What Causes Dry Skin and What to do About It

What Is Dry Skin?

From time to time, most of us experience dull, flakey, irritated skin. You know, the kind that causes scaly, itchy, rash-like patches to appear on your face or your body. We ask ourselves, “What causes dry skin? How can I fix it?” Here are some insights into dry skin care and prevention.

Basically, dry skin lacks the necessary moisture and natural oils to keep it soft and smooth. If your top layer of skin doesn’t have a sufficient amount of water — or an adequate level of natural, protective oils — then dry skin can result.

What Causes Dry Skin?

What causes dry skin? Here’s a list of possible causes:

• Exposure to dry weather, poor air quality or other environmental stressors (sun, smoke).
• Excessive cleansing using very hot water.
• Sensitivity to ingredients found in fragrances, soaps or medications.
• Dermatitis, the medical name for extremely dry, itchy skin. (Contact your doctor to check for allergies or skin conditions like eczema.)

Are There Risk Factors?

Although garden-variety dry skin is common, there are certain risk factors that make you prone to chronically dry skin.

• Age. As you get older, your skin pores produce less moisturizing oils.
• Weather. Hot, dry climates with low humidity.
• Cleansing. Too many long, hot baths and showers. 
• Genetics. Dry skin can be inherited.
• Medical conditions, such as diabetes.

How Do I Soothe and Diminish My Dry Skin?

LaLa Daisy offers an array of premium dry skin care products to relieve your occasionally or chronically difficult skin.

Soap

Let’s start with cleansing. Limit showers and baths to no more than 10 minutes using warm (not hot) water. Opt for mild soaps infused with nourishing oils. We recommend Vanicream Cleansing Bars for moisture-rich, fragrance-free cleansing. It’s just the ticket to comfort sensitive and overly dry skin.

Moisturizer

Moisturizers overlay a soothing seal on your skin and stop water from evaporating from its surface. Choose a moisturizer that is specifically created for moisture-depleted skin. Be sure to pamper your delicate skin after a shower or bath; in particular, avoid roughing the towel over it.

Right after bathing, gently towel off, but leave some remaining moisture on your skin. Apply a generous layer of a hydrating moisturizer, like L’Occitane Moisturizing 25% Shea Butter Ultra-Rich Body Cream or (for your face) bareMinerals Butter Drench Restorative Rich Cream to quench your skin’s thirst, help restore its supple condition and ease that uncomfortable “tight” feeling so common to dry skin.

Masks

Dry skin can benefit from the soothing surge of moisture provided by sheet masks. They not only remove the impurities, dirt and contaminants that build up on your skin throughout the day, but infuse needed moisture into irritated or inflamed pores.

Makeup

When you have dry, patchy skin, attempts to cover it up with makeup only seem to make it more noticeable. Choosing the right foundation is key to achieving a smooth, even complexion. Select one that is free from alcohol, fragrance and dyes and without drying talc or pore-clogging oil. Natural cosmetics provide the best results for problem skin.

For an exceptional foundation, you might want to try jane iredale Liquid Minerals A Foundation for a finish that lessens the appearance of skin imperfections. Its hydrolic acid anchors moisture to your skin while aloe reduces the redness that comes with dry, sensitive skin.

The best solutions to dry skin problems can be found at LaLa Daisy, where top-tier products are sold at the most competitive prices. Try our quality, dry skin care lines for quality results. Once you do, you can be sure you’ll no longer have to ask yourself, “What causes dry skin? How can I fix it?”

If you’d like more information on what causes dry skin read this article from the Mayo Clinic.