Skin Hydration Tips and Tricks RSS

Posted July 2022

Written by Jamie Barrows

Does it feel like you are losing the skin hydration battle? Some days, it can be easy to feel discouraged when dealing with dry, flaky skin. It creates physical and mental irritation. Dry skin can even make fine lines and wrinkles look more prominent. Your skin needs water for elasticity and strength to be at its best. While regularly applying a hydrating lotion is a great plan to combat dry skin, there are a few additional (and vital) steps you should be taking to complement the work that the product is doing. This is especially true for those of us who have chronic dry skin.

Wash Up with Cooler Water

It might be challenging, but lowering the temperature in your shower can significantly impact your dry skin levels. Just like washing dishes with hot water dries your hands out, the impact of a hot shower is ten-fold. Not only will bathing with cool water aid skin hydration, but it can also improve circulation and tighten hair follicles. Today, we even see evidence that cryotherapy has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (Defouilloy).

Exfoliate Sometimes

When it comes to
exfoliation, it is all about balance. Too little exfoliation, and you’ll have an abundance of dead skin cells hanging around. Too much exfoliation could irritate the deeper layers of your skin. Regular exfoliation twice per week is a good guideline to go by. When you rid your skin of all those dead cells, moisturizing skincare products will be much more effective because there won’t be tough and flaky skin cells blocking the way for absorption. Try one of the many exfoliating bar soaps on the market like Sunaroma’s Oatmeal and Vitamin E Bar.

Drink More Water

The benefits of drinking the
95 to 130 recommended ounces of water daily are constantly reinforced. It can improve mental clarity and digestion and lubricate your joints. But did you know that this recommendation also applies to your skin? When it comes to topical treatments, many products only penetrate the top layers of your skin, which becomes even more challenging to achieve when it is rough and dry. Drinking enough water allows hydration to work from the inside out, plumping the cells inside the dermis (middle layer) and the hypodermis (bottom layer).

Choose a Gentle, Moisturizing Soap

Last but certainly not least, one of the easiest actions you can take to combat dry skin is to seek a gentle and moisturizing bar soap. In the past, bar soap gained a poor reputation for being too harsh on the skin. As the skincare industry evolved, so did bar soap ingredients. Today, we have a wide range of options in moisturizing bar soap, from moisture-locking colloidal oatmeal to gentle humectants like hyaluronic acid, which actually attract water. For those not looking to dip into unfamiliar ingredients, choosing a neutral and pH-balanced bar is also a great way to balance your microbiome and avoid drying out your skin. Our top picks for these cleansers are
Tom’s of Maine’s collection of natural beauty bars or a classic Dove Beauty Bar.

While there is no quick fix to dry skin, these recommendations will help you reach your skincare goals. Consider overhauling your entire routine and combining all these tips for a higher chance of success. Staying consistent is key to a healthy microbiome! 

 

Sources
Defouilloy, Mélanie. “The benefits of the cold for skin and hair.” Vogue France, 4 Feb. 2022,
www.vogue.fr/beauty-tips/article/skin-care-cold

Seitz, Adrienne, and Markus MacGill. “How Much Water Should You Drink a Day?” Medical News Today, 18 Nov. 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306638#intake-by-age