HOW DOES DRY SKIN LOOK LIKE?

In simple terms, dry skin types produce less sebum than what is considered “normal”. Sebum is the oily substance produced by sebaceous glands in the skin. It is essential for healthy skin, as it lubricates and protects it. But dry skin is also almost always dehydrated, meaning it lacks not only oil, but also water. This is because sebum creates a natural barrier against epidermal water loss, so dry skin types lose water more quickly from the skin. This explains dry skin often feels tight and itchy and looks dull. In more extreme cases dry skin leads to flakiness, scaling, and even cracking. Amongst the population, women are more likely to have dry skin than men. 

If you have dry skin, you might have noticed the following: 

/ Rough texture when touched 

/ Lack of elasticity, or a feeling of tightness 

/ Redness and irritations 

/ Scaling, flaking, or itchiness 

/ Barely visible pores 

/ Complexion that looks dull or blotchy 

/ Skin prone to cracking 

WHAT CAUSES DRY SKIN?

There can be several factors that explain why you have this type of skin: 

/ Genetics. In most cases, your basic skin type is determined by your genes and does not radically change during your lifetime. You can also inherit some skin conditions that are known to be linked to dry skin, such as eczema. 

/ Age. Oil and sweat glands generally become less active over time, and therefore most people over 50 feel their skin is drier than it used to be. This is exacerbated by the fact that when we age, our cellular turnover slows down, which can make our skin look duller and drier.  

/ Weather and climate. Many people feel their skin gets drier in the winter months when temperature and air humidity levels are lower. And people who live in dry, desert-like environments, are more prone to having dry skin all year due to a lack of outside hydration.  

 

/ Health conditions and medications. Some illnesses such as diabetes or kidney diseases can lead to the development of dry and itchy skin. Many medications, such as blood pressure drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, prescription acne treatments, and antihistamine, can temporarily dry out the skin. 

The overriding goal in taking care of dry skin is to provide it with as much nourishment and hydration as possible, in order to restore the natural oil and water balance the skin lacks. Adopting the right skincare routine to address dryness, is a key step in this process. In order for the skincare products to work optimally, however, it is important to ensure you are doing your best to boost your skin’s hydration from inside-out. So before getting to our best skincare advice for dry skin, let’s review some lifestyle tips that can help you attain your best skin.  

6 LIFESTYLE TIPS THAT WILL KEEP DRY SKIN HAPPY:

1. Limit exposure to water – especially hot. Long hot showers and baths, or swimming in chlorinated pools strip skin of its protective oil barrier. Try taking quicker showers at lower temperatures and wash your face with lukewarm water.
2. Get your ABCs. Vitamin A supports the production of new skin cells. Without it, skin can become overly dry, while B vitamins are great skin multitaskers and central in preventing overly dry skin. Finally, vitamins C & E plas an important role in skin moisturization and antioxidant protection. 
3. Avoid irritating fabrics and laundry detergent. Choose clothing made from fabrics that are gentle to your skin and invest in a smooth satin or silk pillowcase to prevent fines lines forming while you sleep. Always choose a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free laundry detergent to prevent skin allergies. 
4. Keep a reasonable distance from heat sources. As much as we love snuggling close to a fireplace or a heater during a cold winter night, it can be hard for your skin, as the high level of heat can worsen its dryness.
5. Keep an eye on the air moisture level. As your skin is very sensitive to the amount of humidity in the air, consider using a humidifier both at home and at work. This will prevent excessive water loss from your skin. 
6. Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol. Both alcohol and caffeine act as diuretics, removing water from the body, including skin. Try swapping your afternoon latte with an energy-boosting smoothie, and always keep a bottle of water on hand to stay hydrated throughout the day.

 

Now that you are aware of how lifestyle can affect your skin,  let’s get to know the best skincare ingredients for treating dry skin. As previously mentioned, dry skin is lacking in both oil and water, so the perfect skincare products will help address both of these deficiencies. 

Below you will find a list of dry skin-friendly ingredients used in NUORI natural beauty products.  

6 NATURAL INGREDIENTS THAT WORK WELL FOR DRY SKIN

/ Hyaluronic acid. This ingredient is mainly known for its wrinkle-plumping, anti-aging effect, but its benefits go well beyond that. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) has high moisturizing properties and since it is naturally composed in your body, it’s a safe, biocompatible skincare ingredient when used as a natural variant, like it is in NUORI products. For dry skin, Hyaluronic Acid will help boost the skin’s water content. 

/ Aloe Vera. This plant has been used for centuries in skincare and is still a very popular and natural skin savior with proven results. It contains all the essential minerals, amino acids, and nutrients your skin needs. It is very efficient in treating and soothing irritations that dry skin often experiences. Aloe Vera can also improve skin elasticity which dry skin often lacks. In 2009, a study that was made on 30 women over the age of 45, the Korean Dermatological Association and The Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology determined that the regular use of Aloe Vera improved their skin elasticity over a 90-day period. 

 

/ Niacinamide (vitamin B3). This nutrient boosts the production of natural lipids, such as ceramides, and fatty acids, which help fortify the skin’s barrier function to make it stay smooth, hydrated, and protected from outside damage. Niacinamide’s anti-inflammatory action helps diminish redness and irritation. Finally, Niacinamide is known to promote collagen and elastin production, fighting against the rough texture of dry skin.

/ Vitamin E. When applied regularly, Vitamin E is known to combat dryness, repair skin cracks, and help promote soft and supple skin. As an effective antioxidant, this vitamin is often combined with vitamin C in NUORI’s formulas to help neutralize damaging free radicals caused by UV light and environmental pollution. Vitamin E also reduces inflammation of the skin. 

/ Shea Butter. Known as one of the most moisturizing ingredients used in skincare, shea butter comes from the nut of the African Shea tree. In addition to its extreme moisturizing effects, shea butter has a lot of other benefits: it boosts collagen production and acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient. 

/ Glycerin. This is an oil-free humectant that boosts your skin hydration by helping skin cells retain moisture, leaving the skin plump, smooth, and hydrated. The glycerin found in NUORI products is 100% plant-based. 

THE 4-STEP SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR DRY SKIN

As we mentioned previously, the main concern of dry skin is the lack of oil and water. Therefore, we have created for you the perfect NUORI routine to ensure that your skin gets the best nourishment and hydration it needs. Follow those four steps for optimal results: 

Step 1 - Cleanse 

Protect + Cleansing Milk gently cleanses your skin while helping alleviate dryness and dehydration. A complex of avocado oil, castor seed oil, and natural glycerin leaves the skin deeply hydrated. Bio-lipids derived from sustainably sourced shea butter help to establish a barrier to protect skin from outside aggressions that could worsen the dryness of your skin. Finally, aloe vera helps combat redness, inflammation, and surface irritation 

 

Step 2 – Treat 

Supreme Moisture Mask is a highly moisturizing mask, perfectly adapted to distressed and dehydrated skin. The natural hyaluronic acid present in this mask penetrates deeply into the skin and immediately restores moisture levels. Niacinamide actively fights redness and irritation to leave smooth and radiant skin. 

 

Step 3 - Hydrate 

Protect + Facial Cream is a daily cream that contains shea butter and Niacinamide to treat dry skin and boost microcirculation, which results in smoother skin. In addition, the jojoba oil present in the cream helps restoring the skin’s natural lipid balance that will ensure deep moisturation on every layer of the skin. 

 

Step 4 - Protect  

Mineral Defence Sunscreen Face & Body is an all-natural sunscreen with SPF 30. It ensures high protection against the aging and drying effects of UVA and UVB rays.  Shea butter makes this mineral formula a pleasure to wear even for dry skin types. A complex of karanja oil, carrot oil and vitamin E offer extra skin hydration and antioxidant protection while naturally boosting UV protection. 

 

PRO TIP FROM THE NUORI SKINCARE SPECIALIST

“To give some extra nutrition to your skin, blend 2 or 3 drops of a facial oil into your Supreme Moisture Mask to ensure the best moisture possible. Our Perfecting Facial Oil is the ideal match!” - 

Blerta, NUORI skincare specialist 

Not sure if you have dry skin? Take the skincare quiz here.