Effective skin care works with your personal skin type to achieve health and a pleasant appearance. While some practices and cosmetic products are suited to oily and normal types, many of the same care tips can be used for healthy skin that is dry, sensitive or maturing. For example, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests hypoallergenic makeup and care products for people with sensitive or maturing types of skin, which will react adversely to allergens.
Dry Skin
Even healthy skin contracts dry conditions from sunburn, wind abrasion, low indoor humidity and other dessicating factors. Severe and chronic cases should be referred to a dermatologist, but you can relieve dry, itchy skin by carefully selecting cosmetic products and skin care practices. The Mayo Clinic advises bathing less often, cleansing with warm water and using a moisturizing soap instead of harsh deodorant or antiseptic soaps.
Apply a fragrance-free moisturizing cream or lotion often throughout the day, to instantly soothe irritation from dryness. Moisturizers are proven to smooth dry skin and both attract water to the epidermal surface and seal it in place. Other recommended dry skin remedies are room humidifiers and treatments with petroleum jelly.
Sensitive Skin
Tips for sensitive skin involve avoidance techniques. Reading cosmetic product labels will help you identify and avoid compounds with perfume, color, alcohol and formaldehyde. The AAD notes that simply buying "sensitive skin" formulas won't guarantee their safety because the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate this standard.
Avoiding direct sun exposure and wearing protective clothing in wind or extreme temperatures will preserve sensitive healthy skin. Gentle daily skin care methods may offer the most protection, especially to delicate facial skin. Avoid abrasion and bacterial infection by cleansing with fingertips instead of washcloths and by patting dry with a towel that you've washed in hot water. Follow cleansing with an application of moisturizer.
Mature Skin
Because aging skin is prone to greater dryness and sensitivity than young skin, the above tips apply to mature skin. To maintain healthy skin as long as possible, doctors at the AAD also counsel not smoking, not tanning and not doing facial exercises designed to firm skin--these actually cause wrinkling.
Other dermatologist tips for reducing the visible signs of aging include frequent exfoliation, the use of barrier repair cosmetic products and medical treatments such as microdermabrasion and collagen injections. Anti-aging skin care products endorsed by dermatologists include those with alpha hydroxy acids and vitamins A, C and E.
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