3 Ways to Amp Up Your Skin's Moisture

I struggle with dry skin on my face and most especially on my body 24/7, 365 days a year. Today, I thought I'd try and consolidate some of the best tips I've gleaned over a lifetime's experience.

Apply Oils to Wet Skin: Even though it is true that oil and water don't mix, dampening your skin before you apply oil is a good practice. Whether with either a face mist or just plain water increases your skin's permeability and therefore enables it to absorb the fatty acids and other components more readily and down further into the skin's layers. These nutrient dry skin desperately needs to not only improve its condition but to also make it feel more comfortable and protect more from irritants. I find this type particularly useful when using body oils either in shower or just after washing. Skip the towel and just massage the oils into your damp skin super well before drying off.

Wash Less: Skipping washing your face may sound like a beauty no-no. But giving your face aa break from being cleansed is often a good thing to do if you are experiencing a lot of the feelings of tightness in your skin. It is a classic case of less is more because whenever you cleanse, even with the most gentle products or those that are optimally compatible with your skin, you are ultimately breaking down your skin barrier and stripping oils off. This is ultimately a necessity, but the drier your skin is, the more fragile it is and the more reactive it becomes to this breaking down process. So on days when you are not wearing makeup, or a few mornings per week, just forego the cleansing altogether and head straight into your serums/moisturizer.

Massage Often: When you do cleanse, or even just as you are applying oils or moisturizers, really take the time to massage deeply into every part of your face. Not only will this work in toning facial muscles, it also infuses the skin with fresh blood and oxygen, which gives dry and potentially duller looking skin a bit of its glow back while also helping to, again, put those moisturizing ingredients in your products to their best work. Also remember that skincare does not stop at the face, your neck and chest can also benefit from massage. Plus, it is a great way to relieve tension.

Dry skin is a concern of many and one that may not ever be fully remedied, but sometimes just adding a few practices into your skincare ritual can make a real difference.