Relieve tightness and itching and restore your skin’s natural softness and suppleness.
After the shower, does your skin feel tight? Does it itch even more in the wintertime? You probably suffer from dry skin, affectionately nicknamed by some as ‘crocodile skin.’ On top of experiencing discomfort, your skin can feel rough to the touch and even crack. This also means your skin is no longer able to function properly as a protective barrier against external aggressions.
How to Describe the Dry Skin on Your Body
Dryness happens when there’s a lack of hydration and lipids in your skin which can be caused by hereditary and/or environmental reasons. This is manifested by tightness and redness in most cases. You might also notice patches of dryness with a chalky whitish appearance. It’s may feel chapped, itchy and start peeling depending on the severity of the situation.
As we mentioned earlier, our skin gets dehydrated due to a lack of surface lipids (aka healthy fats). This hydrolipidic barrier is supposed to prevent the water in your skin from evaporating. Certain areas like the skin of your hands, feet, elbows, and knees can easily become dry because they have fewer sebaceous glands (the glands that are responsible for secreting sebum, the protective oil of the skin). These areas are also highly exposed to the environment compared to other parts of your body that are normally covered by clothing. The latter also has a role to play in skin dryness: a very harsh winter, drying heating, or sudden changes in temperature only make it worse.
Thankfully, dryness can easily be corrected with moisturising, nourishing, and emollient-rich products (emollients help soften the skin to restore its suppleness). If the problem persists, it could be a medical condition like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or even xerosis that can be diagnosed by a dermatologist.
What to Avoid
To help you avoid making dryness worse, we recommend skipping out on harsh detergent products like certain soaps which strip the hydrolipidic film of the skin. Prolonged exposure to hot water, especially if it’s hard, also aggravates this problem, so keep in mind that hot baths, pleasant as they are, and endless showers, won’t exactly do your skin any favours.
As dry skin causes your skin to become more sensitive, it’s also important to avoid sensitising ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, dyes, and drying alcohols. Instead, try to favour the most natural formulas possible.
How to Care for Dry Body Skin
The first step is to opt for a moisturising shower gel.
Traditional soaps are often harsh on the dry skin of your body. On the other hand, a shower gel with a gentle formula can help the skin preserve its hydration straight out of the shower. Its formula may even contain soothing and moisturising agents.
This just happens to be the case with our 99% natural and sulfate-free shower gels (FYI: sulfates are harsh ingredients that tend to irritate dry skin). Alternatively, the coconut derivatives they contain make it possible to wash gently. Witch hazel floral water soothes the skin and reduces redness. Plus, the different blends of essential oils naturally add delicious aromas to the products: opt for Cannabis/Gaïac wood for a smooth shower, Peppermint/Tea Tree for a refreshing boost, Orange Blossom/Petitgrain for a stroll in a Moroccan garden, Virginia Cedar/ Sage Leaf for a getaway in the woods, or Italian Bergamot/ Peppermint for a fruity vacation in Capri.
The second step is to hydrate your body with nourishing creams.
In addition to cleansing, nourishing body creams, formulated with skin-repairing ingredients like shea butter or coconut oil, will moisturise your whole body, or at least applied to the dry parts like your elbows, hands, and knees. This will help you immediately relieve tightness, itching, and restore softness to your skin.
The third step? Repair the driest areas of your skin.
Your hands, which are frequently washed, are among the parts of your body that are most subject getting majorly dried out. This is caused by all the limestone found in tap water and/or by harsh hand soaps. Applying a moisturising hand balm will repair and soften them. Keeping a tube of it in your desk drawer will guarantee you'll be thinking about it several times a day. Think of your employees when they shake your hand: they won't want to let go and will be ready to listen to you for hours. Especially useful when you need to negotiate.
There you go. By following these tips, your skin should no longer be dry.
