Skincare

7 Expert Recommended Solutions to Dry Skin

posted on January 10, 2017 | by Amanda Holstein

Whether you experience dry skin seasonally or all year round, you know just how much it sucks. Redness, peeling, and flakiness are not easy problems to hide. When your skin gets so dry that it feels like your products aren’t even working, it’s time to do something about it. I can definitely relate to the woes of dry skin (all year round for me!). So when I had the opportunity to experience a seriously hydrating facial, and drill a skin expert with questions, I took advantage. Here are some solutions she recommended for treating dry skin, in winter or otherwise.

1. Get a hydrating facial

I’ve never really had great experiences with facials. Instead of coming out with that glow everyone talks about, I end up looking like I’ve been through war. And lost, miserably. But a facial that focuses on hydration is a whole other story. Last week I had the opportunity to visit SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic in Palo Alto and experience SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restorative Protocol. Honestly? I never knew my skin could feel so soft!

After speaking with my skin expert about my skin type (dry, sensitive) and problem areas (texture, redness), she tailored the facial to fit my specific needs. She ended up focusing on three areas: nourishment to calm the redness, exfoliation to improve the texture, and hydration most importantly. The first two steps were essential in order to achieve true hydration. I won’t lie, my skin was definitely not perfect when I left. But it certainly was glowing and more hydrated than I’d never experienced before. It’s now been four days and my skin looks and feels better and better.

2. Use a corrective moisturizer

One of the main products used in the facial is SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2. What’s unique about this product is that it’s a corrective moisturizer. While it can be used as a daily moisturizer, it can also be used as a treatment to correct dry skin over a period of time. I love this idea of using a product specifically meant to get your skin back to a healthy state of hydration. It’s exactly what you need during those few weeks of winter when your complexion is really suffering. SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 repairs dry skin by restoring essential lipids naturally found in the skin, including ceramides, natural cholesterol, and fatty acids.

3. Exfoliate 2-3 times a week

I’ve received this advice before (and given it), but it wasn’t until my recent facial that I realized just how essential exfoliating is for hydration. When you have dry skin, you typically have a layer of dead skin that is making your complexion look dull and even flaky. Exfoliating, either physically with a facial brush or chemically with a product, removes all of that dry, dead skin. It clears it away so that you can get to the healthier layers of skin. It also allows for your products to work more effectively, which is super important!

4. Leave your mask on overnight

I’m also using hydrating face masks during the winter months. I typically follow the directions and only leave them on for maybe 10 or 15 minutes. The skin expert who performed my facial told me to try leaving the mask on all night. For hydrating masks, this makes a lot of sense. Leaving it on overnight allows it to really absorb into the skin as much as it possibly can.

5. Rinse with cold water

Dry skin tends to be sensitive, and hot water only irritates the skin more. Next time you wash your face, try rinsing with cold water. It will help calm down any swelling or redness often associated with super dry skin.

6. Look for products with vitamin C

Vitamin C is key to healthy skin. It is an antioxidant that helps improve everything from texture to discoloration to collagen production and more. Its ability to build and strengthen tissue is what makes it so essential to any skin care regimen. The problem is, not all Vitamin C is created equal. Here is a fantastic article explaining the different types of Vitamin C and what ingredients to look for in your skin care products.

7. Apply eye cream before other products

I’ve always been told to apply my skin care products for lightest to heaviest. While this still remains true, there is one exception to that rule that actually makes a lot of sense. After you cleanse, try applying your eye cream first before any other product. Why? Because after you’ve applied your other products, your fingers tend to have a mix of ingredients on them that can irritate your eye area. Apply your eye cream before your other products and it will work more effectively, without causing further irritation or dryness.

Thank you to SkinCeuticals for sponsoring this post.