3 Products That Say Goodbye to Dry Skin

What Does Dry Skin Look Like?

Dry skin varies from person to person, but the most common symptoms are rough, tight skin that often feels flaky. If your skin is severely dry, you might also experience itchiness, redness, and sensitivity.

What Causes Dry Skin?

Weak Lipid Barrier

It might seem obvious that dry skin is caused by a lack of moisture, but how does that happen? The Lipid Barrier, also known as the Moisture Barrier, is a protective barrier found in the outer layer of the skin. Its main job is to prevent the loss of water from our skin. Picture your Lipid Barrier as a brick wall. Our skin cells are the bricks, and lipids (our natural fats) are the cement holding the bricks together. The Lipid Barrier is our skin's first line of defense, so if it becomes damaged, it can result in dry skin, redness, flakiness and even swelling. Keeping your lipid barrier healthy is the key to healthy, fully-hydrated skin! There are many things that can compromise our Lipid Barrier, such as:

• Too much sun
• Harsh chemicals
• Environmental allergens
• Humidity or dry air
• Cleansing too much
• Bacteria and pollutants
• The wrong products for your skin type

Low Oil Production

If your skin is naturally dry, it means that your skin does not produce enough of the natural oil that keeps your skin moisturised. This oil, known as Sebum, is secreted by special glands in our skin. Compared to oily skin, dry skin produces much less Sebum, meaning the skin will look and feel dry.

Air Conditioning and Heat

The environment around us has a massive impact on our skin. Spending a lot of time in dry environments (air-conditioning, for example) can lead to dry skin. The purpose of air conditioning is to remove humidity from the air, which can also draw moisture out of our skin. Too much heat, on the other hand, evaporates water from the skin's surface.

Not Exfoliating the Skin

Now, this is a big one! Our skin naturally sheds around 2 million skin cells per hour! If we don't exfoliate, these dead skin cells accumulate on the skin's surface. This means any creams or serums you use to moisturize the skin will have a hard time breaking through the barrier of dead skin cells. These dead skin cells also make the skin look dull and lifeless; no one wants that!

Harsh Products

If you have dry skin, make sure to stick to products that are specifically designed for dry skin. Strong products or soaps containing Sulphates strip the oil from the skin, causing dry skin. They can also disrupt the skin's lipid barrier causing further dryness and sensitivity.

The Best Ingredients for Dry Skin

Here are a few of the best ingredients to look out for that help nourish, hydrate and soothe dry skin!

• Hyaluronic Acid
• Glycerin
• Sodium PCA
• Vitamin E
• Shea Butter
• Niacinamide
• Avocado Oil
• Buriti Oil
• Squalane

Ready to meet our dry-skin saviors? Our experts have hand-picked some great products that are perfect if you have dry skin! Add these to your skincare routine for fully moisturized, hydrated skin! Mad Hippie Daily Pro Serum Spf 30 Mad Hippies' Daily Pro Serum contains a well-balanced cocktail of Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium PCA, and Buriti Oil, all of which have incredible moisturizing properties! It also contains powerful antioxidants like Vitamins C & E that help to protect the skin from environmental stress. Sometimes, products for dry skin can feel heavy on the skin, but this serum has a light and airy texture that instantly absorbs into the skin. And, the best part? It has built-in SPF protection to shield the skin from harmful UV rays! Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium PCA, Buriti Oil, Shea Butter How to Use: Apply the serum on cleansed skin whenever you head out into the sun. If you stay out in the sun, make sure to reapply the serum every 2 hours or after towel-drying the skin. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask Original The right mask is an essential step if you have dry skin! Summer Friday's Jet Lag Mask is the perfect remedy for hydrating thirsty skin! It gives you soft, smooth, and hydrated skin after the first application! The powerful ingredients provide an intense boost of hydration and nourish the deeper layers of the skin. The fragrance-free formula contains Niacinamide, Glycerin, and Hyaluronic acid to fully drench the skin in moisture and provide long-lasting hydration. Thanks to the gentle formula, irritated skin is calmed and soothed, leaving it feeling calm and comforted! Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Niacinamide How to Use: After cleansing, apply a thin layer to the face and neck (you can also use this mask around the eye area)! Leave the mask on for 10 minutes and then blot the skin with a tissue to remove the excess; there is no need to rinse! It can also be used as a nightly mask, daily moisturizer, or in-flight hydrator! Mz Skin Hydrate Nourish Age Defence Retinol Day Moisturiser Spf 30 If you are looking for some anti-aging care along with your moisturizing day cream, this is the one! MZ Skin's Hydrate & Nourish moisturizer is rich in Hyaluronic Acid to keep the skin fully hydrated throughout the day! It also brightens and smooths the skin leaving you with a radiant complexion! In terms of anti-aging, you can't get any better than Retinol! This nourishing day cream contains encapsulated Retinol, a non-irritating form of Retinol that smooths fine lines and refines the complexion. SPF 30 also protects the skin from harmful UV rays and helps to prevent premature aging.