I get very dry and irritated skin on my face when the weather changes, especially when it starts getting colder (like right now) and for me it can be a real pain and get in the way of everyday things like wearing makeup and washing your face. I get extreme dry patches on my face that can become itchy, red and flaky and of course these symptoms don't change unless I do something about it. Since the skin on your face is very thin and delicate it always needs attention, but it can become a hassle to keep it looking good when it's irritated and dry. Over the last couple of years I have learnt a few good tips that help clear up the dry patches so your face can be the same again. Keep reading the blog to hear about my tried and tested tips I have for helping clear up any dry skin and how to keep it free of irritation.
First of all, if your skin is dry your first instinct is going to be to keep it moisturised, but using a normal everyday moisturiser won't make that much of a difference.; using a thick, fragrance free moisturiser will help a lot more. Opt for a cream or ointment rather than a lotion as they're much thicker in consistency and will help keep skin moisturised for longer. Creams that contain white soft paraffin and light liquid paraffin are ideal for dry, irritated skin, ones that I know do the trick include Nivea Creme and Oilatum if you can get your hands on them. Apply moisturiser to your face as often as needed, especially after washing your face, showering, removing any makeup or when your skin starts to feel itchy or tight. Creams with SPF are even better as they're protecting your skin from any sun damage at the same time as keeping it moisturised. If you want to get rid o any flakes of dry skin on your face, exfoliate your skin once a week with a gentle scrub to remove any dead skin cells and leave your face soft.
When it comes to washing your face, you are going to want something gentle and fragrance free, avoiding any harsh products that contain alcohol; I like using Simple Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash but use whatever works best for your skin. Don't continue to use any products that aggravate your dry skin and try not to use too many products in general, just a simple moisturiser and face wash is best, avoiding any anti-aging creams or other serums. When you've finished washing your face, remember to blot it with a towel instead of rubbing it, this will only make it worse. Limiting your time in the shower is a tip I find does help, because the hot water dries out your skin even more. Aim for a short shower with warm water instead of hot water.
Another fairly obvious and important point is to make sure you're staying hydrated! You're lacking moisture in your skin so make sure you stay topped up with lots of liquids and healthy foods. Remember to use a lip balm too, you don't want to have horrible flaky lips as well as a dry face, I really like using a Carmex Lip Balm, preferably the mint one. Another obvious one is not to touch your face too much, as this is just going to irritate it more and you really don't want that, so avoid touching your face, and make sure to clean anything that goes near or on your face like glasses, your phone, hats or scarves. Make sure to wash any clothes that go near your face in a non-bio or sensitive laundry detergent, to keep all items that touch your face clean and non-irritating on your skin. Another things to avoid on your face is makeup; unless you have to, try and go makeup free when your skin is dry, as it's just going to make it dryer and more irritated. I find it can be hard to get your foundation looking good if you have sensitive, dry and flaky patches on your face, and applying makeup to it just makes your skin look rough and cakey, so only wearing it if you have to is ideal. This also gives your skin time to breath and recover. If you find that your skin is very red when it's dry and even foundation isn't covering it all up, I really like the Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment to help cover any red parts of your face. I only apply a light layer to my skin to help the dry areas look less irritated, plus it contains SPF 30 to help protect your skin from the rays.
If you don't have any good products to use or you want to use something a little more natural, there are lots of recipes online for moisturisers and facial scrubs that contain skin loving ingredients like coconut oil and ground coffee. I have only tried a couple of recipes I found online, and while they can be messy, they are always soothing and I find there's no harm in giving it a try. If you're not into creating your own scrubs and creams, Lush have a whole lot of natural and skin loving products; I especially like the Cup O' Coffee Face Mask, which contains caffeine and coffee grounds to exfoliate and stimulate your skin. Please remember that this is just my own tips and while I have suffered from mildly dry skin for a few years now, I am not a professional dermatologist, so if you are really concerned or the dry skin doesn't seem to be clearing up, go to see your GP, because they can definitely help you more than I can.
So there are all my tips for dry and irritated skin to help you through this cold winter weather. I hope that some of these things can help someone who's having troubles with their skin, some of these tips have really helped me over the years. Leave a comment below if you have any other tips of questions about dry skin. I hope everyone has a warm weekend!
India X