Does your skin sometimes make you feel as if you live in a desert? When you smile, does it feel as if your skin is cracking? If you touch your face, does it feel rough and scaly?
If you have dry skin, you’ve probably had these experiences or something like them. Not only does dry skin feel uncomfortable, it can really take a toll on the way your skin looks. It can cause everything from dullness to actual flaking. Dry skin can also make it hard to smoothly apply your makeup or sunscreen. In short– it’s not a lot of fun to have dry skin, which is why we’re going to discuss what causes dry skin, the best ingredients for dry skin, the ingredients you should avoid if you have dry skin, and most crucially– the best moisturizer for dry skin!
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Dry skin can be caused by any number of factors, from diet to genetics. It can also be caused by a combination of those factors.
Good to Know: Luckily, no matter what the cause, dry skin can usually be treated with the right moisturizer.
Recommended Products: H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer.
What Causes Dry Skin?
If you have dry skin, you’ve probably looked in the mirror and thought, “Why is my skin so dry?” Well, you’re not alone! Dry skin can be caused by many different factors, not all of which are obvious or under your control. Here are just a few of the factors that cause dry skin.
Heredity
Yup, good old genetics may be to blame for that dry, itchy feeling your skin always has. If your parents or grandparents have dry skin, it’s not inconceivable that you will, too.
Diet
You are what you eat…and drink! If you’re someone who goes heavy on dehydrating beverages like soda and coffee, chances are, it’s going to show in your skin. Reach for water instead to hydrate your skin from the inside out.
Weather
Even if you don’t usually have dry skin, your skin can suddenly get very dry depending on the season. Skin tends to get very dry in the winter, or in hot, arid climates in the summer.
Age
As we age, our skin loses moisture and even absorbs moisturizer more quickly. It really gets thirsty! If your skin looks and feels as if it’s getting drier, it’s not your imagination. Our skin needs more moisture as we age.
The Wrong Skincare Products
Yes, that’s right! If you’re not using products made for dry skin, you could actually be making the problem even worse. Look for ingredients in your products that will restore moisture and hydration to your skin, rather than ingredients that may strip your skin of its natural oils.
Best Ingredients for Dry Skin
So, if products or ingredients play such a key role in treating dry skin, which ones should you be on the lookout for? Here are a few we recommend:
- Organic Coconut Oil - this emollient helps reduce dryness by locking in moisture.
- Organic Sunflower Oil - not only does it hydrate and locks in moisture, sunflower oil protects skin from environmental stressors trying to harm it.
- Glycerin - this humectant draws water to the surface of the skin, not just from the deeper layers of skin but from the atmosphere.
- Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Extract - a great humectant that hydrates and helps calm the skin.
- Cetearyl Alcohol - even though it’s mostly known as a thickening agent in skincare, it also acts as an emollient by moisturizing and softening the skin.
- Safflower Seed Oil - this emollient helps hydrate the skin while pushing back against visible signs of aging.
- Squalane (from Olive Oil) - this emollient mimics your skin’s own natural oils, making it a highly effective moisturizer for all skin types; plus it features great anti-aging properties.
- Lavender Oil - this essential oil has a soothing effect on the skin, and a calming scent!
- Organic Jojoba Seed Oil - this oil/emollient softens, smooths, and hydrates your skin without clogging your pores.
- Grapeseed Oil - this oil contains hydrating fatty acids to help lock in moisture.
Ingredients to Avoid for Dry Skin
Just as there are ingredients that help restore hydration to dry skin, there are also ingredients that could make dry skin even drier. We’re not saying you can never use them, just proceed with caution, and use them in only small amounts. The ingredients that appear far down on the list of ingredients on a package are those that make up the smallest percentage of a formula. Here are a few you might want to look out for:
- Salicylic Acid - Salicylic acid is a wonderful exfoliant that helps remove excess oil from skin, but it can be a little too harsh for dry skin when used too often.
- Alcohol - You know how you feel as if you need a big glass of water right after you’ve had a few drinks? That’s because alcohol basically sucks the moisture right out of your skin. It does the same thing in skincare ingredients, so try to steer clear of it. (Note that there are several types of alcohol used in skincare and beauty products, so if you see “cetyl Alcohol” or “cetearyl alcohol”, these are fatty alcohols that actually benefit dry skin!)
- Artificial Fragrances - While these aren’t great for anyone, they’re especially bad for people with dry skin, because they can cause irritation.
Of course, this doesn’t include ingredients you never want to use, such as parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, GMOs, gluten, dyes, and a whole host of other “baddies.” As a skincare company committed to clean beauty, we never use these “nasty” ingredients in our products.
Best Moisturizer for Dry Skin
Now that you know what causes dry skin, what ingredients to use and what to avoid, let’s talk about how to soothe already dry skin and/or keep it from becoming dry in the first place. Your best course of action is to make sure you have a moisturizer that provides deep, long-lasting hydration.
Enter our H2 Oh Yeah hydrating moisturizer! Made with no less than 21 nourishing actives, it was created to provide next-level hydration to your skin. Not only does it smooth your skin, it helps diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles. With a rich, creamy texture, it leaves skin feeling super hydrated, nourished, and refreshed.
In addition to many of the ingredients we mentioned above, it contains some wonderfully hydrating ingredients like:
- Sea buckthorn oil, which is known for its ability to provide a deep hydration to the skin;
- Hyaluronic acid, which can carry up to 1,000 times its weight in water;
- and Shea butter, which helps soothe and deeply moisturize the skin.
H2 Oh Yeah can be used twice a day as your regular moisturizer–right after you cleanse, tone, and apply serum. And it’s made to be used on skin that’s any age and any type!
We hope that provides a little insight to why and how dry skin happens, as well as how to take care of dry skin. As you can see, all it takes is a little extra attention to relieve the discomfort and dullness that dry skin can bring!
