Master Skin Moisturizing: Treating Your Dry Skin
Dry, dehydrated skin can occur during every season (even summer) and on any part of your body. You might notice dry, flaky skin on your face or some moisture areas combined with dry skin patches. If you have rough, cracked, flaky, and dry skin and want to turn it into soft, glowing, hydrated skin, this article is for you.
Keep reading to discover how to get rid of dry skin with good skin habits and NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare. Keep reading as we unpack:
- Common causes of dry skin (i.e., why is my skin so dry?)
- A daily skin routine for dry skin
- Treating dry skin with specific dry skin products
Let’s dive into the best skin products for dry skin!
What Causes Dry Skin?
A combination of environmental factors, skincare habits, and sun exposure likely causes dry skin. For dry skin patches and very dry skin, a multi-factorial approach is needed.
Environmental Conditions
Many people experience dry skin in the winter because of dry air outside and heated indoor air that depletes the skin of moisture. However, winter weather isn’t the only environmental condition. People who live in dry climates, like deserts and at high elevations, are also more prone to dry skin.
Adding humidity to your indoor air can help when you live in a dry environment.
Skincare Imbalances
You might think of your skincare routine as moisturizing, but low-quality skincare products and products that don’t match your skin type can cause dry and flaky skin. We’ll walk you through a recommended routine and products designed to nourish dry skin below, but first, let’s talk about skincare habits.
Excessive Bathing, Scrubbing, and Use of Harsh Cleansers
Bathing too much, especially in hot water, can strip the skin of its natural oils. Scrubbing the skin harshly or too much exfoliation for your skin type can damage the skin barrier, leading to moisture loss and dry patches on the skin. Further, harsh chemicals in skincare products like alcohol, mineral oil, allergens, and parabens can contribute to dryness and discomfort.
When it comes to how to treat dry skin, start with your habits. Stick to shorter showers and baths in warm water instead of hot, especially if you have dry skin. Blot the skin dry after bathing and use a moisturizer immediately to lock in skin hydration. You may benefit from gentler products designed with dry skin in mind, like moisturizers and hyaluronic acid products from NassifMD® Skincare.
Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is another root cause of dry skin. UV radiation causes skin damage, collagen loss, and inflammation, accelerating aging, and increasing dryness. Limiting time in the sun, wearing sun-protective clothing, and using daily SPF lotions are all helpful.
The Dry Skincare Routine
Your daily skincare routine can double as a therapeutic approach to dry skin. Let’s explore the dry skin treatments that can help.
Gentle Cleansing
Always begin your skincare routine by cleansing the skin. Wash away makeup, dirt, sunscreen, pollution, and impurities on the skin, creating a clean slate for the rest of your skincare routine.
Pick a gentle cleanser for dry skin on your face. Avoid harsh cleansers and those designed for oily skin or acne, which can be more drying than hydrating. If your face skin is dry and flaky, you could be exfoliating too much or need a gentler approach.
Moisturization
Dry and patchy skin requires moisturization directly after cleansing to lock in hydration and create a barrier between your skin and environmental elements. People with dry skin may benefit from thicker moisturizers, even in the summer months. Choose products with emollients, fats and oil-based ingredients that soften and smooth the skin and form a protective film. Occlusives help seal in moisture and create a barrier to the outside world. Skin slugging is a beneficial dry skin treatment.
Choose a moisturizer for dry skin with hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, occlusives, and emollients.
Barrier Repair
A well-functioning skin barrier is critical for skin health, immunity, and overall wellness. The barrier regulates what gets into the body and what gets out. A compromised or damaged skin barrier can lead to water loss, dehydration, and dry skin. Ceramides are critical compounds for skin barrier health and are also found in topical skincare products.
Sun Protection
As discussed, sun damage contributes to skin damage and dryness, but sun protection can prevent further damage and restore skin health and hydration. Use daily SPF sun protection on exposed areas, including the face, neck, and hands, even in the winter. On long summer days outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours or seek the shade.
Targeted Treatments
If you experience patches of dry skin, dry skin rashes, eczema, or other concerns, look for targeted treatments you apply to the problem area (vs. all over) with hydrating and moisturizing properties.
Recommended Products for Dry Skin
For those suffering, learning how to get rid of dry skin is the top priority. Gentle, expertly formulated products with moisturizing ingredients are critical for treating dry skin. NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare has several effective options for your dry skin routine.
Creamy, Non-Foaming Cleansers
NassifMD® Pure Hydration Facial Cleanser is the best face wash for dry skin because it cleanses without irritating or drying, helps the skin retain moisture, and reduces inflammation. Key ingredients include:
- Matcha tea extract – concentrated antioxidants to reduce inflammation and redness
- Cocamidopropyl betaine – a mild coconut-based cleansing agent for skin moisture retention
- Squalane – a plant sugar emollient to prevent moisture loss and restore softness
Hyaluronic Acid Serums or Toners
Hyaluronic acid should be a primary ingredient in your skincare routine. It pulls water into the skin’s layers and helps hold it there. It also works synergistically with other skincare ingredients to enhance their benefits.
Find hyaluronic acid in these dry skin products:
- NassifMD® 3HA Hydrating Facial Mist with hyaluronic acid in three molecular weights (3HA), CM glucan, and Reversalys 30, a blend of marine botanicals to plump, hydrate, and quench the skin’s thirst. Use as a toner after cleansing or anytime you need a refresh.
- NassifMD® Hydro-Screen Serum with hyaluronic acid and ceramides to repair, firm, and protect the skin barrier. Use twice daily for best results.
Moisturizers Containing Emollients and Occlusives
NassifMD® Skincare offers several moisturizers for the face and body with nourishing emollients and occlusives, hyaluronic acid, and other advanced ingredients to address dry skin.
- NassifMD® Soft Focus Hydrating Day Cream with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, plant extracts, and Floraesters, a jojoba-derived emollient for plump, luminous, and hydrated skin all day. Use this dry skin moisturizer as the last step of your morning skincare routine before sunscreen and makeup.
- NassifMD® Pure Hydration Night Cream contains galactoarabanan, a natural polysaccharide from the larch tree that reduces water loss through the skin. Along with antioxidants, plant extracts, and aloe this is the perfect nighttime skin moisturizer for dry skin.
- NassifMD® Crepe Inhibitor Triple Action Body Butter to deeply moisturize crepey, dry skin on the neck, face, and body. With shea butter as an antioxidant-rich emollient, this body butter beats the best body lotion for dry skin.
Facial Oils
NassifMD® Skin Barrier Balm comforts and revives the skin’s barrier to prevent moisture loss and improve dry skin. Use it for skin slugging, spot treatments, or dry skin and rashes. It’s also the best face moisturizer for eczema. It contains sunflower oil as a vitamin -E rich facial oil, along with plant extracts, niacinamide (vitamin B3), and panthenol (vitamin B5).
Moisturizing SPF 30 Sunscreens
Many sunscreens can irritate or dry out the skin, but sunscreen is essential to prevent dryness. If your skin is dry, ensure your daily sunscreen includes hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid in a non-drying formula.
NassifMD® Protect & Hydrate Daily Mineral Sunscreen provides SPF 44 and hyaluronic acid for continuous hydration. It’s also lightly tinted, so it can replace or reduce the amount of makeup you use as makeup, especially powders, can be drying to the skin.
Overnight Moisturizing Masks
Finally, consider an overnight moisturizing mask to address flaky, dry skin two or three times per week as part of your skincare routine. NassifMD® Overnight Illuminating Masque combines vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and azelaic acid to moisturize and rejuvenate while you sleep.
Mastering moisturizing and addressing dry skin concerns is more than finding the best cream for dry skin; it’s about adopting an effective skincare routine, shifting environmental factors, and preventing future issues with a comprehensive plan. Start with NassifMD® Skincare for layers of hydrating ingredients to nourish and moisturize the skin.
References
- Gromkowska-Kępka, K. J., Puścion-Jakubik, A., Markiewicz-Żukowska, R., & Socha, K. (2021). The impact of ultraviolet radiation on skin photoaging - review of in vitro studies.Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 20(11), 3427–3431.
- Baker, P., Huang, C., Radi, R., Moll, S. B., Jules, E., & Arbiser, J. L. (2023). Skin Barrier Function: The Interplay of Physical, Chemical, and Immunologic Properties.Cells, 12(23), 2745.
- Juncan, A. M., Moisă, D. G., Santini, A., Morgovan, C., Rus, L. L., Vonica-Țincu, A. L., & Loghin, F. (2021). Advantages of Hyaluronic Acid and Its Combination with Other Bioactive Ingredients in Cosmeceuticals.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(15), 4429.
