Dry skin: causes and natural treatments to moisturize

Tight skin, redness, feeling of dryness… If these words speak to you, it means you certainly have dry skin on your face or body. So how do you take care of it naturally without making it “greasy”? Laurent Pan, alias @secretdepeau on Instagram and co-author of the book Skincare – Objective beautiful skin shares her tips for recognizing and moisturizing dry skin.

Dry skin, what is it?

Dry skin is a type of skin marked by tightness all over the face and body caused by an abnormality in the skin barrier. Slightly more porous than “normal” skin, it lets out more water. “Immediately after cleansing, the skin is exposed since it no longer has the thin layer of sebum that protected it from dehydration.“, explains Laurent Pan. “The water suddenly escapes. This is why some people have tight skin after a hot shower, even more so if they have dry skin..” Fine, with a tight grain and redness, the dry skin is finally lacking of water and lipids.

What are the causes of dry skin?

• The genetic heritage : the “type of skin” is transmitted by the genes;
• Natural skin aging, which causes a thinning of the epidermis by lowering the renewal of its cells and the stratum corneum (the outermost of the epidermis) thickens;
• External climatic conditions: high or low temperatures promote water loss from the skin;
• Many medical treatments can also be the cause of skin dryness: cortisone-based medications, certain contraceptive pills, acne and cancer treatments… Laurent Pan recommends getting good information beforehand about the side effects of medicines in order to be able to anticipate;
• Certain components of cosmetics : ingredients known to be effective for certain problems (acne pimples, inflammation, etc.) can dehydrate the skin, such as clay and zinc. If you use these ingredients, remember to rehydrate your skin with moisturizing agents;
• The hygiene of life : tobacco and alcohol greatly promote dehydration of the skin by attacking the integrity of the skin barrier;
• Skin pathologies such as eczema and psoriasis, or certain nutritional deficiencies can also be responsible for an abnormality of the skin barrier favoring the drying of the skin;
• Too intensive body hygiene: hot baths and soaps eliminate the protective film of fat.

What are the solutions to hydrate my skin and prevent it from drying out?

• Drink water (1.5 liters of water per day);
• Avoid overheated and confined environments in apartments;
• Nourish your skin deeply with foods rich in lipids and proteins, in essential fatty acids such as avocado, salmon, mackerel… Certain antioxidants play a major role in taking care of dry skin. This is the case of vitamins E and C which participate in protein synthesis, which are found in wheat germ, oils and oilseeds for vitamin E, and in a large part of fruits and vegetables (kiwi, orange, peppers, cabbage) for vitamin C;
• Eliminate dead skin, for example using a gentle exfoliation treatment made for dry skin with fine grains and enriched with nourishing agents, to reduce irregularities present on the surface of the skin and revive its natural radiance.

Our expert:

Laurent Pan, skincare influencer @secretdepeau.
Co-author Skin care Objective beautiful skin
After several years with a leader in dermocosmetics, he masters the ingredients that are effective on all skin types.