Are you feeling like your Skincare products aren't working? Could it be time to change things up?
During the transition to cooler weather, you may experience a host of skincare issues including an onslaught of dry patches, tightness, and flakiness. But on the quest for smooth, radiant skin, many of us either treat our skin as if it's dry when in reality it's dehydrated, which can leave you feeling like your skincare products aren't working.
Dry and Dehydrated skin may feel the same but their causes are different. Dry refers to skin that lacks oil whereas Dehydrated refers to a lack of water. Knowing where your skin falls on the spectrum of dryness versus dehydration could make all the difference when it comes to prevention, treatment, and maintenance of issues.
Dry skin is caused by an internal imbalance that is genetic. Conditions like an under active thyroid or imbalanced hormone levels can cause dry skin and because internal balance is genetic, it can be treated but not cured. The internal balance interferes with the production of natural oils that protect skin and help retain moisture.
Dry skin results when there is too little oil production, or when too much oil is removed from the skin. Though our skin type is inherited from our genetics, dry skin can be exacerbated by other things, such as over-exfoliation, lack of sun protection, hot showers, harsh cleansers and soaps.
Dehydrated skin lacks the water it needs to remain healthy, resulting in an oily, sensitive or dull skin tone. Just like our bodies require us to drink an adequate amount of water each day, our skin requires a hefty dose of hydration to stay healthy, too. Skin may contain plenty of oil but not enough water to keep it balanced. To compensate for the lack of moisture, skin may overproduce oil and as a result can feel dry & oily at the same time. Overproduction of oil can then result in clogged pores, breakouts, dry patches and fine lines.
Although dehydrated skin can be caused by many different factors, it's usually the result of using the wrong products for your skin which leads to an imbalance. The most important thing you can do to take care of dehydrated skin is to assess your skin care routine, and stop using harsh, sensitizing products . To shop for some of our favs click here
How to Treat Dry or Dehydrated Skin
Use the right Moisturizer
Cooler weather demands a richer moisturizer that contains a mix of both humectants and emollients. Humectants work by attracting water molecules to the outer layer of the skin. Emollients form a protective layer over the top of the epidermis which helps prevent water from evaporating. All moisturizers contain a mixture of both but the percentage varies. Your skin type/condition determines the appropriate ratio of these i.e. emollient-based formulas are usually heavier and best for DRY skins whereas formulas with more humectants are lighter and better for DEHYDRATED skin. How do you choose a moisturizer? We can prescribe a customized, simple, yet effective skincare routine for you. Simply call 416.783.7793 or drop us an email fyi@featuringyouspa.com
Exfoliate regularly
Exfoliation is a great way to improve the appearance of your skin. It helps the natural process of skin shedding and reveals healthier skin cells. Just beware of over-exfoliation (stick to once or twice a week). For more info, visit our Warning signs of Over-Exfoliating BLOG
Enzymatic Exfoliators like Biological Peel use ingredients like Green Tea and AHAs to dissolve superficial dead skin cells. They are gentler and prevent the user error of scrubbing too hard and causing micro tears in the skin.
Mechanical Exfoliators lift the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin with the mechanical movement of microcapsules. Guinot’s Parfait Scrub exfoliating microcapsules which are made of cellulose to prevent mico-tears refine skin texture, while Shea micro-particles smooth and soften, and Sweet Almond Oil nourishes skin. To learn more visit our Exfoliating Do’s and Don’t’s BLOG
Stay away from hot water
Washing your face with hot water or taking a long, hot shower may feel cozy and relaxing, but it can strip the skin of oil and lead to dryness and dehydration. Without enough oil to help seal in moisture, water molecules evaporate from skin leading to dehydration, a process called transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
The underlying causes of Dry and Dehydrated skin vary, but all have a disturbed moisture balance in common. When skin is not balanced, it looks dull, feels dry and is unable to protect our bodies from external irritants so it becomes sensitive.
Knowing where your skin falls on the spectrum of dryness versus dehydration could make all the difference when it comes to prevention, treatment, and maintenance of issues. Could it be time to change things up? . . .