Dry Skin

Dry skin has a low level of sebum and is therefore more prone to sensitivity.



The skin usually bears a parched look caused by its inability to retain moisture. It generally feels tight and uncomfortable after washing, unless you apply some type of moisturizer or skin cream to it. Chapping and cracking are other signs of extremely dry and dehydrated skin.

Dryness is aggravated by these factors: wind, extremes of temperature and air-conditioning.



All of these cause the skin to flake, chap and feel tight. Dry skin is tightly drawn over bones and looks dull, particularly on the cheeks and around the eyes. There could also be tiny expression lines on these spots and at the comers of the mouth.

Dry skin care

1. First of all, avoid use of tap water when cleansing dry skin, as the deposits are too drying on the skin. Also never, ever use hot water on dry skin. Use mineral water to freshen your face, instead and don't use a washcloth. The rough texture can irritate your skin further. In the morning, make it a point to apply a spray of mineral water on your skin misted on with a plant sprayer.
   
2. Dry skin requires plenty of thorough yet gentle cleansing, regular stimulation with massage and generous quantities of oil and moisture; it also requires extra careful protection. Washing dry skin with soap and water not only removes grime but even the natural oils protecting the skin. A moisturizer, on the other hand, increases the water content of the outer layers of the skin and gives it a soft, moist look.
   
3. Use non-detergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your dry skin. Avoid any use of commercial soaps and always touch your face gently. Double-cleanse it with a cream, leaving a light, thin trace of it on your skin after the second cleansing.
   
4. Make it a point to follow every bath or a shower with a mild application of baby oil. Also, massage your face with home-made nourishing cream every night before retiring to bed. Be generous with the cream in the areas surrounding your eyes where tiny lines and crows feet normally come about.
   
5. Avoid making contact with highly alkaline soaps and detergents such as washing sodas and powders that contain highly alkaline and drying ingredients.
   
6. Finally, moistening with water and then applying a thin film of air-excluding moisturizer, restores the suppleness of the dry skin.