Plus must-learn dry skin tips from our #SecretCircle user
Is your skin tight and itchy, flaky and paper thin, red and sensitive or dry and rough? If you are any of the above, welcome to the “desert skin club”.
There are a few causes of dry skin, one being hereditary (oops, no one is born perfect) and the second a result of external influences.
External influences include:
- Harsh soaps and product choices
- Dry air environment
- Soaking in warm or hot water
- Overuse of pimple creams that are drying
These factors erode or thin out the skin barrier and reduce its natural ability to protect our skin, causing our skin to get drier with time.
How do we get from dry dehydrated skin to a supple dewy look? Here we share some helpful tips and also exclusive must-learns from our #SecretCircle user on how to manage our desert skin.
Skin Care
How to cleanse right?
If you don’t know yet, healthy skin begins with cleansing right. If your cleanser is leaving your face feeling squeaky clean, throw it out.
Our skin produces its own natural moisturising factors and we cannot afford having them stripped away every day and night. Doing this often may also result in dehydrated yet oily skin. A good cleanser will leave your skin feeling hydrated and soft.
High temperatures will also accelerate moisture loss, so make sure to rinse with lukewarm or room temperature water.
For those with extremely dry skin, quickly massage your facial wash over your face and wash it out without dwelling on this step for too long.
Are you hydrating enough?
We all know that hydration and moisturising products are non-negotiables for dry skin conditions. But there are many people who can’t really tell if they are doing it right. Here’s how you feed your skin with enough water.
To ensure sufficient hydration, the key is to have enough layers.
Include a hydrating lotion or toner before your moisturising step and layer them on generously. Avoid toners that contain alcohol as those are more drying.
Look for these well-known hydrating ingredients in your products:
- Glycerine
- Ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Sodium PCA
- Natural moisturising factors
Hydrate
First hydrate the skin. Then moisturise. Hydrating increases the water content in your skin whereas moisturising creates an external protective layer that locks in the water.
Be very generous and apply 2-3 layers of toner or hydrating lotion depending on how dry your skin is. Applying concentrated hydrating serums can also provide more intense moisture. Your skin should feel more supple and soft after this step.
Moisturise
You don’t have to choose a very rich or heavy moisturiser just because you have dry skin. We don’t want to overburden the skin with rich occlusives. Depending on how your skin feels, go for the moisturiser that feels most comfortable. After applying the first layer of moisturiser, you can choose to apply another layer on the areas that feel driest.
Lifestyle
Invest in a humidifier
When the air is dry, especially during colder temperatures or winter season, having a humidifier can help to increase the moisture content in your skin.
Eat Omega 3
Foods that contain omega-3 consist of essential fatty acids that help to keep the skin hydrated from within. Salmon, walnuts, almonds, avocados and fish oil are some foods that are rich in good fat.
Exclusive #SecretCircle tips
My skin used to be so dry that my makeup would turn patchy after application. To give my dry skin sufficient hydration, I would use DR’s Secret Toner T2 twice in my day routine. The first layer after cleansing and a second layer after applying moisturiser. This method really helped me to get my skin into a good moisture balance.
For my night routine, I would add on the DR’s Secret treatment range such as C15 Essence 7, Skinlight T3, Skinrecon T4 and Refining Serum 9 to help repair my dry skin.
After 3 months, my skin had a healthier glow and looked less dry.