Some say that great skin is not just a matter of DNA; it’s your habits that form the texture. Though there is a dizzying number of opinions out there, we’ve sought out what we think are the best skincare tips to help you keep your complexion hydrated and glowing. So, if your old dry skin routine has let you down, it’s time to upgrade it and follow these 7 best skincare rules to show your skin some major love. It’s so important to protect and maintain your skin’s barrier and even more so, if you have dry skin. Read more about what a skin barrier is and how to look after it here.
1. Use lukewarm water for washing your face
Cold water acts like an astringent for your skin and helps you feel refreshed. However, you should avoid using cold water daily as it is not effective in removing grime, dust, and pollution from your face. On the other hand, when you use water that’s too hot, it irritates your skin and dries it out. If you think that hot water is your friend during the chilly days of winter, think again. Hot water also diminishes essential oils in your skin, causing dryness. So, take the middle road: using lukewarm water for washing your face is the best option to get it really clean without drying it out. essential for maintaining that glowing skin.
2. Be gentle to your skin
The best way to maintain the goodness of your skin is to show your affection for it. Love your skin. Be gentle while using a facial cleanser, even one specially formulated for dry or sensitive skin. Think about using a high-quality micellar cleansing water like Synergie Skin’s Micellution for a no-rinse cleansing option. The water acts like a magnet to remove dirt, oil, and makeup. It keeps your skin hydrated and soothed.
And when washing your face, rather than using tissues to wipe away cleanser or micellar water, reach for a cotton cloth instead. In fact, Synergie’s most popular cleansers (Ultracleanse and Biocleanse) now come with a cotton cloth for gentle removal of makeup and grime.
3. Remove dead skin cells
By the end of every week, dead skin cells build up on the surface of your skin. This can make your skin look dull. The best way to restore glow is to get rid of those dead skin cells using an exfoliating serum or face scrub. Synergie has both an acid-based serum (Reveal, containing AHAs and BHAs) and an acid-free serum that’s safe even for sensitive skin (Luciderm). We suggest you use one of these no-rinse exfoliating serums at least twice a week, in the morning.
For a deep cleanse, a physical exfoliator is the way to go. These contain either microbeads or tiny crystals to scrub away the dead skin cells. Synergie’s Mediscrub is ideal—and it doesn’t contain microbeads, which are harmful to the environment (and banned in some areas, thankfully). We suggest using an exfoliating face scrub once-a-week to help slough off the build-up of dead skin cells.
With regular use of an exfoliator, you’ll find your skin changing from dull and lifeless to look smoother, softer, and glowing.
4. Feed your skin with vitamins
At Skin Elegance, we believe that there are certain essential serums you should be using on a daily basis to maintain your skin health, regardless of how dry (or not) your skin is. Serums contain active ingredients that replenish your skin and keep it healthy all day long. While using serums may seem complicated, it’s actually as simple as A B C (vitamins, that is). Use a serum containing vitamin C in the morning (to provide antioxidant protection for all the free radicals the day’s activities are going to bombard your skin with) and ones containing vitamins A (retinol) and B3 (niacinamide) in the evening.
If you’re on a budget, our favorite vitamin is B3 (niacinamide). Synergie’s Vitamin B Serum contains 13% niacinamide (along with vitamin B5 and rose geranium extract), which is a fantastic multi-tasking ingredient that (among its various effects) helps boost your skin’s ceramides and reduce trans-epidermal water loss, for enhanced hydration.Your dry skin will develop a dewy glow within weeks of starting a good quality vitamin B3 serum.
As we age, our skin starts to show the effects of the UV damage that it’s been exposed to over the years. Use a vitamin A containing serum to repair the sun damage that’s been done, preserve collagen, and help your skin cells be renewed at the rate they used to be when you were younger. All these effects will contribute to a more youthful looking skin. There are many different vitamin A (retinoid) serums on the market; for a guide about the importance of retinoids, see our earlier blog. Synergie has two retinol serums: start out using Ultimate A, containing pure retinol encapsulated to protect it (and your skin from the drying effects some retinoids produce) and after 3-6 months, try progressing to the more potent Acceler-A serum, which contains a proprietary blend of 6% RetiGen™ complex (comprising HPR, CoQ10, and pure green tea).
If you want to go all out (as we personally recommend), then add in a vitamin C serum product like SupremaC+ to your daily routine. This will not only provide your skin with the antioxidant benefits of vitamin C, but also protect your skin against further UVA and UVB damage, and also help ‘feed’ the collagen in your skin. Not convinced about why vitamin C is so important for your skin? Read more about it here.
Depending on your particular skin concerns, consider using other serums for additional benefits. For example, if you’re over 35, you may want to start using an anti-aging serum, like Synergie’s SuperSerum+, which contains peptide and marine biotechnology ingredients and hydrating hyaluronic acid to repair damaged cells, stimulate collagen, and relax crow’s feet. Using these serums will play a significant role in helping to keep your skin refreshed, youthful, and hydrated.
5. Apply moisturizer daily
While you may think that there’s no way to use a moisturizer incorrectly, actually there are a few simple ‘rules’ when using them to make them more effective. Firstly, use them after your serums; if you use the moisturizer before you apply a serum, you’ll have created a barrier that prevents the serum from being absorbed well. Secondly, wait a couple of minutes for your serum(s) to absorb, before applying your moisturizer. Thirdly, try to moisturize your skin twice a day—morning and night.Fourthly, choose moisturizers that are formulated for your skin concerns, with additional ingredients besides the moisturizing ones.For example, one of the best moisturizers for dry skin is Hydrolock Intense Moisturizer from Synergie Skin, which is formulated with hydrating ingredients like botanical oils and squalene, as well as a marine cosmeceutical ingredient that rebuilds the skin via stem cell activation.
6. Use a high-quality sunblock
Whatever your skin type, know that the sun can be your foe and you need to protect your skin against the damaging effects of UVA, UVB, and visible light rays. Sun protection is crucial to prevent damage and maintain skin health. That’s why we recommend using some sort of broad-spectrum sunblock all year round (yes, even in winter) and even if you’re not outside that much (because damaging UVA rays penetrate glass like car windshields or office windows). Physical sunscreens containing the minerals zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and iron oxide are best, because they act like a shield that bounces the sun’s rays off your skin before it penetrates to cause damage. (In contrast, chemical sunscreens contain ingredients that act within the skin, may themselves cause free radical damage, and certain of them are banned because their environmental toxicity.) Synergie’s ÜberZinc is a great choice—and because it’s also a moisturizer, it satisfies item 5 above. It’s also a good idea to try to limit your exposure to the sun, seek shade, cover your face, and use sunglasses.
7. Choose your makeup carefully
You may think that makeup is the icing on the (skin care) cake, and that it doesn’t do much except sit on your skin and make you look pretty. Actually, when you think about it, just because it’s makeup, doesn’t mean its ingredients are not going to be absorbed into the skin, especially when you think how many hours a day it’s on your skin. That’s why, if you wear makeup on a daily basis, it’s important to choose products that contains no harmful ingredients. Look for all-natural mineral makeup products without harmful parabens, phthalates, artificial colors or fragrances, andcoal tar dyes (to name a few). Check that your mineral foundation doesn’t contain talcum (which is natural, but definitely not a ‘friendly’ ingredient).
Besides sticking to all-natural clean beauty mineral makeup products, we like our makeup to benefit our skin while it beautifies it. That’s why we love Synergie Minerals: it’s an ‘intelligent’ makeup line, which means every product (from foundations and blushers to mascara and eyeshadows, lipsticks and lipglosses)contains ingredients that nourish or protect the skin in some way. It has a choice of four different foundation formulations to provide a range of coverage and SPF protection, and has all you need to get the best natural makeup look for your skin.
Conclusion
We hope you agree that your dry skin skincare routine is not that complicated, but that it does allow you to pamper your skin a bit more—and your skin will soon show the benefits of this extra care so that your skin confidence™ will grow (and with it, your self-confidence). For more information about Synergie products for dry skin, click this link here.
