If you suffer from dry skin, you’ve likely tried every fix in the book. But some of your daily skin care habits might actually be making your dry skin worse.
Read on to find out if you’re making any of these cardinal skin care mistakes and learn what you can do to give your skin the moisture and tender loving care it needs all year long.
- Showering Too Often
Nothing takes away the stresses of the day like a long, hot shower. Unfortunately, showering too much can strip your skin of the essential moisture it needs to remain soft and supple. If you often hop into the shower, you’re not doing your skin any favors. Spending prolonged periods of time under hot spray can actually leech the moisture from your skin. Instead, keep your showers lukewarm and limit your time spent under the spray to five minutes. You’ll save your skin and save water—it’s a double win!
- Using the Wrong Moisturizer
If you have dry skin, a light moisturizer won’t do the trick. Those dealing with dry, scaly patches should look for thick, cream-based moisturizers that can provide the extra moisture. It’s also important that you switch up your moisturizers as the weather changes throughout the year. A lighter moisturizer may do the trick in the humid summers, but the dry, arid air in winter may require a thicker touch.
- Forgoing Sunscreen
Wear. Sunscreen. Every. Day. There’s no simpler way to put it. Even if it’s overcast or raining, putting on UV protection is essential. This will help prevent aging, keep your skin protected from cancerous growths, and ensure your skin tone remains even. Many makeup brands now incorporate SPF in their products, so take a look at your favorite foundations and find something that provides more than a beautiful finish.
- Exfoliating Too Much
Exfoliation is good for the skin, but there is such a thing as exfoliating too much. Over-scrubbing with exfoliates can be too harsh on dry skin types, especially if you use a product with microbeads. This scrubbing particles can scratch the surface of the skin, and are known environmental pollutants. Instead, stick to products like BioClarity that contain gentle exfoliators like salicylic acid. This helps take off the dead layer of skin and clear out pores without damaging the new skin underneath.
- Using Skin Care Products with Irritating Ingredients
We all want to smell our best, but using products with strong fragrances in them can dry out the skin. If you have lotions, perfumes, or even skin care products that contain irritating ingredients like fragrance, parabens, or sulfates, look for alternatives that use natural ingredients. You’d be amazed at the horrible ingredients skin care companies are able to get away with, and it’s always a good idea to read the ingredients list on the back of the bottle.
- Going to Bed with Makeup On
We get it—sometimes you’re just too tired to spend the time taking off your makeup. Fight through that sleepy feeling and take off all of your makeup—every last bit of it—before laying down for the evening. Don’t rely on makeup wipes; these generally don’t get all the grime and dirt that’s built up in the skin’s pores throughout the day. Give your face a thorough washing and allow it the chance to repair overnight for glowing skin in the morning. Just two minutes each night can do wonders for your skin.
- Misdiagnosing Your Skin
You may believe you simply have excessively dry skin, but it could be a more serious condition. Both eczema and psoriasis are characterized by raised, red, itchy patches. They both may produce thick flakes and appear rather crusty. If the dry skin is on your scalp, arms, body, or legs—essentially anywhere other than your face—it could be a sign of these two conditions. >ake an appointment with a dermatologist to determine whether further treatment is needed.
You don’t have to settle for dry skin. Give your skin the moisture it needs and avoid making these skin care mistakes to look and feel your best.