Dry Skin Savers

The causes of dry skin vary and can happen anytime throughout a person’s life. It can be caused by environment, heredity, or improper skin care usage. Regardless of the cause, there are a lot of ways to support a suppler complexion and replenish dry skin through adequate hydration and moisturization. 

Truly hydrated skin is achieved by having the correct balance of both water and oil in the epidermal layers. Moisturizers contain lipids (oils) to seal water and skincare products into the skin while hydrating products infuse water directly into the cells with ingredient powerhouses such as Lactic and Hyaluronic Acids. 

When choosing products that support skin hydration, it’s important to source quality ingredients that moisturize your skin barrier without leaving it feeling oily or greasy. Too much oil in a skincare formulation can lead to occlusion, breakouts, and skin asphyxiation. 

Skin-Hydrating Ingredients

Dry skin, especially in the summer months, can be frustrating and challenging to treat. Fortunately, there are many ways to boost your skin’s barrier to achieve a smoother, more hydrated complexion. Ingredients like lactic acid, AHA’s, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides are just a few of our favorites for combating dry skin and protecting it from environmental stressors.

Choosing the correct hydrating ingredients for your specific dry skin type is essential. Many people with dry skin conditions tend to lean towards natural/organic products which aren’t always the best options. Dry skin is often accompanied by an impaired barrier function so it’s essential to understand if your skin is sensitive/reaction to specific ingredients. A great example would be essential oils. They’re considered natural and can provide many skin health benefits but if used incorrectly or applied directly to the skin, can cause irritation and sensitivity. Avoiding fragrance and perfume are also important steps to help soothe and nourish dry, sensitive skin.

• Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid used regularly in OTC skin care products and professional treatments. It’s found naturally in milk, though lactic acid in today’s skincare products is synthetically produced. Lactic acid is wildly popular in skincare for its ability to gently exfoliate, increase hydration, and improve overall skin texture. All AHA’s exfoliate and improve skin texture but lactic acid helps to improve barrier function by reducing trans-epidermal-water-loss which increases the skins protective abilities.

• Hyaluronic Acid

This powerhouse ingredient is definitely a fan-favorite among our staff and patients. Oftentimes dehydrated skin is misdiagnosed as dry skin which leads people towards choosing products that are heavier, and not necessarily best suited for their complexion. If you’ve noticed that your skin is looking dry, it may be from a lack of hydration, not oil. Hyaluronic acid has become one of the most popular anti-aging ingredients in the beauty world for good reasons. It hydrates and softens skin cells while also helping minimizing congestion by breaking up the follicular debris trapped inside the pores. When used consistently it can help you achieve a younger looking complexion by plumping the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Ceramides

When choosing the right skincare products to help treat and heal dry skin, ceramides are going to be the star of the show. Whether you suffer from seasonal dryness or have genetically dry skin, ceramide products will help replenish and restore the skin's barrier. Ceramides are fatty-acids found naturally in the skin which help maintain moisture and hydration levels. Dry skin conditions are usually deficient in ceramides which can lead to dullness and fine line/wrinkles. Incorporating products that are enriched with ceramides will help restore and maintain skin hydration resulting in healthy skin and proper barrier function.

• Aloe Vera

  Aloe Vera is a phenomenal ingredient to help soothe and hydrate the skin. It has multiple medicinal properties and provides a cooling, calming effect. While many skin care products contain Aloe Vera, the most beneficial way to use it is applied directly to the skin. Pure Aloe Vera gel is packed with water, vitamins, minerals, and other skin benefitting nutrients all of which are essential for a healthy complexion. To help keep skin smooth, calm, and hydrated (especially in summer months) apply a liberal amount of Aloe Vera gel directly to clean skin 1-2 times daily.

• Facial Oils

  Facial oils will help to create a perfect moisture balance for dry/dehydrated skin, especially when paired with hyaluronic acid. Facial creams often contain waxes to help trap active ingredients in the skin. Conversely, oils help build a resilient yet breathable barrier as they penetrate skin cells and support the lipid layer. The correct facial oils for your skin condition won’t leave your complexion looking greasy; instead it’ll make it smoother, softer, and more radiant. 

  Here’s a list of some of our favorite skin healing oils:

  1. Maracuja

  2. Grapeseed

  3. Olive

  4. Jojoba

  5. Argan

  6. Coconut

• Invest in quality ingredients

  The best advice we can give if you’re suffering from dry or dehydrated skin is to invest in high quality skincare products. While all of the aforementioned ingredients for dry skin work to boost skin hydration, it’s critical to find what works best for your unique skin needs. Incorporating a myriad of hydration boosting ingredients can do wonders in alleviating dry skin and replenishing the barrier function.

Not sure where to start when incorporating these dry skin saving ingredients? Want a custom skincare regimen and consult with our Aesthetician? Book yours here!

Learn more about our skincare services here or contact our San Francisco office and call us at 415.409.6500.