The Low Down On Dry Skin

Dry skin…“Hated It!” Regardless of how much lotion you put on, it never seems to do the job. And forget oiling up after a shower. Forget oiling up altogether. The only moisturizers that seem to work are Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, and Petroleum Jelly. If you didn’t use those growing up, then you were bound to be patchy, itchy, and burning by lunchtime.

Dry skin was the reason I looked forward to Fall and Winter. There were no oiled up chests, abs, or bared skin. No one is flexing in the cold! This was the only time of year when everyone was bundled up in cardigans, scarves, gloves, long pants, and calf-high boots. 

Prior to the Autumn, I was the only nut walking around in Cardigans and pants pretending to be cold, with beads of sweat on the bridge of my nose and along my forehead. Instead of concocting methods to conceal my problematic skin, it might’ve been easier to give my skin the hydration it needed. Had I done so initially, I could’ve saved myself the shame of several missed stroke attacks.

If you were raised by my Mom, then you know she often preached, “Drink Water”. Anytime I suffered any ailment, her answer was, “It’s because you haven't drunk enough water.” If you are sleepy, have a headache, backache or you’re starving, the answer was always “drink some water”. From time to time, she would change it up and respond to the latter with, “Go to bed. If you were asleep, you wouldn’t know you were hungry”. All of which was said in a joking manner. My mom, would feed us. 

Nonetheless, with several recoils being, “drink water”, I never grasped the concept behind the act. It was never explained that water controlled the majority of our body’s functions; whether internal or external. Or, that our bodies require copious amounts of water to thrive. 

But back to the topic at hand, dry, inflamed skin occurs due to the production, or lack of, your body’s sebum. The lack of oil is most triggered by your environment, hormones, age, genetics, and lifestyle. Other factors that may contribute to flare-ups are fragrant soaps and detergents, frequent scalding showers, medications, and dermal issues like eczema, psoriasis and etc. 

If you read Part 1 of this series, you may remember my mention of Oleic Acid and its benefits to dry skin. If not, take a moment to give Two Truths and A Lie About Oily Skin a read. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.  

Oleic Acid, though problematic for individuals with oily, acne-prone skin, is a savior to individuals who suffer from dry, wheezing skin - like me. Coupled with Omega 3’s, Oleic Acid provides the best solution to dry skin. Both, penetrate our skin’s surface to thoroughly moisturize, reduce inflammation, protect against environmental pollutants, and minimize signs of premature aging. 

Incorporating oils abundant in Oleic Acid and Omega 3’s, immediately after a WARM shower, will work wonders for your skin. Integrate soaps and cleansers with added moisturizers. Drink adequate amounts of water. Use fragrance-free and chemical-free soaps and detergents. Eat Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene rich foods. Avoid processed sugars, alcohol, and caffeine. Get adequate amounts of sleep. Lastly, cover-up this fall and winter season.  

To start your dry skin treatment, begin with a clean slate. Cleanse your skin with one of our facial cleansers and masks. Follow up with an exfoliant to remove any fine particles and built up makeup. Clarify and shrink your pores with our Tidal Rose Toner. Prevent unwanted wrinkles, pigmentation and inflammation with our Serums. Seal in all of the nutrients with apply our Mermaid Milk Nutrient Glow Moisturizer. Massage in our Ampoule with a tool from our massage therapy collection, for added skin detoxification, enhanced oil absorption, tighter skin, and stress relief - another known cause of dry skin. Lastly, apply some sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays.

As far as oils go, your starting 5 should be Soybean, Canola, Olive, Sesame and Walnut oils. Introducing these into your skincare routine, will produce visible results and give you that WAP (Weatherproof Authentic Polish)! 

If you loved this week’s blog, you learned something, or if you could identify with my struggle, leave me a comment below! And don’t forget to share this with others who may be struggling with the same issues! If you have any questions that weren’t covered, leave a comment, or shoot me an email at checkthisout@innovategreenllc.com!

Stay tuned for the next portion of our blog series, where we will focus on the best methods to balance combination skin! 

*I am not a medical doctor or health professional. All content and media provided are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.*

Love Always,

Lisa