June 14, 2021
Dry skin - causes, care and tips
by Lena Severin
It feels tight, itchy and flaky – dry skin literally makes you thin-skinned. Find out how to care for it here.
- Cause of dry skin – external factors
- Cause of dry skin – predisposition and internal factors
- Which nutrients are missing in dry skin?
- What helps with dry skin? Tips for everyday life
- How do I care for dry skin? Tips for your beauty routine
- Is caring for dry skin complicated?
The skin is not only our largest organ, it is also quite fascinating - and a real all-rounder. Through a sophisticated system, it regulates our body temperature, protects us from harmful influences from the environment, absorbs impacts and cuts and thus protects our "inner workings" from injury. Its sense of touch guides us safely through life and protects us in dangerous situations.
If the skin is supple and intact, we literally feel good in our skin. To keep it that way, it doesn't usually require much. Just careful handling and gentle care. It will happily reward a healthy lifestyle with its most beautiful radiance.
But the skin doesn't always cooperate as one would like. If you have dry skin, you miss this pleasant feeling, especially in phases when it is tight, flaky, itchy or even has eczema. Dry skin on the face shows itself in the form of flakes, redness or wrinkles.
On the body, shins, elbows, forearms or hands and feet are often
particularly dry - areas where there are few sebaceous glands. If the skin is extremely dry, it can look thin, almost parchment-like. In fact, the skin becomes thinner when it is very dry.
Dry skin can be a real test, especially in winter. Low temperatures reduce the activity of the sebaceous glands, which supply the skin with a protective film of fat. Dry heating air, rubbing clothing and hot showers or baths put additional strain on the skin.
But even in summer, dry skin can clearly show when something is wrong with it. Intense UV radiation, chlorinated pool water or air conditioning are not its best friends - and certainly not for dry skin on the face or body.
If the skin is heavily stressed, perhaps even cracked, not only does your well-being suffer, but the skin's important protective function is also reduced. But why is or becomes skin dry?
1. Cause of dry skin – external factors
The skin is made up of three main layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The top layer is the multi-layered epidermis, also known as the upper skin. A thin protective film made of a mixture of sebum, sweat and water covers the stratum corneum, the uppermost of all skin layers.
The acid mantle – also called hydrolipid film – is a natural
Its slightly acidic pH value prevents pathogens from penetrating the skin. At the same time, it preserves the skin's moisture content.
Skin fats, known as lipids, connect the horny cells in the top layer of the skin. You can imagine the lipids as a kind of glue that holds the horny cells together. External influences such as long, hot showers or baths, aggressive cosmetic products with drying alcohols or highly degreasing surfactants can damage the delicate protective layer. If the acid mantle is disrupted and the lipids are washed out, the skin becomes more permeable.
The missing lipids between the horny cells can no longer prevent the evaporation of water. What do I mean by evaporation? The skin constantly releases water into the air. Conversely, it can also absorb moisture from the air and store it in the horny cells. Natural moisturizing factors help it to do this. These are water-loving substances such as lactic acid, urea or hydrophilic amino acids. If the acid mantle is disturbed, the skin not only loses fat, but also moisture.
The good news: the acid mantle regenerates itself after a few hours. The less good news: if you regularly put a lot of strain on your skin, you can overstrain it. Then it urgently needs nourishing care, for example in the form of precious skin care oils such as rosehip seed oil, which strengthens the skin's protective barrier.
But it's best not to let it get that far. You can support your skin with healthy habits and gentle skin care. However, external factors aren't the only thing that can cause dry skin.
2. Cause of dry skin – predisposition and internal factors
Although external influences have a strong influence on the condition of the skin,
Individual predisposition also plays a role. Depending on predisposition, the sebaceous glands produce more or less fat. For example: male sex hormones stimulate sebaceous gland activity. As we age, the skin becomes drier due to reduced sebaceous gland activity. Mature skin can also retain less moisture.
Internal factors also influence the condition of the skin. These include diet, psychology, hormones, fluid intake or the intake of certain medications. In addition, illnesses, such as certain metabolic diseases, can affect the health of the skin and cause dry skin.
3. What nutrients are missing in dry skin?
Dry skin can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies. Are you wondering which nutrients are missing in dry skin? Dry skin can indicate a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids or biotin. Linseed oil has a particularly high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. Bioton, also known as vitamin B7 or beauty vitamin, is found in oatmeal, walnuts, carrots and tomatoes, for example. If your skin is cracked, for example at the corner of your mouth, zinc deficiency could also be the cause.
If you suspect a nutrient deficiency, you should consult a doctor before stocking up on nutritional supplements. Not only can a one-sided diet lead to a nutrient deficiency, gastrointestinal diseases can also cause poor nutrient absorption.
Has your skin never been particularly dry, but its condition has suddenly changed significantly? Or are certain areas dry, cracked or itchy? It is best to seek medical advice to find out whether the skin changes could be caused by an illness or allergy.
4. What helps with dry skin? Tips for everyday life
What does dry skin love? A healthy lifestyle, sufficient fluid intake, a balanced diet and a careful skincare routine with special care for dry skin. It appreciates it when you stay in the shade rather than in the blazing sun. If you just refresh yourself briefly with lukewarm water in the shower, it is super happy.
And: Pay attention to your mental health. Because stress can also affect the skin
imbalance and even the symptoms of skin diseases such as
Neurodermatitis may worsen.
Here is a checklist with easy-to-implement tips for dry skin:
- lukewarm shower
- Use pH-neutral shower gel without perfume
- only clean armpits and intimate area with shower gel
- When bathing, add a moisturising additive such as almond oil to the water
- Use a cream for dry skin after showering and bathing
- Always gently pat the skin dry, do not rub
- moisturizing products such as our cleansing oil are suitable for dry skin on the face
- use a moisturizing and richer cream for dry
- Facial skin
- Wear airy clothing that does not rub against the skin
- Use perfume-free cosmetics and household products
- Drink plenty of water after strenuous activities, rinse skin with lukewarm water
- Clean and apply moisturizer
- In summer, protect your skin from UV rays with airy clothing, a sun hat and sun protection
- protect
- In winter, use a rich cream for dry skin and soft textiles made of
- Natural materials wear
5. How do I care for dry skin? Tips for your beauty routine
I have already briefly touched on some tips for caring for dry skin in the checklist. Here I will go into a little more detail to give you plenty of inspiration for your daily care routine. This can help you to bring your skin into balance more quickly. If the cause of dry skin is genetic, you will also be able to quickly improve its condition with care that is appropriate for your skin type.
In your daily skin care routine, you should pay special attention to preserving and strengthening the skin's protective barrier. As already mentioned, dry skin is more susceptible to moisture loss due to the lack of lipids. Therefore, you can moisturize it from the outside.
Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient for the care of dehydrated skin. Hyaluronic acid, which also occurs in the body, is able to bind moisture in the skin. Thanks to its water-binding capacity, hyaluronic acid makes the skin more supple and makes it look beautifully fresh and moisturized.
Since dry skin also needs fat, a light hyaluronic care product is usually not enough. A cream for dry skin should therefore provide moisture but also provide fat at the same time.
Because dry skin is often thinner and more permeable than normal skin, it can sometimes react irritably to certain ingredients in cosmetic products. Choose a skin care product for dry skin that is also suitable for sensitive skin and is free of potentially irritating ingredients such as perfume, chemical preservatives or drying alcohols. It is best to also use a washing powder or fragrances.
This is what a care routine for dry facial skin with our mild care products could look like:
SKIN CARE FOR DRY SKIN IN THE MORNING:
Wash your face in the morning with lukewarm water, then gently pat dry. The Calendula facial toner moisturizes your skin, soothes it and strengthens your skin's protective barrier at the same time.
Now distribute some Hyaluron Concentrate on the face, neck and décolleté. If your skin is particularly dry, you can also use the hyaluronan Use Rich Cream . Thanks to hyaluronic acid and aloe vera, it provides your skin with extra moisture and nourishes it with precious Organic shea butter and squalane.
If your skin needs an extra dose of care, you can apply a care oil over the cream. Our rosehip seed oil strengthens the skin's protective barrier thanks to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Applied pure, it works best on slightly damp skin. You can also mix it with your cream for dry skin or with ouraloe vera gel to create your own individual care product.
Do you want to strengthen your skin's protective barrier? Integrate squalane into your skincare routine. The oil, which is extracted from olives, strengthens the skin's protective layer and protects against moisture loss. Due to its light consistency, it is also suitable for caring for dry facial skin in summer. Mix it with a little aloe vera gel for an extra beauty boost.
SKIN CARE FOR DRY SKIN IN THE EVENING:
In the evening, cleanse your face with the mildcleansing oil . It removes dirt and make-up gently but thoroughly. The formula with valuable plant oils and mildly cleansing sugar surfactants is also well received by very sensitive and dry skin.
Now spray on some calendula facial toner and apply the hyaluronic acid concentrate again, apply your cream for dry skin or your favorite care oil to your face, neck and décolleté. You can also apply some rosehip seed oil to particularly cracked or dry areas and massage it in. It is also perfect for caring for dry scalps. Apply the oil either locally to itchy areas or over a large area of the scalp as an overnight treatment.
Is caring for dry skin complicated?
Skin care is a complex topic. But caring for dry skin isn't really that complicated, is it? Sure, you have to be a little more careful in some things. But if you treat it with love, your skin will reward you with an intact protective shield that also shines beautifully. So it's worth changing your skin care routine if your skin care routine hasn't been successful in the past.
I hope this article provides you with a lot of valuable information to help you find out the cause of your dry skin – and that you can now bring it back into balance with a tailor-made care concept.
Sources:
https://practicaldermatology.com/articles/2012-jul/understanding-the-role-of-natural-
moisturizing-factor-in-skin-hydration
https://flexikon.doccheck.com/de/Natural_Moisturizing_Factor