Dry Skin? Here's How To Care For It

Our inbox, Instagram DMs and website live chat are flooded every single day with similar questions: “I have (fill in the blank) skin. What’s the best way to care for it?”

So we’ve put together a new blog post series to help you navigate the products, practices and routines that best support where your skin is at today. With the ever-evolving nature of skin depending on seasons, stress levels or lifestyle shifts, you may find yourself moving from one post to another and taking a few topical suggestions from one and a couple self-care practices from another. And we 100% support that. 🙂

• Acne-prone skin? Click here for the best ways to care for adult acne, problematic pre-teen skin and every breakout inbetween.
• Sensitive Skin? Click here for tips to care for sensitive, stressed, damaged skin in need of some serious TLC.

While we’ve compiled our go-to solutions for caring for specific skin conditions, we always recommend letting your skin guide you. Feel it out, play with products and enjoy the process!

Alright, here we go, post #3.

Our top tips for dry, dehydrated, desert-looking skin thirsty for long-lasting hydration.

Has your skin been looking like the Sahara Desert lately? Seriously dry skin is a pretty common skin condition as diet, UV damage, genetics, aging, stress levels, hormonal imbalances and overall health all influence the integrity, strength and hydration of our skin. And of course, as seasons change and temperatures drop, so can our moisture levels.

The health of our skin is daily bombarded by chemicals + harsh conditions which can strip our outermost layer (the epidermis) of fatty acids – which are essential for balanced skin function. It’s so important to take an inside + outside approach to heal and hydrate our skin to replenish and rebuild the skin’s delicate moisture barrier.

From slight dehydration to severe dryness (think cracked, bleeding, painful, itchy, red patches), moisture that lasts and actually, deeply heals is sought after by so many.

Here are a few ways to provide your skin with the healing it needs + support hydration from within:

• Cut back on caffeine: Caffeine (and also alcohol) are key culprits in dehydrating + depleting the skin’s moisture levels. Swap out your flavored latte or evening nightcap for the healing benefits of herbal teas. Power-packed with the restorative benefits of plants, herbs and adaptogens, herbal teas help to replenish hydration, plus provide several other benefits for the body and mind!
• Eat your water: Make your meals more moisture-rich by focusing on foods with high water content, such as cucumber slices, strawberries, a salad full of leafy greens, fresh herbs, squash and other seasonal root vegetables. And always remember, healthy fats = hydration! Our cell membranes are made up of almost entirely fats so try to find ways to add in healthy fats (like avocado, EVOO, wild-caught salmon + walnuts) for a boost of hydration at every meal.
• Dry skin supplements: Even with a hydrating diet, sometimes skin still needs a bit of boost and adding in a supplement that helps to improve moisture levels is a must. This supplement is a staple for rebuilding dry skin from within and seriously enhances hydration with hyaluronic acid.

Below are even more holistic tips that don’t have to do with the food on your plate, but make a big difference for dry skin states:

• Facial Dry Brushing: Of course you want to exfoliate your skin to help remove dead, dry skin cells, but swap out potentially harsh, damaging scrubs for facial dry brushing instead! Gentle bristles provide the perfect amount of exfoliation without damaging delicate facial skin.
• Soak: This moisturizing bath soak contains an aromatic and skin-softening blend of soothing botanicals (like rejuvenating rose and lavender) along with coconut milk that repair dry/damaged skin, balance pH levels, and detoxify the skin + body. Soften your skin and soothe your mind all at the same time – the perfect dry skin therapy!
• Gua Sha: Gua Sha has been getting a lot of hype in the beauty world recently – some say it’s even better than botox! It’s the perfect holistic remedy for boosting hydration and a healthy glow by increasing the flow of blood, oxygen and vital nutrients to the skin. With the stone’s intentional design for smoothing, depuffing and plumping, Gua Sha is a game-changer for dry, dehydrated skin states. Shop our pure jade Gua Sha stone here!

Now that we’ve looked at the foundations for healthy and hydrated skin, now it’s time to actually apply your skincare. Dry, dehydrated skin states are more prone to feeling tight, irritated, flaky, and just plain uncomfortable – and the right products can help to provide some serious relief for these signs of dry skin. Our goal is to not just coat the skin to appear to be healthy and glowing, but to truly transform it.

Maintaining skin’s moisture is a top concern for many of our readers and the cosmeceutical industry has created a myriad of lotions, oils, ointments, creams and butters. But with the chemicals saturating ingredient lists, we’re opting for more natural remedies to restore moisture and to prove it is possible to boost hydration and renew skin with non-toxic ingredients.

This is our tried + true guide for a simple skincare routine that powerfully supports dry skin:

• Step 1: Cleanse. Rebuilding hydration starts with the first step of your skincare routine – cleansing. Harsh cleansers, surfactants, harmful ingredients and detergents can seriously damage the skin’s natural moisture barrier. That’s why we’re completely obsessed with the Oil Cleansing Method for strong, healthy and hydrated skin. Using this cleansing oil (specifically formulated for dry skin!) deeply cleanses and purifies pores – without over drying the skin.
• Step 2: Tone. Applying moisturizer to desert-looking skin isn’t actually the most beneficial way to boost hydration. The best way to enhance the absorption (and the benefits!) of your Beauty Cream is by spritzing a hydrosol beforehand. Unlike harsh astringents and harmful alcohols, hydrosols hydrate and stregthen the skin’s protective barrier. A simple spritz of this Geranium Complexion Mist allows hydration to soak even more deeply into the skin and provides much needed dry skin relief.
• Step 3: Treat. This targeted facial serum contains a vitamin and antioxidant-rich blend of the most potent + healing oils our planet has to offer – and is a *dream* for dry skin. Ingredients such as Astaxanthin, Green Coffee Oil and Prickly Pear Seed Oil increase collagen levels, soften fine lines + firm skin, stimulate cell turnover, and deeply nourish to promote a vibrant, healthy appearance. Plus, it’s deep, full floral aroma packs a serious punch of aromatherapy properties.
• Step 4: Hydrate. Conventional lotions are often filled with chemicals that appear to be hydrating, however, these products often coat or clog (i.e. suffocate) your pores. Moisturize dry + dehydrated skin with real, vitamin-rich ingredients that are similar to the make up of your skin (i.e. oils and healthy fats!) so that healing properties can actually penetrate into the deeper levels of the skin to rebuild + retain moisture. These Beauty Creams leave your skin truly glowing with health and hydration.

We hope these tips help your skin say goodbye to dry desert days, and hello to deeply hydrated skin. And stay tuned for more skin-specific products + customized support launching soon to care for your dry skin!