Skincare for dry skin
Dry skin is a skin type that naturally produces less of the skin’s own oil, i.e. sebum. Less sebum production means that the skin barrier is also naturally weaker. The skin barrier keeps the moisture in the skin, the skin soft and flexible, and external stimuli away from the skin. Dry skin is treated in much the same way as the skin barrier: by caring for the skin’s natural oils, increasing the production of natural oils and adding oils to the skin.

The skin’s natural oils can be cared for by using gentle cleansers with a skin-friendly pH, gentle surfactants and preferably no exfoliating acids. You should also avoid strong exfoliating acids in the rest of your routine if you have dry skin. Clay masks, alcohol-heavy toners and physical scrubs are also products that should be avoided if you have dry skin.
The skin can be made to produce more of its natural oils by using ingredients such as niacinamide. Niacinamide signals to the skin that it should produce more ceramides and other oils, thereby strengthening the skin barrier. For this use, 2% niacinamide is enough, so niacinamide does not dry out the skin either.
The skin’s natural oil consists of ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids. All of these can be added to the skin to strengthen the skin barrier and to keep all the moisture inside and irritants out. Different plant oils contain different fatty acids and dry skin often benefits the most from oils containing oleic acid. These are often thicker oils, such as olive oil. Plant oils also immediately help to soften dry skin.

You should try occlusives for immediate help with skin dryness and for very dry skin. These are ingredients such as mineral oil, silicones, and some natural oils such as shea butter, which prevent water from evaporating from the skin, creating a protective film on the skin. This film temporarily acts as the barrier for skin until the skin’s own barrier is restored or if the skin is so dry that the skin barrier cannot be repaired.
In addition to oils, dry skin also needs hydration, especially in a dry climate. The main function of the skin’s natural oil is to hold water in the skin, but if the skin does not have water to hold onto, the skin is still dry. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are good ingredients for adding hydration.
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