22 OCT 2010 07:13 SKINCARE0 COMMENTS AND 0 REACTIONS
Guest Editor Kate Shapland on… Dry skin management
I talked about managing oily skin in my last blog post. Traditionally though this is the time of year when everyone complains of dry skin.
It’s not just the colder weather – in fact it’s much more likely that if you suddenly find you’ve got drier skin or a few patches (on your face or body) it’s down to the central heating, which sucks moisture out of the air and your skin. So the challenge is to keep it in, and in doing that stop skin going flaky and itchy.
The solution, however, is not to just start slathering on richer creams – that usually just congests skin and gives it spots, a curious side-issue to have with dryness. You do need face and body creams that work harder, but these don’t necessarily have to be so thick you could stand a spoon up in them.
The cleverest moisturisers work to hydrate skin deep down and trap moisture in its tissues – the key ingredient here is hyaluronic acid (sounds like a baddie but is a real goodie for your skin), so look for products that contain it.
Think about your cleanser too: wash off gels and soaps (even pH balanced ones) can be quite drying, so opt for the creamier ones – either water soluble or wipe off. And if you’re still using alcoholic toner bin it now – beauty editor’s orders!
My dry skin prescription:
• Cleansers – your watchwords: soft, hydrating, non-stripping. Try Elemis Soothing Camomile Cleanser for your face. And for your body: Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Rescue Treatment Cube (the softest body buffer, cleanser and body lotion in one kit), and Elemis Milk Bath (a nourishing, relaxing soak).
• Moisturise – your watchwords: lightweight, high-performance, moisture-trapping. Try Clarins HydraQuench Cream or Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Re-Creation Day Cream SPF15 (excellent for more mature skins which dry easily).
• Inside-out – your watchwords: water-drenched, pure. Eat and drink to ‘hydrate’: that means plenty of mineral water (a litre a day is fine) and water-based fruit and vegetables (the green, leafy ones are high in antioxidants which help to neutralise ageing free radicals).
Tags: cleansers, dry skin, moisturise, moisturisers, sknicare tips
