You can take care of dry skin with a few time-proven, simple products.
There is no need for proprietary ingredients or breakthrough technologies - whether they do any good or not is still to be seen, but you are definitely going to pay for their marketing hoopla, and you don't need to.
Dry skin occurs naturally as we get older and our skin stops secreting as much oil as it used to.
This weakens the skin's moisture barrier that keeps water from evaporating through it, so our skin dries out.
Sometimes, the problem is made worse by using harsh cleansers that wash off the oils that we do produce; that squeaky clean feeling is not a good sign! It is also aggravated by washing too often, or using water that is too hot.
Cold, dry winter air does not help, either.
But there is nothing special about any of this, and the solutions are not special or exotic either.
These are the specific things that will restore the vitality of your skin: 1.
choose a cleanser that moisturizes your skin as it cleanses.
Plant-based soaps using mainly coconut, palm, and olive oils are the best.
2.
only use your cleanser in the evening before you go to bed.
In the morning, just rinse in warm water.
3.
a hydrosol toner can shrink your pores and smooth your skin.
Use one morning and evening, after washing your face, Botanical toners, based on rose water, apple cider, and witch hazel are the classics, and have been revered as beautifiers of mature skin for hundreds of years.
Avoid toners that contain alcohol or other drying ingredients.
4.
moisturize twice a day, after your toner, with a plant-based, organic moisturizer.
This will deliver natural oils that your skin can absorb so they mix with your natural oils to reinforce your moisture barrier.
They will also deliver powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds to the deeper layers of your skin where they can do they most good.
Plus they will leave your skin looking smooth and feeling silky by filling in the gaps and cracks between your skin cells.
Avoid mineral oils and other clogging ingredients that prevent your skin from breathing naturally.
5.
exfoliate your skin twice a week.
This will remove dead cells and boost your skin's circulation, giving it a healthy glow.
Use a moisturizing exfoliant so that you add to your skin's oil content, rather than reduce it.
Whole plant oils are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other healing compounds.
They are easily absorbed by your skin, so you get the full benefit of them.
Other natural ingredients, such as green tea extract and shea butter, can each deliver tremendous benefits to your skin, without recourse to any specialized, unproven technology.
I have not found the need for proprietary ingredients in any of the products I use.
I make sure they are all organic, or natural and wild harvested, with a minimum amount of processing.