By: burgundy bug
The word “HELP” spelled out in lotion rests atop a hand
Source: Envato Elements
Your outfit’s on point, your hair game is fly. You’re reving up to take a bomb photoshoot of one when all the sudden – oh me, oh my. Red, patchy, flaky skin has made a home out of your face.
We’ve all been there. Dry skin is a common nuisance, but it’s pretty easy to tackle naturally.
Dry Skin: Recipes For Disaster
Before diving right into how to remedy dry skin, let’s start with what you might be doing to cause dry skin in the first place.
You’re Picking at Your Skin
Think of dry skin like a scab. As tempted as you may be to pick at it, this will prevent the area from healing properly. The more you itch, the worse it’ll make the sitch.
Picking at your dry skin could cause the patch to grow larger and affect neighboring areas of skin. Next time you catch yourself picking at your dry skin, stop. Take a deep breath. Roll your shoulders and let out a big ol’ sigh.
You’re Taking Hot Showers
A hot shower is a wonderful treat after a long day or stressful night. But it’s not such a wonderful treat for your skin.
Hot showers are notorious for drying out your skin, says Healthline. They can also cause your skin to itch. This double whammy is a disaster recipe for conditions like eczema, which causes dry, itchy skin.
Your Facial Cleanser is Too Harsh
Everyone’s skin will vary in sensitivity. Just because a certain cleanser works for your favorite social media influencer or BFF doesn’t mean it’ll have the same results for you.
As daunting as it may sound, cut back on the facial soap. Try out the caveman method (don’t wash your face at all) for a few days and see if your dry skin improves.
Natural Remedies For Dry Skin
Do a Cold Rinse After the Shower
Listen, you don’t have to swear off your steamy, song-filled shower sessions. Instead, you just need a different encore.
At the end of your shower, turn back the heat a little and rinse yourself in cold water.
Alternatively, you can splash cold water all over your face after the shower. This will effectively counteract the skin-irritating effects of a hot shower.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Warm weather is no excuse to skimp on the moisturizer. While your dry skin may flare-up more in the winter, summer sunshine can still dry out your skin. This is especially true for those who work outdoors or live in a dryer climate.
Before investing in a fancy-schmancy moisturizer, do a little research. Opt for products with more natural ingredients.
Additionally, you could whip up a natural moisturizer using household items in your kitchen. Not only is this cost-effective, but as the chef, you’ll know exactly what you’re putting on your face.
Exfoliate Wisely
Although picking at your skin can make it worse, exfoliating is an important step for combating dry skin. It helps the surface layers shed the dead skin and prevent it from clogging up your pores.
However, over-exfoliating can irritate your skin or make it worse. Opt for a less-abrasive and plant-based exfoliant.
Exfoliating a few days a week instead of every day can also reduce skin irritation.
Switch Up Your Facial Cleanser
If you find the caveman route improves your dry skin but invites blemishes to take hold of your face, don’t panic (and don’t pick at them, either)!
Instead, try to find a facial cleanser for “gentle” or “sensitive” skin. Finding the right facial cleanser for you can take a bit of trial and error, but it’s worth the effort in the long run.
Drink More Water
Yes, “stay hydrated” is more than just a phrase copped by kids with their Hydro Flasks and scrunchies. Staying hydrated is a crucial part of existing and drinking more water has an array of health benefits.
Skin is the largest organ in the human body and it’s approximately 30 percent water, according to a 2010 Nutrition Reviews article.
“One of the most pervasive myths regarding water intake is the improvement of the skin or complexion,” the review says. “By improvement, it’s generally understood that individuals are seeking to have a more ‘moisturized’ look to surface skin or to minimize acne or other skin conditions.”
While the review says there isn’t sufficient evidence to back these claims, dry skin is a symptom of dehydration. Drinking more water can reduce dry skin and improve overall skin hydration.
A 2015 Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology study found similar results. In a group of 49 healthy females, increased water intake significantly hydrated their skin.
Avoid Irritating Fabrics
If your clothes are made of a rough fabric and fit on you like the skin on a grape, it might be time for a slight wardrobe change.
There’s no one-evil fabric that could be causing your skin to flake (unless you have a specific allergy), says WebMD. But synthetic fabrics can lead to more skin irritation because they don’t “breathe as well as natural fibers.”
In addition to incorporating more natural fibers into your closet, try wearing lighter, loose-fitting clothes more often.
Protect Your Skin From the Sun
Tanning without proper sun protector or sunburn is a sure-fire way to dry out your skin. You should apply a high-SPF sunscreen throughout the day while outdoors – even if it’s cloudy outside.
It’s important to cover up and protect areas that may already be sunburned, too.
Read: Sunburn Safety: How to Protect Yourself From Skin Damage and Practice Sun Safety by Camping Cooks
The Burgundy Zine
In Conclusion
A couple with their arms wrapped around each other, one sporting a rainbow on their wrist
Source: Pexels
Dry skin is not the end of the world nor is it detrimental to your health. It’s annoying, yes, but it’s very easy to remedy on your own.
If you’ve tried the above methods and have yet to see improvements, talk to your doctor. Don’t fret just yet, but dry skin can be an indicator of an underlying health condition, like hypothyroidism or diabetes, according to Medicine Net.
Dry skin may also be caused by eczema or psoriasis, says Harvard Health.
More likely than not, however, your dry skin is the result of your lifestyle. Switch up your daily routine, break your skin-irritating habits, and you’re likely to see a quick reduction in dry skin.
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