Extreme weather, allergic reactions, harsh cleansers and indoor heating can all strip away your skin's protective outer layer, leaving your skin dry and irritated. If your skin is seriously lacking moisture, there are several skin care products for dry skin that can help you replace dry, flaky skin with soft, smooth skin.
Cleanser
Trade bar soap and scented bath gels in for unscented, soap-free cleansers that will be gentle on your dry skin. Shape magazine suggests trying Dove Beauty Bar or Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment. Help your gentle cleanser protect your skin even more by keeping your bath or shower water temperature lower than 98.6 degrees--hotter than that, and you could cause blood vessels to contract and moisture to evaporate through the top layer of your skin, says Marie Claire magazine.
Moisturizer
Moisturizer is essential for dry skin because it helps seal in your skin's existing moisture and protect it from the elements. Look for a moisturizer that contains shea butter, dimethicone, cyclomethicone or collagen for best results, suggests dermatologist Marsha Gordon, M.D., in Readers Digest magazine.
Even if your skin has a tendency to get oily, you shouldn't bypass moisturizer--choose a lighter-weight gel or lotion instead of a heavy cream or use a less-intensive moisturizer on the parts of your skin that are prone to oiliness. If your skin is very dry, Marie Claire recommends layering moisturizers by applying a hydrating serum before putting on your regular moisturizer.
Balm
The skin on your lips is especially prone to dryness, and lip balm is one of the best ways to protect it. Skip lip balms with dyes and fragrances, which can dry out your skin even more, and bypass balms made with mineral oils such as petroleum jelly that actually signal your skin to stop producing moisture. Instead, look for balms with shea butter, cocoa butter or balms infused with natural oils, suggests Marie Claire magazine.
Exfoliating Scrub
It may seem counterintuitive to scrub the surface of dry skin, but exfoliating helps promote the growth of new, healthy skin cells while sloughing away roughness and flakes, according to Marie Claire magazine. Look for an enzyme-based exfoliant--ingredients such as papaya or pineapple usually indicate enzyme-based products--that will be gentle on sensitive skin. Always follow up exfoliating with moisturizing because exfoliation does temporarily weaken your skin's protective barrier.
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