As Skin Health Experts, we’re passionate about educating our clinic clients and skincare customers on how to achieve your healthiest, most beautiful skin at every age. The key to getting and maintaining gorgeous skin? Consistency and using the right products in the right order in your daily regimen.
If you’ve got dry skin, you may wonder what products and ingredients best support your skin health without irritation. You may also wonder how to care for your skin while minimizing redness, flaky skin, visible fine lines and that feeling of tightness. Finding premium skincare products that work best with your skin type can help alleviate irritated skin concerns and prevent further damage from environmental factors. You’ll want to use skincare products made to fight irritation - like a cleanser and cream for sensitive skin. If you’re unsure about what skin type you are, then read this simple guide to help identify your skin type before deciding if this skincare regimen for dry skin is right for you.
Step 1: Cleanser
Cleansing your face is an essential first step in any skincare routine and should be done twice a day - In the morning and at night. Washing your face with a facial cleanser works to clear your pores of buildup and helps the anti-aging skincare products and treatments you use following your cleanser to work as intended. When cleansing dry skin, it’s best to use a mild cleanser that will remove dirt and impurities without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. We recommend steering clear of makeup wipes and alcohol-based cleaners as this may cause your skin to dry even more [1]. Gentle cleanser formulas like our Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser work to soothe and moisturize dry, sensitive skin while gently removing makeup, dirt, and oil.
Step 2: Exfoliate
While exfoliation may sound a bit harsh for dry skin types, when done correctly, it’s an integral part of a dry skincare routine. When exfoliating dry skin, it’s essential to steer clear of mechanical exfoliation (including microdermabrasion, salt or sugar scrubs and cleansing wipes formulated with charcoal) as it tends to be even more drying. Instead, using a specially formulated exfoliating treatment like ExfoliKate® can help remove the dry skin cells at the surface of your skin. And thanks to ingredients like salicylic acid that work to chemically exfoliate your skin, you'll avoid abrasive damage. Clearing away these dead skin cells can work to improve the texture and appearance of your skin, reduce blackheads and acne breakouts, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The benefits of exfoliation don’t stop there, though! Exfoliating your skin will prep it for the rest of the products in your routine and improve their effectiveness. While exfoliating regularly will surely improve the health of your skin, it’s not a step to perform daily. Check the recommended use on your product to determine how often you should exfoliate. If you’re using ExfoliKate® Intensive and you have dry skin, we recommend exfoliating once or twice a week.
Step 3: Hydrate
When it comes to a skincare regimen, hydration is often the most misunderstood and undervalued step. Yet, every skin type can benefit from hydrating skin daily – especially dry skin types. By plumping skin full of water, it looks smoother and visibly improves the appearance of firmness and elasticity. Inspired by the DermalQuench oxygen booster treatment at our Skin Health Experts Clinic in Los Angeles, our at-home DermalQuench® collection offers three customized hydration products to meet your specific skin care needs.
Step 4: Treat/ Moisturize
Treating specific skin concerns with a high-performance day or night serum is one of the most crucial skincare steps in a beauty regimen for dry skin. After exfoliating and hydrating, your skin is now ready to soak up the active ingredients found in serums. It’s essential to make sure the product you add is tailored to your skin type. High-performance serums like our Kx Active Concentrates Serum work to help soothe and protect your skin from environmental aggressors. Or, as Kate says, this serum “puts out the fire!” and reduces the burning sensation often felt in dry skin. Increased hydration, minimized signs of visible aging, and soothed skin are just a few of many benefits of including serum in your beauty routine.
Next, a moisturizer for dry skin is the perfect way to lock-in the benefits of a serum and also provides moisture for smoother-looking skin. Using a face moisturizer daily is a crucial step in maintaining the health of your skin. The hydration that comes with a facial cream is essential for individuals with dry skin and can be applied in the morning and at night. Instant moisture helps combat the dryness of flaky skin. When choosing a moisturizer to add to your skincare routine for dry skin, we recommend selecting one with efficacious and hydrating ingredients like our Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream. Packed with moisturizing ingredients like goat milk, jojoba, aloe, and vitamin E, Kate developed this formula after finding gentle, hydrating relief in the restorative powers of goat milk.
Step 5: Sunscreen
Sunscreen plays a vital role in protecting your skin from damaging ultraviolet rays [2]. A common side effect of dry skin is sensitivity and sun damage will only intensify the discomfort felt. Aside from sun protection from potential burns, there are plenty of benefits of sunscreen. Applying sun care products with a good SPF in the morning and at the end of your skincare routine can help reduce the appearance of sun damage and shield your skin from future dark spots, dryness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Bonus Step: Repair
To truly create the best skincare routine for dry skin, it’s important to take a look at your skin and determine what it needs. Depending on the current condition of your skin, you may want to add a “repair” step, like an eye cream, to your beauty regimen. An intensive cream might just be the trick you need. Anti-wrinkle creams, eczema creams, and even plumping treatments are all formulas that can be added to dry skin to keep it looking and feeling its best! How often to use these creams depends on the repair treatment you choose.
While developing a skincare routine based on your skin type is an essential part of achieving beautiful, healthy, nourished skin, it’s not something that happens overnight. As with anything, healthy skin takes time, and consistency is key. We hope this routine can be used as a guide when developing your regimen. If you notice your skin changing, that’s okay! It’s expected between changes in weather and hormones. It might be likely that during certain seasons you’ll need to shift to a skincare routine for combination skin or a skincare routine for oily skin. By simply adding in your favorite products and customizing these steps, you can create a personalized routine that becomes an important part of your lifestyle. Practice your perfected skincare routine daily, and you’re sure to notice your skin looking better than ever!
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