1.09.2012

Dry skin

OK it's that time of year again when dry skin really sets in. There are a multitude of fixes out there and I'll share a few of my favorites.

The biggest thing you need to know is that dead skin does not hold moisture. So if you have a build up of dead skin you can apply 20lbs of moisturizer but it's not going to get through to the skin you need it to get through to. You need to make sure you exfoliate regularly to remove the dead skin before you apply moisturizer. I love to use scrubs in the shower. When choosing a scrub avoid ones that have pieces of nuts. The sharp edges can actually make small cuts in the skin. Look for ones that are beaded instead. This applies to the skin on your face as well. You should not use a scrub everyday on your face. 1 to 2 times a week is plenty. Over exfoliation can cause broken capillaries, overly sensitive skin and even irritate or spread acne.

Moisturizer for your face should be skin specific. Light moisturizers for oily/acne skin and heavier more emollient moisturizers for dry skin. I love night moisturizers this time of year. Night moisturizers are made to actually absorb into the skin giving much more hydration. I love PCA's silkcoat balm this time of year for really dry skin. Their Rebalance moisturizer is great for more oily/acne skin.

Using a hydrating mask once a week really makes a huge difference as well. They make some great new masks that can actually be left on the skin for extra hydration. Environ makes one that not only hydrates but exfoliates at the same time. Love it!!!

Moisturizer for your body comes in so many forms it's impossible to narrow them all down. My personal favorite is Oil of Olay Quench! Gives me hydration that lasts all day. Please note it does not smell the greatest.
If you don't have time to exfoliate in the shower using a moisturizer with an alpha hydroxy acid in it will exfoliate and moisturize at the same time. My favorite for this is AmLactin. Again this does not smell good at all but it works beautifully. For skin that is so dry that it is cracked I love Aquafor. This is a very, very thick moisturizer. Doctors actually tell clients to use this after laser surgery because it occludes the skin. It will not let water leave the skin.



If you have a favorite moisturizer I'd love to hear about it. I always love to try new products

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