In youth, dry skin shows its best side: peach cheeks, thin pores, lack of oily sheen – these are the qualities that can only dream of those who suffer from acne and pimples during puberty. But these benefits come at a price, and this becomes evident by the age of twenty-five.
If dry skin has not been properly cared for, lack of moisture and fat will affect it very quickly and noticeably: the skin will pull; lichen spots, irritations and early wrinkles will strongly require cosmetic help.
Dry skin first lacks fat and then moisture
Insufficient activity of the sebaceous glands is to blame for the increase in dryness. They produce less fat than is required to form a natural protective film. This film, a natural “cream” of fat, sweat and moisturizers, maintains the elasticity of the stratum corneum. It makes the skin resistant against harmful external influences and primarily protects it from drying out. Until the age of twenty, this deficiency is not noticeable, but after twenty, fat production decreases more and more. Natural sebum is the best way to retain moisture, so a lack of it immediately affects moisture. The horny cells become dry, scaly, their mutual connection is weakened, and moisture can easily evaporate. Harmful irritants can also enter, so dry skin often becomes painful and ages faster. Unfortunately, even the best care will not cause sluggish sebaceous glands to produce more fat. They react to certain hormonal signals according to a plan laid down in the body genetically, and there is no way to influence it. But proper care will in any case be able to compensate for what the skin lacks.
Basic care for dry skin
Dry skin is very delicate. She needs to be taken care of, even sometimes pampered. However, the motto for daily care is: less is more. Because dry skin is not only sensitive to neglect, but also does not like to be overloaded with care products or too often stuffed with new drugs. A small, fine-tuned program, followed consistently every day, works best for dry skin. In practice, this means:
In the evening, cleanse the skin, ideally with mild milk, which contains, among other things, soothing and nourishing substances. (You can also use cleansing creams, oils, or syndet specifically for dry, sensitive skin.) Cosmetic milk dissolves in water, so you can simply rinse it off with warm tap water. If the water is very hard, then with dry skin, it is recommended to moisten a cotton swab with facial toilet water (non-alcoholic) after washing and gently wipe the skin. Otherwise, salt residues will dry out the skin. Then apply a night cream rich in fats and moisturizers. If your skin is especially poor in moisture, you can apply a purely moisturizer, such as a hydrogel, under a night cream.
In the morning, it is enough to refresh dry skin with warm water and / or use eau de toilette again for the face. After that, apply a day cream, light in consistency, but rich in content, that is, containing oils and moisturizing substances. In addition, the day cream should contain light filters that will protect the skin from light aging.
The most beneficial substances for dry skin
The so-called ceramides have performed especially well . These are fat-like substances that resemble a natural bonding lubricant between skin cells and very well compensate for its deficiency.
This significantly improves the moisture retention of the stratum corneum.
Creams with sasankua oil or other unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic or gamma- linoleic acid, work well on dry skin . They provide softness to the skin and better moisture binding .
Things to do less frequently for dry skin
These include sauna, diaphoretic sports, and swimming in chlorinated water. In this case, valuable protective substances are washed out, which can be difficult for the skin to replenish. To make it easier for her, immediately after the procedure, you need to apply a thick layer of oily moisturizer or make a mask – nourishing or moisturizing. Special tip for swimming enthusiasts: Rub moisture-resistant sunscreen into your face, neck and décolleté before jumping into the water.
Exfoliators that remove horny flakes are usually not required for dry skin at all.
Hardening masks and alcohol-based eau de toilette are best avoided for dry skin.
Fat-free gel preparations are also used only in combination with creams suitable for the skin.
New skin care products should not be tested on yourself in winter, when the skin already feels tight due to the cold and low humidity. Spring and autumn are better suited for this.
External irritants such as the sun, dry air and inappropriate care, as well as the inevitable aging process, reduce the natural moisture supply of the skin. Therefore, just with dry skin, you should avoid anything that (at least from the outside, even from the inside) additionally takes away moisture from the skin.
Examples:
Alcohol. It is one of the worst moisture scavengers,
as it takes minerals from tissues, thereby reducing the tissue’s ability to retain moisture.
Laxative pills and dehydration agents. They also flush minerals from the body and, at the same time, moisture from the skin.
The sun. It reduces the moisture reserve in the skin with its double harmful effect, not only drying out the stratum corneum, but also deeply penetrating the tissues with ultraviolet radiation, which causes the collagen fibers in the connective tissue to harden, and these fibers are no longer able to store the same amount of moisture.
Central heating and climatic devices. If you have dry skin, you should get a moisture meter and take all measures to keep the air humidity normal using special humidifiers or indoor plants (Cypriot grass and green lilies are especially good for this purpose).
Especially for hard times
If your skin looks particularly stressed out, if it is pulled harder than usual, or if it is flaky, there are three things to keep ready: A
medicated ointment containing panthenol .
A bag of chamomile or lime blossom.
A bottle of pure jojoba or almond oil.
The healing ointment can be used in the evenings during stressful periods for the skin instead of a night cream. The oil can be used for compresses. Warm two or three tablespoons in a water bath, make a pad out of cotton wool, cutting holes for the eyes and nose, and saturate the cotton with oil. Apply this mask on your face for twenty minutes.
Walking in rain and fog is an old proven cosmetic product. The smallest particles of moisture penetrate the stratum corneum and gently activate the blood supply.
Why is humidity so important?
The skin is 70 percent water. 12 percent of them are placed in the stratum corneum only a hundredth of a millimeter thick. This adhesion of dead keratinized skin cells plays a crucial role in maintaining moisture.
Cosmetic care is aimed at ensuring that the stratum corneum retains its elasticity, primarily by stabilizing its moisture content. Then it protects the underlying layers, which retain the main reserves of moisture. The surest way to maintain optimal moisture in the stratum corneum is without a doubt regular care with moisturizers.
If earlier their effect was limited to several hours, then from modern drugs one can expect an effect throughout the whole day, and with regular use – a long-term effect. If you want to repeat the application two to three hours after applying the moisturizer, then you need to change the drug. It may contain enough moisturizing substances, but not enough fat. Such preparations are very good for oily skin, but for dry skin you need an emulsion that contains enough fat, so you can keep moisture for a long time.
Moisturizing substances such as liposomes , nanospheres and thalaspheres are especially effective . Ceramides ( cerebrosides , sphingolipids ) are also substances that have been developed specifically to bind moisture in the skin and have shown a good effect.