Dry skin, why it happens and how to tackle it down!

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October 25, 2021 4 min read

Many factors dry out our skin. Fortunately, it does not require medical treatment in most cases but a couple of ideal ingredients and few simple changes.Here, you will find why this happens and how to remedy it.

The most common factors that dry out our skin:

Weather:

Many studies have proved that low humidity in cold and hot temperatures dry out the skin quickly. In fact, on average more than a quarter of the skin's moisture is lost during winter. The same occurs during windy days as it decreases the natural skin sun barrier. Thankfully, this is an obstacle that we can overcome easily. Using humidifiers and covering the skin during extreme temperatures is an effective way to reduce moisture loss on the skin.

Water exposure:

Who would think water dehydrates our skin?! Yes, you read that correctly; depending on the situation, hot or long showers and baths tend to reduce the moisture on the skin. The reason for this is simple; when we wash up, we remove our skin's natural oils, breaking down the protective barrier and allowing the moisture to run out. So the solution is simple, reduce the bath time. Some even say it is unnecessary to wash up every day but a couple of times a week instead. But let's be honest, there is no need to be this extreme! So keep an eye and be mindful of the amount of time you spend in the shower and ensure that the temperature is not hot enough to peel a potato.

Soaps and detergents:

Like hot baths, traditional soaps have surfactants that take down our skin natural oily coat called Sebum. The more Sebum we lose, the less capable is our dermis to retain water.

You can think about it this way: we use soaps and detergents to remove the oil and dirt from different items, like clothes, pots and pans. Imagine what this does to our skin. So the question is, do we need this barrier to have a healthy and flawless appearance? Yes.

It is essential to avoid the following products that contain harmful and toxic ingredients to avoid damaging our skin:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Mineral oil, including Petroleum and Paraffin derivates
Parabens
Diethanolamine (DEA)
Monoethanolamine (MEA)
Triethanolamine (TEA)

Instead, look for mild PH-neutral cleanser with hydrating ingredients, ideally organic ones such as Aloe Vera, Botanical oils and extracts as Hemp seed oil, Jojoba oil, Rosehip oil and others. Evohe is one of our brands with mild cleansers to help dry skin.

Cleansers and moisturisers

Opt for mild, fragrance-free cleansers as harsh chemicals can irritate and dry out your skin.

In addition to change soaps for mild cleansers, skincare routine changes can help prevent and relieve dry skin. But, again, choosing the right products will make a difference in the texture of the skin.

Age:

There is no doubt that ageing affects our skin ability to retain moisture. Experts affirm that after our 20's, our dermis produces 1% less collagen each year. As a result, our pores have fewer natural oils, being more likely to develop dry skin.

Unfortunately, the solution is not that simple; after all, we can't stop time, not yet at least. On the bright side, we can diminish its effects with a good range of natural ingredients for our skin. It is a matter of keeping our dermis well nourished.

Moisturisers: The top layer of our skin is made of natural oils that help trap moisture; when those oils get stripped away, the protective barrier layer gets compromised, and the skin cells don't retain enough water, resulting in dry skin. A good mix of a Hydrating serum and moisturiser will help restore the protective skin barrier.
The following ingredients will help to repair dry skin:

"Hyaluronic Acid" (HA) or its best version of it: Sodium Hyaluronate*: it can hold up to 1000times its weight in water, restoring the moisture levels on the skin.
*Sodium Hyaluronate has a lower molecular weight than HA, having the ability to penetrate deeper into the layers of skin and binding water.

Pro tip: Use hyaluronic serums after toning or on damped skin, as it requires water to be activated. Using HAs products on dry skin will leave the skin more dehydrated as it will absorb the moisture from the skin instead of pulling it in.

Hyaluronic Acid

Natural oils as Jojoba, Rosehip, Evening Primrose Oil, Calendula Oil, Kakadu plum, Hemp oil are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids that boost Collagen and help heal dry flaky skin.

Exfoliate: a gentle exfoliator helps remove dead skin cells stuck on the surface, improving the skin's overall texture. However, it is important not to over-exfoliate as it could dry out the skin even more.
Exfoliators can be either chemical or mechanical**, but mechanical exfoliators are recommended for gentle dry skins.
Remember that a moisturiser and/or serum should always follow exfoliation.
**Mechanical exfoliators: they work removing dead cells through motion. They include cleansing brushes, facial scrubs, and exfoliating beads.

Moisturisers for dry skin