Welcome back to the Velvet Runway and this post with my top seven beauty tips for dry skin.
A couple of weeks ago, I featured a guest post on simple ways to manage oily skin, and I had a lot of positive feedback, as many of you found the tips useful. However, I also had several requests for a similar post for dry skin, as, like me, many of you suffer from the opposite problem and have skin which has a tendency to dryness.
So, I have put together my top beauty tips for dry skin, read on to see how easy it is to achieve a flawless, radiant look with just a few beauty tweaks.
Top beauty tips for dry skin
1 Have a Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise Routine, using products adapted to your skin type
We all know the importance of a regular CTM (Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise) routine, and the most important factor here is to choose products that are adapted to your skin type. See below for a few tips on how to adapt your routine for dry skin:
- Consider doing a thorough double cleanse every night – I use an oil based cleanser first to remove the majority of my make-up, then finish with a milk cleanser. However, don’t cleanse more than twice a day as the natural oils produced by the skin are required to nourish it, and over-cleansing will only exacerbate the dryness.
- Oil cleansing is one of the most simple and effective beauty tips for dry skin.It cleanses skin without disturbing the natural skin’s oils, and you can easily adapt a few of your regular household products to give a completely natural cleanse – all you need are a few drops of olive oil and coconut oil or sweet almond oil.
- If you have dry skin, ensure that you use a gentle cleanser that contains no harsh agents – there are a number of gentle cleansers in the stores and some of them, such as Dermatologica Ultra Calming Cleanser and Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with orange extract which soften skin while deeply cleansing
- Don’t skip the toner stage. Toners are supposed to be used right after cleansing the skin in order to restore the skin’s pH balance. I know that some people are worried that toners will strip the skin but a good skin toner should actually nourish the skin and provide antioxidants and fatty acids to give a fresher, smoother and younger appearance, as well as removing any remaining impurities. Many beauty brands now formulate toners especially adapted for dry skin, such as the Fresh Rose Floral Toner or the Kiehl’s Calandula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free toner.
- Another little tip is to keep your toner in the fridge to give an instant glow. (You can even freeze some toner in ice-cube trays, and then rub one quickly over your face and neck for a quick pick-me-up, but be careful to wrap the ‘toner cube’ in tissue and keep it moving as ice-burn is not a good look!)
- Wait at least three months when testing new products (unless of course you have a bad reaction to a product in which case you should stop using it immediately!). Also, when switching products, only change one at a time so you can see what the actual impact is.
2 Exfoliate regularly
When it comes to topical skin care, most of us concentrate on cleansing, toning and moisturizing and completely ignore exfoliation. But, if you don’t exfoliate then you may just be putting moisturiser onto dead skin cells which seems pointless!
Exfoliation helps in cleaning clogged pores and hair follicles which prevents the breakout of acne, but it also improves skin texture by reducing the appearance of large pores. You may think that you don’t need to exfoliate if you have dry skin, but regular exfoliation makes it easier for the skin to absorb serums and moisturisers, and so all the moisturising products you are using will penetrate better.
However, if you have dry skin, then limit your exfoliation to once or twice per week, and avoid any products that have harsh beads or grains which could irritate your skin. Use either a gentle scrub or just use an exfoliating cleanser or toner from time to time. Have a look at this article for choosing an exfoliator adapted to your skin type.
3 Make sure to keep skin hydrated from the inside-out
We all know the importance of boosting your beauty from the inside out by drinking lots of water and loading up on omega-3s (essential fatty acids found in foods such as salmon and walnuts, and which boost hydration), so try to aim for eight glasses of water per day and have a look here for the best foods to help with dry skin.
However, you can also help your skin by hydrating from the outside too! Make sure you pick a day cream that provides both hydration and protection, as well as anti-oxidants.
Moisturizers slow down water loss through the superficial layers of the skin and strengthen your skin barrier. Choose moisturisers that are specially adapted for dry skin, such as First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream or Clinique Moisture Surge for dehydrated skin.
You can choose moisturisers that incorporate sun protection if you wish (choose nonirritating physical sunblocks, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.) or add your sun protection separately.
See this article for an explanation of all the different types of moisturiser.
4 Use a Hyaluronic Acid Serum
If your skin is particularly dry, then you could add a serum, containing hyalauronic acid to your routine. Have a look below for a selection of serums, containing hyaluronic acid to target multiple depths and offers both short and long term rehydration.
I have included serums for all budgets, as well as a couple of hyaluronic products for hair too!
5 Use a weekly hydrating mask
I also like to incorporate a weekly mask or sleep in mask into my routine to ensure that my skin remains moisturised: two of my favourite sleep in masks are Origins ‘Drink up and Youth to the People Glow Dream Mask with Vitamin C .
However, if you are looking for natural remedies then have a look at this article.
6 Be careful in the sun
The sun is a great source for vitamin D, and therefore it is important not to avoid the sun completely. However, strong UV rays can not only damage the texture of the skin but over exposure to these rays can result in skin cancer.
Buy an SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use, ideally a sunscreen with no fragrance or oil. In the summer, I particularly like the power variety, which come with a handy brush. These are not only less greasy than a cream sunscreen, but the handy brush means that it is easy to reapply during the day.
See above for some of my sunscreen picks, including an easy to apply power, a stick format and protection for the lips and hair.
7 My little secret
A final little tip is to use the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair with your foundation. I have often read to add a couple of drops of the Advanced Night Repair to your foundation to increase hydration, but I like to pat on the Advanced Night Repair after applying my foundation as I find it hydrates better and gives a dewy finish!
Have a look at this article for the best foundations for dry skin.
I hope you enjoyed this feature about my top beauty tips for dry skin, and have a look here for more of our beauty features.
I will be back soon with more style, lifestyle and travel inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog below to make sure you never miss a post,
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With love,
Love these suggestions! So great. xx, Erin – http://www.stylebythepeople.com
Thank you so much Erin 🙂
Thanks for sharing!!! xx
Hadasah Love | http://www.styletolove.com
Thanks for reading Hadasah xx
These are surely great tips. It is a bonus if one finds the right beauty product. And you have featured some great ones as well.
Great post!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Great tips , i use the Clinique range for cleansing at night.
Thank you Uzo )
Lots of water is a solution x
Yukova Blog
Yes, but not always easy to drink lots of water, particularly if you are travelling x
I loved this post, specially because at this moment my skin is dryer than the usual – probably because of allergies (: Thanks for sharing this with us!
Have a lovely day,
Madalena
http://www.maadalenaaa.blogspot.com
Thank you Madalena; Glad you found it useful xx
alcuni prodotti li adoro *_*
Grazie 🙂
Thank you for sharing these tips, and I agree hydration is so incredibly important
Filipa xxx
PlayingWithApparel.com | Instagram
Thanks Filipa. It’s so important to stay hydrated but also so difficult (at least it is for me!) 🙂
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
much love, Len
http://www.lenparent.com
Thank you Len! Have a great day xx
I drink alot of water, and use a good moisturizer. That helps me. These are very good tips!
xx, Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/
Thank you Elle xx
I have dry skin and those tips are great! I think I’ll start using oil cleansers!
http://www.thestyletune.com
Thank you! I definitely recommend an oil cleanser – it also really takes your make-up off!
I love these tips! I totally agree that it’s super important to exfoliate every once in a while!
http://thecourtneydiaries.com
Thank you Courtney 🙂
These are great tips! I don’t use a toner because I thought the same thing, that it would strip the skin. I’ll have to try that Clarins one. I also need to find a better moisturizer with spf. The one I’ve been using was working, but now I’m noticing some dry patches. Great advice!
~Lili
Thank you so much Lili. I always use a toner as I find it really freshens me up, but I would definitely recommend one for dry skin (I also sometimes use an exfoliating toner rather than an actual exfoliator) 🙂
Loved these tips, so important to remember to drink water! Xx
http://www.thefashionfolks.com
Yes, and it’s something I’m really bad at! Apparently, you can get an app that reminds you to drink water at regular intervals – I think I will have to look into it xx
These are great tips! I tend to have dry skin in the winter. I love using face oils during that time.
http://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks Kathrine – face oils are a great idea for dry skin 🙂
I have super dry skin, so at night I actually use an advanced night repair serum similar to the one from Estee, but from Kiehl’s. Thanks for sharing this post!
xo
Siffat
http://icingandglitter.com
Thank you Siffat. I think an advanced night repair serum is a great idea for dry skin! 🙂
Great advice. I think it is important to use the right products for your age. Sometimes it is difficult to get this information. I am still searching for something to make the wrinkles disappear???
Me too! I think the only thing to make wrinkles disappear is a magic wand! Let me know if you find one xx