Hereditary dry skin condition
2. Dry weather
3. Hot water
4. Lifestyle
5. Chemicals
6. Irritants and allergies
7. Underlying medical condition
8. Age

Based on what your cause is, you will need to experiment to find the best products for you.

What Are The Best Products To Put On Dry Skin

Over the years, I’ve tried ALOT of dry skincare products. Similar to hair care, I’ve realized that there is no single best product for dry skin – what works for you may not work for me.

In the next section, we will talk about building the best dry skin care routine for yourself. But I think it’s important to highlight first that the best products for your dry skin will NOT include dyes, fragrances, or harsh chemicals. These ingredients can irritate your skin and cause your dry condition to worsen.

These are my favorite brands for dry skin:

1. Cetaphil
2. Aveeno
3. Cream E45
4. Jergens
5. Eucerin
6. Aquaphor

How To Build Your Skin Care Routine

The best way to build the perfect skincare routine for your dry skin is to know what is required and then tailor it to your needs and lifestyle.

I think of dry skin care as both internal and external.

Internal Dry Skin Care

Internally, it’s crucial to eat a well balanced diet and get sufficient water. Staying away from processed foods and too many sugars can improve your life in so many ways! The health of your skin is no exception.

According to Health Line, your diet should include these for healthy skin:

1. Fatty Fish that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamin E, like salmon, mackerel and herring
2. Avocados, which are high in healthy fats, vitamin E and vitamin C
3. Sweet Potatoes are a good source of beta carotene, which acts as natural sunblock
4. Red or Yellow Bell Peppers are also good sources of beta carotene and vitamin C
5. Broccoli is rich in many vitamins including, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C
6. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and major carotenoids, which may protect from sun damage and wrinkling

External Dry Skin Care

Externally, dry skincare routines would include:

1. Exfoliation
2. Cleansing
3. Moisturizing

Exfoliating Your Dry Skin

Exfoliation is basically a method used to remove the dry, dead skin cells before or during cleansing. This is important because dirt and bacteria can get caught in hair follicles, causing further irritation and bumps on your skin.

When we remove dead skin cells, we reduce the chances of having clogged pores or further problems that may arise. You can exfoliate using either a dry or a wet method.

Dry Brushing

The dry method of exfoliation is dry brushing. It’s a pretty simple, yet effective. One to two times a week, before showering, use a bath brush with natural bristles to gently rub over your body. Dry brushing also has the added benefit of improving your overall circulation. This method works well in humid climates and on less sensitive skin. A quick YouTube or Google search can provide you with instructions and tutorials for you to get started with dry brushing.

If you have sensitive skin or live in a dry climate, then wet exfoliation may be much better for you.

Wet Exfoliation

Wet exfoliation simply means that water is added to the process. Water or a mild exfoliant is used with a skin brush, body glove or simply a washrag. Exfoliating while your skin is wet has the added benefit of lubrication which can be helpful in drier climates and for those with sensitive skin.

You can also exfoliate with the use of a body scrub one to three times a week. This can be a simple DIY sugar scrub or a store bought body scrub.

Cleansing Your Dry Skin

It’s widely known that you should use mild cleansers on your face but ensuring that you choose mild cleansers for your body is equally important. A gentle cleanser is one that doesn’t foam up too much and is fragrance-free. A body wash may be your best option here as they tend to be more moisturizing.

After showering, avoid rigorously drying your skin. Instead, always gently pat your skin to remove excess water.

Moisturizing Your Dry Skin

One of the best times to apply moisturizer is when your skin is still slightly damp because the product is absorbed easily.

The best moisturizers will contain:

• water
• occlusives which block the evaporation of water by sealing in moisture, like petroleum jelly
• humectants which pull water from the air and from within the deeper layers of your skin, like glycerin
• emollients which make the skin feel smooth

If you would like to read more about these ingredients, Harvard Health Publishing has a great article.

If you have dry skin you should be moisturizing throughout the day as needed, but especially after cleaning, washing dishes, or washing your hands.

Good Habits For Dry Skin Care

Forming good habits is the best way to avoid dry skin ruining your quality of life. These are some lifestyle good habits to include:

• Avoid hot showers
• Avoid long showers
• Moisturize while skin is still damp
• Use moisturizing cleansers
• Use fragrance-free products
• Avoid itching
• Moisturize throughout the day
• Exfoliate
• Use a humidifier
• Maintain a balanced diet
• Exercise
• Drink adequate water

Final Tips For Your Dry Skin Routine

To recap, the best skin care routine for dry skin requires:

1. Exfoliation
2. Gentle Cleansing
3. Moisturizing with fragrance-free products

PRO Tips

• Apply moisturizer to damp skin when you can
• Moisturize frequently throughout the day. To make this easier:
  • keep a bottle of cream by every sink in your house that you use
  • always have cream in your handbag
  • keep cream in your car

I would really love to hear about your dry skin care routine. Let’s chat in the comments below!

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