Is your skin often inflamed ? After you remove your make-up and wash, does your skin feel tight ? Does your skin have a dull, dull complexion and feel rough to the touch? Do you experience a continuous feeling of discomfort and are you trying everything to regain the feeling of comfort and softness on the skin?
I have bad news for you but I probably don't tell you anything new: your skin is dry.
I bet you are perpetually looking for the ideal solution or product to give some comfort to your dehydrated and chapped skin. It comes naturally to think that dehydrated skin just needs to be rehydrated, from the inside as well as from the outside, but as you may have noticed, water alone is not enough because it slips away without being able to penetrate the skin, thus obtaining the opposite of what you want.
That's why only by knowing your skin and its needs better will you be able to take care of it in a conscious way.
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So, before figuring out which cream is right for your dry skin , you should try to understand why skin gets dry, what makes it dry and consequently how you can take care of it in the best way. As complex as it may seem as an object of study, I've always been personally fascinated by understanding how our skin works so I'll try to make it as less difficult as possible below :)
Why does the skin get dry?
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First of all, you must know that our skin is protected and kept hydrated and nourished by a thin and imperceptible surface layer known as the hydrolipidic film . Produced independently by our skin, it has the role of protecting it from external aggressions and agents . In addition, it regulates the passage of substances that our skin absorbs and secretes according to an affinity criterion.
The hydrolipidic film is formed by a mixture of fatty and hydrophilic substances composed of:
- 95% from fatty substances that perform a barrier action
- 5% from water-soluble molecules that act as indirect moisturizers, retaining water.
If the skin is healthy and with a luminous appearance, the hydrolipidic film is functional and effective. In the case of dry skin , the hydrolipidic film does not perform the necessary protective functions and skin water evaporates more quickly, leading to dehydration and flaking of the skin, in the most serious cases.
The main causes of dry, dehydrated skin
they can be:
- a genetic predisposition
- an endocrine influence of a hormonal nature
- a decrease in the activity of the sebaceous glands which can occur once you enter menopause
- taking certain types of medicines
- the alteration of the hydrolipidic film using degreasing surfactants
- age: with advancing age we see a gradual reduction in the production of sebum
- different dosages
How does skin dehydration happen?
The fat, lipid component of the hydrolipidic film and the cutaneous ceramides perform an anti-dehydrating action, limiting the evaporation of water from the superficial epidermal layers, blocking its passage through the skin.
The water-soluble component of the hydrolipidic film instead acts as an indirect moisturizer, carrying out a hygroscopic activity, i.e. "binding" a certain amount of water to its molecules.
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When the skin is dry , the barrier that the hydrolipidic film and the ceramides form on the surface of the skin is weakened , resulting in a lower presence of water and unfortunately also favoring its evaporation.
As a result , dry skin is very fragile and sensitive because it lacks protection. But the really bad news is that without an adequate protective barrier, the skin is easily exposed to external aggressions (physical and chemical) and to climatic factors, accelerating skin aging processes.
So dry skin more than all other skin types needs a good moisturizing cream - nourishing to prevent premature skin aging, especially in the autumn / winter period when skin dryness tends to increase.
Dry, dehydrated skin - How to recognize it?
We can distinguish 2 types of dry skin:Dehydrated, dry-prone skin
it has a rough, opaque appearance and is visibly inelastic . It doesn't like contact with water and, especially after cleansing with degreasing products, it "pulls", but after a few hours, the sensation disappears.
It is mainly necessary to hydrate it with a cream rich in humectants, moisturizers to restore the optimal surface water content.
Very dry, alipic skin
presents a low fat content in its hydrolipidic film which consequently inadequately performs its barrier function against water loss.
It is very thin and fragile and has a dull complexion. Very sensitive and easily irritable , after contact with water, the feeling of dehydration persists for a long time due to the low fat component of the hydrolipidic film and ceramides.
Very dry, alipic skin needs to receive an intensive cosmetic treatment aimed at deeply nourishing the skin with softening, emollient and nourishing substances.
But is there also a positive side to having dry, dehydrated skin after this disastrous picture?
Luckily, yes! Dry skin does not have shiny areas, not even in the famous T-zone, enlarged pores or comedones. And the make-up stays on for a long time, even throughout the day if high-performance make-up products are used.
As you can see, every skin type has its pros and cons. In the summer it is combination / oily skin that suffers the most, while dry skin is decidedly more affected during the cold seasons. Unfortunately, air conditioning, lack of humidity in heated environments, wind, dry climate, sun rays, sudden changes in temperature worsen the dry condition of the skin.
What to do in order not to worsen the condition of your already dry skin?
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- Avoid using aggressive make-up removers, detergents or soaps, which are too degreasing so as not to further alter the already scarce hydrolipidic film. Possibly dilute the cleanser before applying it to the skin.
- Replace your makeup remover or cleanser with oatmeal or buckwheat flour. Dry skin loves the gently exfoliating properties of flours which, thanks to the small amount of fatty substances they contain, are able to emulsify and remove impurities from the skin in a very delicate and not at all aggressive way.
- Limit the use of hot water, give preference to lukewarm water.
- Avoid prolonged contact with water which leads to a further impoverishment of the skin's hydration level.
- Don't scrub your skin and avoid rough towels.
- Protect your face from sudden changes in temperature such as cold or heat, wind and make sure you spend your time in environments with a good level of humidity, especially now that the cold season is starting and the air tends to become drier thanks to the use of air conditioners and radiators.
- Always protect your skin from UV rays.
- Use highly moisturizing, nourishing and emollient cosmetic products.
- Last but not least, it is never obvious to insist on the importance of healthy and balanced nutrition even for dry skin . Yes, the skin must be treated with the right cosmetics to keep it soft, hydrated and elastic, but let us always remember that the skin must above all be hydrated from within.
Hoping that this full immersion in the fascinating world of skin has helped you to get to know yourself better, I'll leave you with a question to which I'll give you the answer in the next blog post " Moisturize or nourish dry, dehydrated skin? What's the difference between one and the other? ”
© Beautiful Delights
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