Dry and sensitive skin is something that affects all women at one time or another. Whether it’s something you’re naturally predisposed to, a sudden change in the weather, or the general stresses and strains of day-to-day life, there are always those times when your skin starts to feel tight and dry; when you can see or feel flakes of skin on your forehead, chin, and cheeks; when fine lines begin to be noticeable around your lip contour and eye areas.
A thorough and regular skincare regime is a must when it comes to keeping your skin feeling fresh and hydrated. Moisture-rich cleansers, moisturisers, and night serums form an essential part of a daily routine, helping to repair dry, flaky, and damaged skin, restoring lost hydration, reducing the common signs of dry and sensitive skin, such as wrinkles and fine lines, and adding essential vitamins and minerals that promote healthy skin.
Here is a four-step guide to maintaining a daily cleansing and moisturising regime that really works.
Step #1: The Cleanser
The first trick towards achieving beautiful, healthy skin is to ensure that you cleanse it thoroughly, at least twice a day: once in the morning, and once in the evening. Aside from the obvious benefits of removing make-up, a quality cleanser will also help to eliminate impurities in the pores of the skin that build up during the day. Leaving such impurities to their own devices, or removing them with nothing more than soap and water, can damage the skin’s natural defensive barriers.
Step #2: The Moisturiser
Once your face is cleaned, rinsed, and dry, it’s time to add your daily moisturiser. A high-quality moisturiser will contain ingredients intended to boost the collagen in your skin, giving it a firmer, smoother appearance. Regular moisturising helps to reduce the impact of ageing skin, and the associated formation of wrinkles on the face and neck, making your complexion appear supple, youthful, and well hydrated.
Step #3: The Night Serum
A good night-time skin care routine is as important (if not more so) than a good daytime one. Nourishing and revitalising ingredients in a night serum help to repair the damage done to your skin during the day, by strengthening and rejuvenating dry and sensitive skin during the night.
Step #4. The Exfoliant
Adding an exfoliant treatment into your skincare regime a couple of times a week is an excellent way to maximise the effects of your cleanser, moisturiser, and serum, as it helps to remove the cells of dead skin from your face, allowing new skin cells to flourish, adding a distinctive lustre to dull, tired skin. In effect, it prepares your skin for the application of your other skincare products, making it absorb the moisturiser more readily.
What to look for
There are many cleansers, moisturisers, and exfoliants on the market, and not all of them match the high levels of quality demanded by dry and sensitive skin.
Look for products with all-natural ingredients such as wakame sea kelp, a vitamin-rich product that inhibits the production of hyaluronic acid, a major cause of damaged skin and premature ageing.
Marine plant extract is another important ingredient to be on the lookout for. It has been shown to protect your skin against collagen degradation caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays and direct sunlight.
Both squalene and sodium hyaluronate have been shown to exhibit extensive moisturising properties, penetrating deep into the pores of the skin and promoting a healthier looking complexion by promoting efficient hydration, as well as the absorption of nutrients into the skin.
Whichever preparation you got for, always be sure to source it from a reputable and trusted supplier, as your skin is too valuable to go for anything less.