Hydration plays a crucial role in soothing overly sensitive, dry skin.
The skin is made up of over 60 percent of water. This important nutrient strengthens your skin as it protects your body from pollution, UV rays, and other harmful environmental elements.
Additionally, water helps you maintain healthy, plump, and youthful-looking skin. The more hydrated your skin is, the more effectively it can ensure it is healthy.
If you have sensitive skin, you may suffer from an altered barrier function. Because of this, the negative effects caused by harmful environmental factors usually appear and feel more pronounced on your skin.
Using unsuitable skincare products and unhealthy habits can also provoke various uncomfortable reactions in your skin, including chafing, redness, and burning.
Because of this, hydration is crucial for preventing or minimizing the symptoms linked to sensitive skin.
Hydrating Dry, Sensitive Skin
If you want to keep your sensitive skin hydrated and avoid or minimize the itching, flaking, redness, and other symptoms that come with skin dryness, follow these tips:
1. Choose the right skincare products to use.
Sensitive skin reacts quickly to skincare and beauty products that contain harsh ingredients. Because of this, you have to buy and use only sensitive skin products.
Check the ingredients of any skincare or cosmetic product you are interested in before buying it. Be on the lookout for these substances that can irritate your sensitive skin:
- Emollients
- Humectants
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Fragrances
- Alcohol
To hydrate your dry, sensitive skin, look for these ingredients in your skincare products:
- Aloe vera
- Rosewater
- Rosehip oil
- Green tea
- Mineral oil
These natural ingredients are perfect for hydrating dry, sensitive skin.
Products with these ingredients provide moisture and have soothing properties that leave your face and body feeling soft and refreshed.
2. Rethink your cleansing habits.
Soap is the most common item everyone uses for washing their hands and when taking a bath. A lot of people also use it for cleansing their faces.
Unfortunately, common soap contains ingredients that can harm your sensitive skin and aggravate its dryness.
If you want to retain moisture in your skin, avoid deodorant soaps or soaps containing fragrances, antibacterial elements, and alcohol. These ingredients strip essential oils from your skin and leave it more vulnerable to various irritants.
To keep your skin hydrated, use mild soap when washing your hands and taking a bath. Consider switching to liquid cleansers and moisturizing bars since these are the least irritating cleansing products.
3. Modify your bathing practices.
If you have sensitive skin and are still using hot water when bathing, stop this habit now.
Taking a hot bath, no matter how short or long it is, draws moisture out of your skin. Doing this repeatedly will worsen the dryness of your skin and make you more susceptible to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms.
As such, start bathing with lukewarm instead of scalding hot water. And as mentioned, consider using a liquid cleanser or moisturizing bar to prevent your skin from losing more moisture.
Also, when you’re done with your bath or shower, always dry off your skin gently. Use a soft towel and pat your skin lightly.
Avoid rubbing your skin roughly with big back-and-forth motion since this action can damage healthy skin cells.
4. Moisturize.
The most important step you have to take to hydrate and soothe your sensitive skin is to moisturize habitually.
When you have dry, sensitive skin, you can easily develop itchy and flaky patches. Using a good-quality moisturizer formulated for your skin type will help combat these symptoms and ensure it stays healthy and attractive.
In addition to the hydrating ingredients mentioned earlier, look for products with oats, shea and mango butter, and vitamins E and B5. They are excellent options since they moisturize the skin effectively without irritating it.
And when applying moisturizer to your face and body, do it right after taking a bath while your skin is still damp.
Doing so allows your face and body to hold on to the moisturizer and keep it hydrated longer.
5. Stay hydrated.
Dehydrated skin feels tight, looks dull, and tends to flake easily. These effects are more noticeable if you have sensitive skin.
Using the right moisturizer and other hydrating skincare products can help you prevent this issue. Hydrating from within can aid you greatly as well.
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. You can supplement your fluid intake with other healthy beverages, such as fruit smoothies and juices with no added sugar, and herbal teas.
Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables rich in water as well, such as tomatoes, cucumber, and watermelons.
Make sure you hydrate properly during and after working out, especially if you engage in high-intensity training.
6. Don’t forget to use other key skincare products.
Aside from moisturizers, keep your sensitive skin hydrated with these skincare products and practices:
● Exfoliator or scrub
Although you have dry, sensitive skin, you still need to exfoliate at least once a week. Doing so allows you to remove dead skin cells, which causes clogged pores, black and whiteheads, and acne.
Since you have sensitive skin, choose a product with lactic acid or scrub with vitamin E and B5.
● Alcohol-free toner
Cleansing your face thoroughly is also crucial for taking care of your sensitive skin. For additional hydrating effects, look for a toner with naturally soothing ingredients, such as chamomile, green tea, and beta-glucan.
● Serum or oil
For additional nourishment, include serum or oil in your skincare routine. These products penetrate deep into the skin to form a moisturizing layer on the surface. Some of the best oils for sensitive skin are rosehip, lavender, jojoba, and tea tree oil.
● Sunscreen
Wearing sunscreen is vital for protecting your skin from UV rays. Look for a zinc oxide sunscreen since this has been proven gentler for people with sensitive skin.
7. Use a humidifier.
When the weather becomes colder and dryer, keep your skin hydrated by using a humidifier in your bedroom at night.
Humidifiers are devices that increase the humidity of the air, which then helps your skin retain moisture.
There are different kinds of humidifiers to choose from. Some use heat to produce steam, while others circulate the moisture from a container of slowly evaporating water.
Whichever type you get, always keep your humidifier clean and change the water frequently to avoid circulating bacteria and fungi around the room as you sleep.
Having dry, sensitive skin can be uncomfortable and challenging. But when you follow these tips, you can manage this condition and maintain healthy, youthful-looking skin.