How to Keep Your Skin Hydrated & Soft?
Dealing with dry skin on a daily basis may feel overwhelming. Rough texture and flaky skin accompanied by itchiness can interfere with your lifestyle and cause frustration. Fortunately, there are solutions to this skin concern as well. Make some tweaks in your skincare routine and start following our tried and tested tips for dry skin to get supremely hydrated skin that glows from the inside.
But before delving deep into the solutions for dry skin, let’s identify the causes to avoid dry skin for once and all.
Skincare Tips for Dry Skin
1. Don’t Over-exfoliate - Exfoliate once or twice a week using mild products
2. Avoid Long Hot Showers - Take shorter baths for 5 – 10 minutes
3. Use Gentle Cleansers - Use a soothing face wash that cleanses without drying out your skin
4. Pick Fragrance-free Products - Pick fragrance-free and unscented skincare products to avoid allergic reactions
5. Moisturize Immediately After Cleansing - Moisturize your skin when it is still damp
6. Apply Night Cream – Deep nourish your skin with a vitamin C night cream
7. Use a Hydrating Sheet Mask - Hydrate and plump skin with a sheet mask
8. Choose the Right Makeup Remover – Select an oil-infused micellar water to remove makeup
9. Stay Hydrated - Drink 8 - 9 glasses of water
10. Eat a Healthy Diet – Consume vitamin-rich and hydrating foods like sweet potato, watermelon, etc
Causes of Dry Skin
Dry skin occurs due to insufficient moisture content in the skin. Your skin loses moisture in the following ways:
Environmental Factors
- Living in low-humidity areas or cold places is one of the primary causes of dry skin. These climates strip the natural moisture from your skin causing dry skin, itchiness, etc.
- Strong and harsh winds exacerbate dry skin conditions causing faster moisture loss.
Lifestyle Factors
- Frequent scrubbing of your skin can remove the skin’s natural moisture and cause dryness and itching.
- Not drinking enough water is another cause of dry skin.
Top Skincare Tips for Dry Skin
Bid adieu to dry skin and nurture healthy hydrated skin with the following skincare tips for dry skin:
1. Don’t Over-exfoliate
The first rule or tip for dry skin is to avoid over-exfoliating your skin as it can damage the skin barrier of an already dry skin and exacerbate the problem. Avoid dry skin by exfoliating once or twice a week using mild products.
2. Avoid Long Hot Showers
Long hot showers during cold winter days may feel relaxing. But it can damage the skin’s outer layer, and remove the skin’s natural oil, resulting in excessive dryness. So, stop wondering how to prevent dry skin and start using lukewarm water. For best results, take shorter baths for 5 – 10 minutes.
3. Use Gentle Cleansers
Say no to harsh cleansers as they can remove oils from the skin that are necessary to keep the skin barrier highly functional. Instead, use a soothing and gentle face wash that banishes dirt, dust, and impurities from the skin without stripping away its moisture. Follow with a hydrating toner for added hydration.
4. Pick Fragrance-free Products
Here’s another great tip for dry skin – use fragrance-free skincare products to avoid allergic reactions, dryness, irritation, etc. Don’t choose ‘unscented’ products as these can contain chemicals that neutralize the odors of other ingredients and still can cause dryness and sensitivity.
5. Moisturize Immediately After Cleansing
How to prevent dry skin, you ask? Apply daily moisturizing cream after bathing when your skin is still damp. This helps lock in moisture in your skin and maintain a healthy appearance.
Pro Tip
You can try increasing the moisture level in the air by installing a humidifier in your room to keep your skin barrier hydrated.
6. Apply Night Cream
Looking for skincare tips for dry skin? Apply a night cream and repair your dry skin. You might be tempted to jump into bed after a long tiring day but it will be a grave mistake to skip night cream, especially for dry skin. For best results, use a vitamin C night cream to deeply nourish your skin while you catch up on your beauty sleep.
7. Use a Hydrating Sheet Mask
The list of dry skincare tips is incomplete without mentioning the importance of using a hydrating sheet mask once a week. Try pomegranate sheet mask to get instantly hydrated and plump skin.
8. Choose the Right Makeup Remover
Some makeup removers come with astringents and alcohol, which can make the skin drier if you use them regularly or for a longer time. So, our expert tip for dry skin would be to use an oil-infused micellar water that will cleanse and moisturize your skin in one go.
9. Stay Hydrated
Drink 8 - 9 glasses of water, get enough sleep, limit coffee and alcohol, and avoid smoking to improve the look of your skin.
10. Eat a Healthy Diet
Wondering how to prevent dry skin? Include vitamin-rich foods like sweet potato, avocado, cod liver oil, and water-rich foods like watermelon in your diet to boost your skin’s health and hydration.
Common Mistakes That Worsen Dry Skin
1. Using Harsh Products
Harsh skincare formulas including alcohol, sulfates, and artificial fragrances can dry out your skin and damage the skin’s natural protective barrier. Instead, use products like face cleansers made with gentle formulas.
2. Skipping moisturization
Moisturization is non-negotiable for people with dry skin types. Select rich emollient moisturizers developed with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, etc.
3. Avoiding Sunscreen
Excessive sun exposure can make your skin feel tight and dry and give it an aged look. Protect your dry skin from sun damage with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 50.
So, gear up to flaunt healthy, hydrated and glowing skin effortlessly with these skincare tips for dry skin by your side. For further assistance on skin care, browse through the Garnier skincare products and the skincare tips to take care of your skin in the right way. Take the Garnier Skin Care Quiz and get a pro-recommended skincare routine in just a few minutes.