The products you need to save dry skin

Despite working in beauty, I’ve been known to neglect my skin. I don’t exfoliate as much as I should and I certainly don’t moisturise every day (terrible, I know!). Not surprisingly, I have particularly dry skin as a result of this neglect. The skin on my legs often becomes flaky and when I apply fake tan (a regular ritual of mine), the product sticks to drier patches of skin on my upper body – not cool! My most hated symptom of dry skin is that it’s often extremely hard to nail a #flawless face when your make-up clumps and flakes *sigh*. Thankfully I was able to chat to NIVEA skincare expert, Robyn Hutch, to find out how to save my dry skin and the best products to use.

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Causes

The moisture in your skin is protected by skin lipids. The level of lipids we have is directly connected to our skin’s natural production of oil. Now, we all have this layer naturally and it helps to keep our skin moisturised. However, Robyn explains when this layer is removed, the skin can lose its moisture and become dry. The lipid layer can be damaged or removed due to “personal movements and habits such as excessive hot showers or baths and excessive use of soap”.

Another factor affecting your skin’s lipid layer is drastic changes in temperature. In winter, our skin can become uncomfortable, dry and tight. Robyn tells me this is because of the extreme and frequent changes in our surrounding temperatures. We often have a heater on in our workplace and homes so we frequently transition from cold, dry air outside to artificial dry heat inside. As we come into winter, Robyn recommends using a humidifier to add some moisture to your environment.

Side effects

The main symptom of dry skin is the surface of the skin looks flaky, tight and cracked. This is easily remedied, however if dry skin goes untreated Robyn says it can lead to:

• Eczema
• Secondary bacterial infections
• Cellulitis
• Skin discolouration

Ingredients to avoid

It should go without saying that dehydrating ingredients are a big no-no – harsh soaps and cleansers should definitely not be used on dry skin. Some ingredients to keep off your skin include:

• Alcohol
• Ethanol
• Salicylic acid

Recommended ingredients

Robyn tells me the best way to treat dry skin is to use emollients and moisturisers regularly. She recommends products containing lanolin, panthenol and glycerin, as these will “intensively moisturise and soothe the skin”.

So, when you’re next shopping for products to treat your dry skin, start with some of these and remember, frequency and regularity are key!

Here's a bunch of products that will be kind to your dry skin.