dry skin - Causes, care and tips

June 14, 2021

dry skin - Causes, care and tips

Lena Severin

It tightens, itches and flakes - dry skin literally makes you thinner-skinned. Find out how to care for it here.

  1. Cause of dry skin - external factors
  2. Cause of dry skin - predisposition and internal factors
  3. Which nutrients are missing in dry skin?
  4. What helps with dry skin? Tips for everyday life
  5. How do I care for dry skin? Tips for your beauty routine
  6. Is caring for dry skin complicated?

The skin is not only our largest organ, it is also quite fascinating - and a real all-rounder. Thanks to a sophisticated system, it regulates our body temperature, protects us from harmful environmental influences, absorbs bumps and cuts and thus protects our "inner life" 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 usually doesn't require much. Just careful handling and gentle care. It gladly rewards a healthy lifestyle with its most beautiful radiance.

But the skin doesn't always play along the way you want it to. Anyone who has dry skin misses this comforting feeling, especially in phases when it is tight, flaky, itchy or even has eczema. dry skin to face manifests itself in flakes, redness or wrinkles.

On the body, shins, elbows, forearms or hands and feet
are often particularly dry - areas where there are only a 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.

Especially in winter, dry skin can be a real test of endurance. This is because low temperatures reduce the activity of the sebaceous glands, which provide the skin with a protective film of oil. Dry heating air, rubbing clothing and hot showers or baths also put it under additional strain.

But even in summer, dry skin can clearly show when something doesn't suit her. Intense UV radiation, chlorinated pool water or air conditioning are not her best friends - and dry skin to face or on the body certainly isn't.

If the skin is severely stressed, perhaps even cracked, it is not only our well-being that suffers. The skin's important protective function is also reduced. But why is or does the skin actually become dry?

1. cause of dry skin - external factors

The skin is made up of three main layers: Epidermis, dermis and subcutis. The uppermost layer is the multi-layered epidermis, also known as the epidermis. A thin protective film consisting of a mixture of sebum, sweat and water covers the horny layer, the uppermost of all skin layers.

The acid mantle - also known as the hydrolipidic film - is a natural
skin protection barrier. Its slightly acidic pH-value prevents external pathogens from penetrating the skin. At the same time, it preserves the skin's moisture content.

Skin fats, so-called lipids, connect the horny cells in the uppermost layer of the skin. You can think of 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 rinsed out, the skin becomes more permeable.

The now 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 corneocytes. 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 oil, but also moisture.

The good news: the acid mantle regenerates itself after a few hours. The less good news: if you regularly put your skin under a lot of strain, it can become overstressed. It then 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, it's not just external factors that can cause dry skin

2. cause of dry skin - predisposition and internal factors

Although external influences have a strong impact on the condition of the skin,
individual predisposition also plays a role. Depending on the predisposition, the sebaceous glands produce more or less oil. For example, male sex hormones stimulate sebaceous gland activity. With age, the skin becomes drier due to reduced sebaceous gland activity. In addition, mature skin can store less moisture.

Internal factors also influence the condition of the skin. These include diet, psyche, hormones, fluid intake and the intake of certain medications. Diseases, such as certain metabolic disorders, can also affect the health of the skin and cause dry skin .

3. which nutrients are missing in dry skin?

dry skin can also be an indication of deficiency symptoms. Are you wondering which nutrients are missing in dry skin? dry skin can indicate a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids or biotin. Linseed oil has a particularly high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or beauty vitamin, is found in oatmeal, walnuts, carrots and tomatoes, for example. Zinc deficiency could also be the cause of chapped skin, for example at the corners of the mouth.

If you suspect a nutrient deficiency, you should have this checked by a doctor before you stock up on food supplements. It's not just an unbalanced diet that can lead to a nutrient deficiency; gastrointestinal illnesses can also cause poor nutrient absorption.

Has your skin never been particularly dry, but its condition has suddenly changed significantly? Or are individual areas dry, cracked or itchy? It is best to seek medical advice to find out if the cause of the skin changes is due to illness or allergies.

4 What helps with dry skin? Tips for everyday life

What does dry skin love? A healthy lifestyle, sufficient hydration, a balanced diet and a careful skincare routine with special care for dry skin. She appreciates it when you spend time in the shade rather than in the blazing sun. If you refresh yourself briefly in the shower with lukewarm water, she is super happy.

And: take care of your mental health. Because stress can also cause an imbalance in the skin
and even worsen the symptoms of skin diseases such as
neurodermatitis.

Here is a checklist with easy-to-implement tips for dry skin:

  • Take a lukewarm shower
  • pH skin neutral shower gel use without perfume
  • only armpits and intimate zone with shower gel Cleanse
  • add a moisturizing additive such as Almond Oil to the water when bathing
  • Use cream for dry skin after showering and bathing
  • only ever gently pat the skin dry, do not rub it
  • Refatting products such as our Cleansing Oil are suitable for dry skin to face
  • Use a moisturizing and richer cream for dry skin.
  • Facial skin
  • wear airy clothing that does not rub against the skin
  • Use fragrance-free cosmetics and household products
  • Drink enough after strenuous activities, rinse skin with lukewarm water
  • Cleanse and a moisturizer apply
  • in summer, protect your skin from UV radiation with airy clothing, a sun hat and sun protection
  • Protect
  • In winter, use a rich cream for dry skin and soft textiles from
  • Wear natural materials

5. how to 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. I'll go into a little more detail here to give you plenty of inspiration for your daily skincare routine. This can help you to balance your skin more quickly. If the cause of dry skin is genetic, you will also be able to improve its condition quickly with a skin type-specific skincare routine.

In your daily skin care routine, you should pay particular attention to preserving and strengthening the skin's protective barrier. As already mentioned, dry skin is more susceptible to moisture loss due to a lack of lipids. You can therefore moisturize it from the outside.

Hyaluronic acid is a great active ingredient for the care of dehydrated skin. Hyaluronic acid, which is also found 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 leaves it looking beautifully fresh and moisturized.

However, as dry skin also needs lipids, light hyaluronic acid care is usually not enough. A cream for dry skin should therefore moisturize the skin while also providing it with lipids.

Because dry skin is often thinner and more permeable than normal skin, it sometimes reacts 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 from potentially irritating ingredients such as perfume, chemical preservatives or drying alcohols. It is also best to use a washing powder or fragrances.

This is what a skincare routine for dry facial skin could look like with our mild care products could look like:

SKIN CARE FOR dry skin IN THE MORNING:
Wash your face AM with lukewarm water, then gently pat dry. Apply the calendula toner moisturizes your skin, soothes it and strengthens your skin's protective barrier at the same time.

Now apply some hyaluronic acid Concentrate on your face, neck and décolleté. If your skin is particularly dry, you can also apply the hyaluronic acid cream rich during the day. 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 cream apply . 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 moisturized skin. However, you can also mix it with your cream for dry skin or with our aloe vera gel to create your own individual skin care concept.

Want to strengthen your skin's protective barrier? Integrate Squalane into your skincare routine. The oil extracted from olives strengthens the skin's protective layer and protects against moisture loss. Due to its light Texture it is also suitable for the care of dry facial skin in summer. Mix it with some aloe vera for an extra beauty boost gel.

SKIN CARE FOR dry skin IN THE EVENING:
PM Cleanse your face with the mild olive oil. Cleansing Oil. It gently but thoroughly removes dirt and make-up. The formula with valuable plant oils and mild cleansing sugar surfactants is also well accepted by very sensitive and dry skin.

Now spray some calendula toner and apply again the hyaluronic acid Concentrate again, apply your cream for dry skin or your favorite skincare oil to your face, neck and décolleté. On particularly cracked or dry areas, you can also apply a little Rosehip Seed Oil and leave-on. It is also perfect for dry scalp care. 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 subject. But caring for dry skin isn't really complicated, is it? Sure, you have to be a little more careful with some things. But a loving approach will reward your skin with an intact protective shield that also glows beautifully. So it's worth changing your skin care routine if it hasn't worked in the past.

I hope this article provides you with lots of valuable information to help you find out the cause of your dry skin - and that you can bring it back into balance with a customized skincare concept from now on.


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