What Is The Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin
Dry skin can be easily irritated and inflamed, making it difficult to maintain a thorough skincare routine. According to Dr. Taylor Dickerson of U.S. Dermatology Partners in Tyler, Texas, Taking care of dry skin is all about being consistent with your morning and evening skincare routines and using gentle, non-drying skincare products to ensure your skin stays healthy and moisturized. In this blog, Dr. Dickerson will walk through the causes of dry skin, ideal morning and evening skincare routines, and recommended products for dry skin.
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You may have seen LED light therapy in several different forms. A popular one resembles a Star Wars stormtrooper mask. Well, this is what is known as LED phototherapy. Much like me, you may be skeptical at first when it comes to LED light therapy, as it can seem like a gimmick. However, it comes highly recommended by dermatologists, aestheticians, and doctors. From facials to at-home devices, LED light therapy is becoming increasingly popular. But what exactly is it? Lets dig deep.
Change #: I Use A Dry Oil To Spot
The last thing I have in my routine is a go-to product that I use when my skin is acting extra sensitive or having some sort of reaction. The First Aid BeautyUltra Repair Oat & Hemp Seed Dry Oil is a “treatment oil infused with cannabis sativa seed oil and colloidal oatmeal to help de-stress and hydrate dry, reactive, and sensitive skin.” If and when I need to use this dry oil for damage control, I wash my face with my usual cleanser and only apply a few drops of the oil to my face along with my moisturizer.
Soon after I do this, my skin will have completely calmed down. I even use this oil after an eyebrow or lip wax to soothe my red skin.
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Can Oily Skin Types Only Use Oil
According to Spierings, you arent limited to products labeled oil-free, for two reasons.
Firstly, she says what you put on your skin does not impact how the oil gland functions.
And secondly, There is actually no such thing as oil free products anyway all topical creams have some sort of occlusive or oil in them to give them a cream consistency, she explains.
How To Choose A Sulfate
As sulfate is an irritant and also a common allergen, it is important to be aware of the best sulfate-free facial washes and cleansers available in the market.
What To Keep In Mind When Buying A Sulfate-free Facial Cleanser
- Know your skin type
Identify whether your skin type is oily, dry, combination, or sensitive to determine which cleanser or wash may best suit you. If you have sensitive skin and are prone to acne, you may want to choose a cleanser thats suitable for oily skin that is also non-comedogenic so that your skin doesnt break out from using the cleanser.
It is also important to know about the ingredients in the product you are considering. If you are looking for protection from free radicals, choosing a product enriched with antioxidants in its ingredient list will definitely help you.
- Purpose of the product
When choosing the best facial cleanser, think about what skin issues you face and what you would like to improve. If you are beginning to develop fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of photoaging, then perhaps you need a cleanser that also has skin brightening and tightening properties.
- Skin conditions
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Ingredients To Look For
Moisturizing is so important if you have sensitive skin. “You want to look for simple products that are pH-balanced and contain moisture-replenishing properties such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, and linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids,” says Coppola. “Additional ingredients that can help calm and restore sensitive, irritated skin include colloidal oatmeal, honey, white and green tea extract, and aloe. However, not all ingredients will work well for everyone, so a patch test should be a part of an individual approach to skincare.”
Wesley also recommends tiger grass extract, which is also known as gotu kola or centella asiatica leaf extract. It’s an ingredient used in traditional Chinese medicine that is soothing and comforting. “Centella asiatica has been shown in numerous published research studies to have wound-healing and anti-inflammatory benefits,” she adds. If you are looking for a product that promotes skin cell turnover but can’t tolerate retinoids or glycolic acid, Wesley suggests opting for products with ingredients like lactic acid, azelaic acid, and probiotic lysate, which has similar benefits but won’t put you in the over-exfoliating zone.
A Note About Sensitive / Reactive Skin
If you think you have sensitive skin, memorize this rule of thumb: any ingredient, synthetic or natural or mineral or animal , can be irritating to YOUR skin. Everyone is different, so if you find that youve got unidentified redness, irritation, bumps, itchiness, blemishes, flakiness or dryness popping up while youre using a new product, you might have to do a little detective work to figure out what ingredient is the culprit.
Yes, that takes time, energy and effort, but trust me, its WORTH IT. Having a list of ingredients you personally need to avoid is a game-changer when it comes to getting a glowy, even-toned, irritation-free complexion.
Example? It took me nearly three years to realize lavender was the cause of continuous breakouts on my face now, I rarely get cystic acne because Ive eliminated that ingredient from my routine. Its incredibly annoying to read through a list of ingredients on a new product and realize I cant use it, BUT Id take that annoyance over painful red cystic acne any day.
ALSO. Listen to your skin. If you apply a product and you get itchiness shortly after or you get a little too much sun and your skin is inflamed or youre having any kind of flare up , TAKE IT EASY. Your skin is trying to tell you something with all those red flagspay attention and dont assume that your skin will get over it.
AKA, ignore the adage that your skin needs time to adjust to a product. Thats a recipe for grumpy sensitive skin.
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Is Vitamin C Okay For Dry Skin
Certain forms of vitamin C, like ascorbyl glucoside, offer all the brightening benefits without the irritation. If you have dry skin, look for this form of vitamin C specifically. Otherwise, you may have success with a product that combines another form of vitamin C with hydrating ingredients like glycerin.
Don’t Wear Makeup To Bed
When you’re tired, it can be tempting to go to bed without washing your face. But leaving makeup on your skin can clog your pores and cause acne. So wash it off with a gentle cleanser or makeup remover. Use a soft wash cloth or cotton pads. If you use acne medicine, now’s a good time to put it on — when your face is clean and you won’t be putting on makeup.
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Best Moisturizers For Oily Skin
- Size: 1.8 fl oz.
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, glycerin
It can be difficult choosing a moisturizer when you have oily skin. You want to add hydration without making the skin appear even shinier.
This lightweight lotion from CeraVe may be a good choice. Designed to be used at nighttime, it helps to restore the skins protective barrier.
As well as being oil-free and noncomedogenicmeaning it wont clog your poresits also formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and glycerin.
The latter forms a protective layer to prevent moisture loss and also hydrates the skin by drawing moisture from the air into the skins outer layer.
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin e
With a super lightweight, sheer texture, this moisturizer from SkinMedica aims to add hydration to the skin without making it appear greasy.
Its formulated with hyaluronic acid which improves the skins hydration levels. It also contains vitamin C and vitamin E, both of which can protect the skin from environmental pollution.
Although its on the pricier side, many reviewers say they found it effective. Many said they loved the non-greasy, lightweight formula and noticed a reduction in breakouts. They also said a little goes a long way.
On the downside, however, it doesnt contain SPF.
- Size: 1.7 fl oz.
- Key ingredients: salicylic acid, bamboo charcoal
If acne and oil-control are your two biggest bugbears, this oil-free moisturizer from Origins may be the one for you.
Food And Sleep For Healthy Skin
Keep your skin healthy by eating smart. Fill your plate with veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Choose lean proteins like chicken, fish, lean meat, beans, and eggs. Avoid foods that are high in cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats, salt, and sugar. Get plenty of sleep to avoid dark circles, fine lines, dull skin, and other side effects of bad rest. Relax! Even stress can make you break out. And stay hydrated.
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Avoid Long Hot Showers
Its time to swap your long, hot showers for shorter, lukewarm ones. Why? Sensitive skin often reacts negatively to heat exposure which breaks down the skins lipid barrier. Melissa Piliang, MD tells SELF: Think about it like butter on a knife. If you put it under cold water, the fat on the knife doesnt go anywhere. But if you put it under warm water, those lipids will melt away. Its the same kind of issue with the lipid layer in our skin. If you put your skin in hot water or use harsh soaps, then it tends to wash that outer protective fatty layer away.
Skin Care Routine For Sensitive Skin
The skincare routine for sensitive skin should contain products that are non-irritating and specially formulated for sensitive skin.
For Morning
1. Cleansing
Use a gentle sulfate-free cleansing lotion that does not lather or foam to wash your face in the morning. This will help get rid of dirt without irritating your skin.
2. Toning
You may or may not use toners for sensitive skin. If you use toners, look for products specifically designed for sensitive skin. Avoid alcohol, fragrances, artificial dye, essential oils, and other chemical irritants. Instead, use products that contain green and white tea extracts, chamomile, and beta-glucan, as they are anti-inflammatory and help reinforce your skins barrier.
3. Facial Mist
You may spritz a hydrating and gentle facial mist. This helps to calm your skin. Pick a mist that has a hydrating formula.
4. Moisturizing
Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic is the way to go when shopping for a moisturizer for sensitive skin. This will keep your skin hydrated without irritating it.
5. Sunscreen
Pick a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide. This ingredient is less likely to irritate your skin.
For Night
Use the same cleanser that you use in the morning.
2. Toning
Use the same toner that you use in the morning.
3. Serum
Pick a serum that has hydrating and calming ingredients. Choose one that is specially formulated for sensitive skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and organic ingredients, such as chamomile and calendula oils.
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What Are The Signs Of Having Sensitive Skin
As different people show different kinds of signs and symptoms upon having sensitive skin. In order to get into a simple skincare routine for sensitive skin, you have to understand what are the signs of sensitive skin you are facing. We have compiled some signs that sensitive skin people usually suffer from time to time. Most importantly, if you face the following symptoms regularly, it is always wise to get in touch with a dermatologist.
Change Up Your Nightly Routine
Your skin cells repair themselves at night, mostly between the hours of 11pm and 2am, which is why a good nights sleep is so important when it comes to keeping your skin youthful and preventing premature ageing. To help this process even more, you can add in extra products and moisture to your nighttime skincare routine to create the optimal environment for skin cell repair.
Night creams such as Resilience Multi-Effect Night byEstée Lauder give you double the richness and benefits of the day cream to nourish skin while you sleep.The brands Advanced Night Repair serum actually helps in the repair process and reduces the ageing effects of daily skin damage, so its another great addition for your nighttime skincare routine. These are just examples, but you can add richer creams, oils, and repair serums to really give your skin a helping hand and wake up with beautifully glowing skin. Now go forth and stick to your skincare resolutions!
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Is The Soothe Regimen Fragrance Free
The Soothe Regimen does not contain any fragrances, including natural or synthetic fragrances. Fragrance ingredients can cause irritation to those with sensitive skin. For this reason, we do not use any fragrance in the Soothe Regimen. Soothe is designed & clinically tested for sensitive skin with the following claims:⢠Non-comedogenic⢠Suitable/tested on people with sensitive skin.
Change #: I Switched From A Physical Exfoliator To A Chemical One
After researching in depth about the different types of exfoliants, consulting with experts, and writing of it in a previous post, my skin has been reacting really well to my chemical exfoliant.
Chemical exfoliants are less intense than their physical counterparts so they can be used every day, as long as one’s skin can handle it. Now that I use my Farmacy Deep Sweep pore cleaning 2% BHA toner a few times a week, my cheeks are more hydrated and less red than ever before.
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Skincare Routine For Sensitive Skin
Creating an effective skincare routine for sensitive skin is difficult, considering that any mishaps can lead to more reactions, redness, or irritation. To make this arduous task easier, here are a few tips for putting together a step-by-step ritual that fits your sensitive skin.
Sensitive Skin Cleanser
Washing your face can seem prosaic, but it is the most important step of the skincare routine that eliminates bacteria and pollution accumulated during the day and allows other products to sink in. The ideal face wash for sensitive skin should dissolve impurities and gunk without stripping essential moisture. The rule of thumb is to use a mild gel or creamy cleanser that skips moisture-depleting ingredients like abrasive particles, perfumes, and sulfates. Wash your face twice daily with a non-drying cleanser and lukewarm water, and pat it dry without rubbing.
Sensitive Skin Toner
Toner is the perfect in-between step that removes any impurities left behind by the cleanser and enhances the penetration of the products you apply afterward. A good toner for your sensitive complexion should balance skin pH and load calming actives like niacinamide, centella asiatica, squalane, and allantoin. Steer clear of toners with alcohol or other astringents , as they can strip the skin.
Sensitive Skin Serums
Sensitive Skin Moisturizer
Sensitive Skin Sunscreen
Beauty Of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics Sunscreen
Step Five: The last and final step of my morning routine is drinking my Bowe Growe, she says. The elixir targets inner skin carewhat she considers the missing layer of your skin-care routine. Bowe Growe is a vegan elixir made with a blend of polyphenols which are powerful plant-based nutrients that help rebalance your gut microbiome and support healthy skin from the inside out. I treat the skin from the inside out and from the outside in as part of my three-dimensional approach to skin health, and although I eat an incredibly healthy diet, I also believe in smart, strategic supplementation. Bowe drinks one to three drops of the elixir in four ounces of water once per day.
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Helpful Hints And Pointers
If you have multiple concerns, you might want to use multiple formulas. I recommend treating different areas with different products, Mattioli says. Maybe youll use a vitamin C serum all over but then dab on for hyperpigmentation on just a few spots. Just run any combination by your dermatologist to avoid any potential reactions.
To save time, dont try mixing a serum into your moisturizer. This lessens the ability of the serum to absorb effectively, Dr. Nazarian says. Products should be applied one by one.
Not all serums are applied with the same frequency. This varies with the ingredients, Dr. Nazarian says. I prefer antioxidants in the morning because they give you additional protection from the environment, and most of us dont use enough sunscreen as is, Mattioli says. Yet certain ingredients are best when slathered on at night. For example: Retinols are not sun-stable and will degrade if applied in daytime, Dr. Nazarian explains. Bottom line: Read the label instructions carefully.
Fragrances And Essential Oils
According to the FDA, fragrance ingredients are some of the most common culprits for irritation and contact dermatitis. They top our list of irritants because they are far more common than the other ingredients the FDA warns against, like latex, which is only used in some eyelash glues and certain dyes that are only used in hair dye.
Some people with sensitive skin can tolerate specific fragrances and not others, but the issue is that companies dont have to disclose what their fragrances contain. You can usually see the main fragrance compounds, which are listed at the very end, but this would still require you to know which specific fragrance compounds your skin reacts to! If you have sensitive skin, its often better to avoid fragrances altogether.
You should be aware that some products might claim to be fragrance-free when in reality they contain essential oils, which are just naturally-derived fragrances. Some essential oils can have beneficial effects on the skin, like acne-fighting tea tree oil, but that doesnt mean they cant cause irritation. Some essential oils that are recommended for sensitive skin, like lavender and chamomile, can themselves lead to a negative reaction!
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