Skincare Routine for Extremely Dry, Sensitive Skin Types
Struggling with extremely dry areas of sensitive skin on your body? We’ve got you covered.. We know all too well that to get all the answers to the uncomfortable problem of sensitive skincare, you have to be a detective and be cautious about which skincare products you incorporate into your daily routine.
You probably already know that dry sensitive skin requires special skincare products, but before you start thinking about what to use, it’s best to talk to your dermatologist to best determine if the skin concern you have is actually eczema. If your doctor determines that you do indeed have eczema, there are some amazing options for the two of you to discuss to get it under control.
Once you have a definitive understanding of what’s happening with your skin, you can begin the task of assembling the best skincare routine possible to keep your tender skin hydrated, soft, smooth, and calm.
Dry sensitive skincare routine
Extensive research makes it very clear that gentle skincare products for extremely dry sensitive skin should be the first line of defence: Fragrance free, exceptionally hydrating, and non-irritating facial cleansers, face moisturizers, and sunscreens from the neck down are essential, even for eczema-prone skin. This is equally and always vital from the neck up, but this skin problem rarely occurs on the face. When it does, it generally appears only around the eye area. And if this is something you are experiencing, only your doctor can determine if it’s eczema or not.
A gentle skin-loving skincare routine is important because it helps boost the efficiency of every other product that you’re using. After all, given that your skin barrier is already compromised, you don’t want to make your dry and sensitive skin have to fight harder to look healthy and feel smooth.
Hydration is key: Skin-drenching hydration will significantly diminish the appearance of scaling and dry patches, but the hydrating products must be free of any skin-aggravating ingredients—always look for fragrance-free skincare products. It is best to incorporate such products into your skincare routine because if the skin is continually irritated, the distressing signs of dryness, flaking, redness, and rough skin will persist.
It is also incredibly important to note that the skincare products you use must contain ingredients that improve and strengthen the skin’s surface to prevent moisture loss and defend it from destructive elements in the environment, which are one of the main causes of dehydrated skin.
The best way to improve the appearance of the skin is to incorporate skincare with antioxidants and supply it with generous amounts of soothing and concentrated amounts of hydrating ingredients. Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich soothing plant oils, ceramides, and omega fatty acids can all be part of a well-curated skincare routine for dry sensitive skin.
Of course, you also must use sunscreen to protect the skin from further damage while visibly strengthening its natural ability to improve. If you have this skin problem, it’s best to select a sunscreen that only contains one active ingredient: zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. These ingredients present minimal to no chance of causing sensitivity, even when applied around the eyes.
It’s been theorised that extremely dry reactive skin that has been extremely compromised is more susceptible to environmental damage. As such, leveraging this state-of-the-art combination of ingredients—antioxidants, hydrating and soothing ingredients, and gentle sunscreens—can help fix dehydrated skin, even for all skin types.
Skincare for dry sensitive skin
In addition to a gentle skincare routine, it’s important you avoid things that can trigger skin reactions. Steer clear of known irritants and prolonged contact with water. The most common skincare ingredients to avoid are fragrances (whether natural or synthetic), harsh cleansing agents, all forms of citrus and mint, and denatured or SD-types of alcohol. We cannot stress enough how important it is to go fragrance-free. While fragrant essential oils smell great, they can be a disaster for dry reactive skin.
It also helps a great deal to reapply moisturizer within seconds of washing any part of the body. This is especially true for your hands because soaps and cleansers are notorious for triggering a reaction when you have extra-dry, easily sensitised skin.
Try switching to a creamy, moisturizing body wash for your hands because most hand soaps, even soap-free liquids, can be too drying, which is even more problematic if you have this skin concern. Follow with an emollient-rich, fragrance-free hand cream or body moisturizer for beautiful results that look as good as they feel.
Learn more about the best moisturizers for sensitive skin and all there is to know about skincare for sensitive skin.
You can also check out our guide on the best sunscreens for sensitive skin and buy sunscreens online by Paula’s Choice Singapore.
References for this information
- British Journal of Dermatology, April 2017, DOI #10.1111/bjd.15602; and May 2010, pages 964–973 and 1088–1092
- The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, April 2017, Supplemental, pages S47–S48
- Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, March 2016, pages 289–300
- Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, May 2015, pages 940–947
- Journal of Clinical Diagnosis Research, December 2013, pages 2683–2685
- Clinical Cosmetic Investigative Dermatology, March 2010, pages 99–117
