We’ve all experienced dry skin at some point—the itchiness, the flakes, and even a mild rash, in some cases. But while dry patches might seem like a mundane problem to have, it isn’t healthy for our skin to stay that way for long periods. In fact, dry skin can lead to a series of other skin problems, and you want to catch it before they begin. So even if you’re incredibly busy and don’t think you can find the time to change a few habits, it’s important that you do. These are some of the things you’re doing that dry your skin out and how you can stop doing them.
Using Harsh Cleansers
If you’re noticing that your skin is either dry or getting dry, one of the first things you could turn to is your facial cleansers. These products pull excess dirt, oil, and debris out of your pores and leave them clean. However, when they do this, they remove the necessary oils as well. Without at least some of your skin’s natural oil, it dries out and makes your skin difficult to remoisturize. Therefore, you may need to switch to a gentler product if you’re experiencing this issue.
Prioritizing the Wrong Ingredients
Your skin could also be drying out because you’re using the wrong types of substances on your face. While skin treatments work very well at minimizing the appearance of blemishes, a lot of them have a common side effect of sapping away moisture. Salicylic acid, a common acne treatment, is one such product. Because of this, you should also consider using other, more nourishing ingredients in tandem with these products to keep your skin hydrated. Green tea extract, in particular, has several benefits for the skin, including moisture absorption and retention.
Exfoliating Excessively
Another thing you might be potentially doing to dry your skin out is exfoliating too often. Exfoliants are highly abrasive products that rub away the rough areas of your complexion and leave you with smooth skin. However, when you use them more often than the recommended intervals, they can also damage skin cells and reduce their ability to retain moisture. For this reason, it’s vital that you only use these products as instructed on the label and apply a moisturizer afterward.
