Having dry or sensitive skin can be hard, and it often needs a special skin care routine and products. Finding the right moisturizer is especially difficult due to the many available options. All moisturizers work differently, so it's essential to consider your skin type and needs when selecting one.
Let's see why using face moisturizers for dry and sensitive skin is best!
What You Need to Know About Dry and Sensitive Skin
Dry and sensitive skin can be a challenging combination to manage. Dry skin lacks sufficient oil, leading to rough, flaky, and itchy patches. Environmental factors like the weather, harsh chemicals, and specific ingredients in skincare products can easily irritate sensitive or oily skin.Â
Causes of Dry Skin
Men can get dry skin because of their genes, the weather, taking hot baths or showers, using harsh soaps or detergents, having medical conditions like eczema or psoriasis, or not eating well enough. As the body ages, the skin produces fewer natural oils, which leads to dehydration and causes wrinkles and age spots.
Causes of Sensitive Skin
Genetic factors can play a huge role in determining skin type and sensitivity. Exposure to certain irritants or allergens, such as dust, pollen, smoke, and pollutants, can also lead to sensitive skin. Skin disorders like rosacea or eczema can cause redness, itching, burning sensations, and other symptoms of sensitive skin.
Common Symptoms of Dry and Sensitive Skin
Dry and sensitive skin can cause many uncomfortable symptoms that impact your daily life. Be aware of these symptoms so you can take steps to address them. Here are some common symptoms of dry and sensitive skin:
Redness
Redness is a common sign of sensitive skin, and things like harsh chemicals, sunburn, or windburn can make it worse. Environmental factors such as pollution or smoke or medical conditions like rosacea and eczema may also cause allergies. Redness can make you feel itchy or burn, and in more serious cases, it can lead to swelling and blisters.
Flaking
Dry skin can cause flakes due to a lack of natural oils and moisture. Itching or discomfort in sensitive skin often accompany this symptom as the skin becomes rough and cracked. Keep your skin hydrated with a tinted moisturizer to prevent further dryness and itchiness.
Itching
Dryness, sensitivity, or an underlying medical condition can all be causes of itching. It's important to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized to reduce itching and discomfort. It also helps to limit exposure to irritants as much as possible.
Tightness
The feeling of tightness in the skin is a common symptom of dryness and can be uncomfortable or even painful. Men's skin is more likely to get dry because it is thinner and more fragile. This makes it hard for men's skin to hold on to enough natural oil. Because the skin doesn't have enough oil, it can't protect itself from irritants or keep water in.
Roughness or Uneven Texture
Dry skin can have a notably rough or uneven texture, particularly in men. This is due to a lack of natural oils and moisture to keep the skin soft and supple. Without these essential oils, the skin can look lifeless and dull.
Burning or Stinging
Sensitive skin can be especially prone to burning or stinging sensations when exposed to certain ingredients in skincare products, allergens, or pollutants. Even something as simple as a gust of wind can cause an intense burning sensation for those with sensitive skin. Exposure to harsh soaps and detergents, extreme temperatures, and sunburn can cause stinging and burning to soothe sensitive skin.
Why Is It Important to Moisturize Dry and Sensitive Skin?
Moisturizing is one of the most important things you can do for dry, sensitive skin. Here's why you should moisturize dry and sensitive skin:
Hydrates The Skin
Moisturizing is essential for keeping dry and sensitive skin healthy. Moisturizers help hydrate the skin by creating a protective barrier over the surface and trapping moisture. This helps prevent water loss, which leads to further dehydration and dryness. By retaining moisture, moisturizers work to replenish lost natural oils.
Soothes Irritation
Moisturizers can relieve discomfort and irritation associated with dry, sensitive skin. Ingredients like aloe vera and calendula are incredibly effective at soothing inflamed or irritated skin. Furthermore, moisturizers create a protective barrier that helps to insulate the skin from outside irritants, allergens, and pollutants, which in turn helps prevent your skin from becoming irritated.
Promotes Healthy Skin
Regular moisturizing can help promote healthy skin. This is because moisturizers are rich in nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants that nourish the skin from within. Regularly using a good moisturizer for dry skin can help reduce inflammation and discomfort associated with dry, sensitive skin while also helping maintain natural oil and moisture levels. Additionally, moisturizers can help keep the skin soft, supple, and glowing.
Resists Aging
Moisturizing is also key to preventing premature aging. A good moisturizer creates a protective barrier that guards aging skin against environmental factors that can cause fine lines and wrinkles while also reducing water loss in the skin. Moisturizing helps promote cell regeneration and renewal, making it easier for the skin to repair itself. This helps keep the skin looking younger and healthier for longer.
Protective Skin Barrier
Moisturizers form a protective barrier on the skin that helps seal in moisture and keeps things like wind, cold, and pollution from drying out the skin. Forming skin barriers prevents irritants from penetrating the skin and causing further dryness or damage. Additionally, the moisturizer can help keep the skin moisturized with natural oils and moisture locked in, which helps to prevent dehydration and dryness.
Improves Skin Texture
Regular moisturizing can help dry, sensitive skin look and feel better by giving it the nutrients and water it needs. When used regularly, moisturizers help replace natural oils that have been lost, improve cell regeneration and renewal, and lock in moisture. This helps improve the skin's overall tone, texture, and appearance, and it also reduces inflammation and skin irritation.
Ingredients To Look For In A Moisturizer
When shopping for a moisturizer for dry, sensitive skin, look for products that contain the following ingredients:
- Hyaluronic acid: This ingredient helps lock in moisture and keep skin hydrated.
- Ceramides: Ceramides help repair the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss.
- Glycerin: Glycerin is a humidifier that draws moisture to the skin.
- Aloe vera: Aloe vera is a soothing ingredient that can help calm irritated skin.
- Shea butter: Shea butter is a rich, nourishing ingredient that can help moisturize and protect dry skin.
Different Moisturizer Formulas
Many different types of facial moisturizer and formulas are available, each with its own unique benefits. Here are some common moisturizer formulas:
Creams
Creams have a thick and heavy formula best suited for dry and very dry skin types. They are often formulated with emollients and occlusive ingredients that help seal in moisture and provide a protective barrier on the skin. It is best to use creams at night, as they can feel heavy on the skin.Â
Lotions
Lotions are typically lighter than creams, making them ideal for normal to slightly dry skin types. They often contain a higher water content, which makes them easier to apply and spread onto the skin. The lightweight texture helps the lotion absorb quickly and easily into the skin, providing instant hydration. Additionally, lotions are usually formulated with emollients and humectants to help keep the skin hydrated.
Gels
Gel moisturizers are great for oily, combination, or acne-prone skin types as they're typically oil-free and lightweight. They give the skin a high level of hydration and help reduce shine and mattify it at the same time. Gel moisturizers often have humectants that draw moisture into the skin and soothing ingredients like aloe vera that help reduce redness and irritation.
Serums
Serums are a lightweight formula that is highly sought-after for treating skin concerns such as wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and uneven texture. They usually have a high concentration of active ingredients, such as antioxidants, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, which help the serum work better. As they are lightweight, serums can be layered under other moisturizers for extra hydration.
Oils
Facial oils are a great option for dry skin because they nourish and can hydrate skin deeply. They are formulated with natural oils like jojoba, argan, or rosehip. They contain powerful antioxidants, and fatty acids help protect the skin from environmental stressors while providing deep hydration. Additionally, these oils can help balance the skin's natural oil production, which helps to keep the skin hydrated and prevent excess sebum production.
Shop Guise's Products for Sensitive Skin!
If you have dry, sensitive skin, Guise's moisturizers and Tinted SPF Drops are the perfect solution. Our products help soothe, nourish, and hydrate the skin while providing essential vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, they're non-comedogenic and gentle enough for all skin types. With regular use, your skin will look firmer, brighter, and more hydrated!
