Dry skin: causes and effective treatments

Surface dry skin can affect anyone at any time of the year. Regardless of skin type – oily, dry, or combination – you can experience surface dryness. Read on to learn everything about surface dry skin.

• What is surface dry skin
• This is why you get surface dry skin
• How to get rid of dry surface skin
  • Hydrate the skin from within
    * Drink water
    * Eat water-rich foods
  • Treat dry surface skin from the outside
    * Have a moisturizing skincare routine
    * Daily cleansing
    * Exfoliation
    * Face mask for surface dry skin
    * Moisturizing facial toner
    * Moisturizing serum
    * Protect the skin from external influences
    * Prevent moisture from evaporating
    * Control humidity

What is surface dry skin?

When the skin lacks water, it becomes surface dry. The epidermis (the outermost part of the skin) is poor in moisture and dehydrated. But you need to distinguish between dry and surface dry skin, as they are two completely different things.

Dry skin occurs when the skin lacks sebum.

Read more about dry skin and how to recognize the difference between surface dry and dry skin.

These are common signs of surface dry skin:

• premature signs of aging such as fine lines, sagging skin, and superficial wrinkles.
• dull and lifeless skin.
• uneven skin tone.
• itching.
• dark circles around the eyes, tired sunken eyes.
• dry lips.

Other signs of severe dehydration can be:

• dry eyes and dry mouth.
• constant thirst.
• dark yellow urine with a strong smell.
• reduced urination and sweating.
• dizziness and fatigue.

This is why you get surface dry skin

Surface dry skin occurs when the body and skin lose more water than they receive. The moisture from the skin evaporates and the moisture balance needs to be restored.

Common reasons why the skin becomes surface dry are:

• stomach flu, fever.
• heavy sweating.
• that you are drinking too little water.
• eating too dry food..
• eating and drinking things that are diuretic.
• exposing the skin to strong sun, sunburn.
• heat, extra cold weather, large temperature fluctuations.
• drying, too heavy, and moisture-poor products.

How to get rid of dry surface skin

Treating dry surface skin is quite simple. You just need to restore the fluid balance in the body and skin.

Hydrate the skin from within

A first step to getting rid of dry surface skin is to hydrate the skin from within.

Drink water

It is crucial to drink enough water, especially after water loss from sun exposure, exercise, or sauna. Cut down on diuretic drinks like alcohol and coffee. Make sure to alternate alcoholic drinks with water and drink extra water after coffee.

Eat water-rich foods

Eat plenty of fresh foods like vegetables and fruits. Water-rich foods like watermelon, celery, and cucumber are excellent for hydrating the skin. Water-rich dishes like soups, stews, or cooked vegetables are preferable to fried, grilled, baked, or fried foods.

Treat dry surface skin from the outside

A common mistake is confusing dehydrated skin with dry skin and treating it with heavy creams and oils. What helps dry surface skin is hydrating, water-rich, and moisture-binding products.

Maintain a moisturizing skincare routine

Choose products containing ingredients like water, hydrolates, aloe vera, seaweed, algae, honey, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and AHA acids.

Note that too much moisture-binding hyaluronic acid and glycerin, as well as exfoliating acids, can have the opposite effect – even drier skin. Ideally, use only one product containing these ingredients in your skincare routine.

Daily cleansing

Wash your face with a mild cleanser and lukewarm or cold water. Avoid overly long and hot showers and baths.

Facial cleansers we recommend for dry surface skin: Odylique Creamy Coconut Cleanser 100% Pure Fermented Rice Water Cleanser Eco by Sonya Super Citrus Cleanser

Exfoliation

Take care of your skin barrier. It maintains moisture in the skin and protects against external stressors. Using (too much) retinol, acids, and potent active ingredients can weaken the skin barrier.

Even harsh facial scrubs, various cleansing brushes, and cloths can negatively affect the skin barrier. Opt for mild AHA acids and grain exfoliants that gently scrub.

Light exfoliating products that can be used daily: Evolve Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner

Exfoliation that can be used 1-2 times a week: Evolve Miracle Mask

Face mask for surface-dry skin

Give your skin a rich moisture boost with a moisturizing face mask. Moisture masks are perfect when you want to instantly quench your skin’s thirst.

Moisturizing face masks suitable for surface-dry skin:
100% Pure Green Tea Water Bomb Mask
Inlight Beauty Masks

Moisturizing facial toner

An important product for surface-dry skin is facial toner.

A facial toner that contains most of what moisture-deficient skin needs is Eco by Sonya Superfruit Hydrator.

If you also want a facial toner that can hydrate your face while at the computer or during the day, rose water is a good choice.

Moisturizing serums

When it comes to moisturizing serums, hyaluronic acid is always a key ingredient. Remember that serums containing hyaluronic acid should always be applied to damp skin so they have water to bind to.

We recommend these serums for a serious moisture boost: i+m Hydro Perform Aqua Boost Aloe Vera Hyaluron, i+m Naturkosmetik Freistil Hyaluronic Serum, Evolve Hyaluronic Serum 200, and Evolve Blue Velvet Ceramide Serum.

If you already have (a lot of) hyaluronic acid in your skincare routine, you can use the following serums that do not contain hyaluronic acid:
Aloe Vera Gel

Protect the skin from external influences

Sun rays, air pollution, and similar factors directly or indirectly affect the skin’s moisture balance. Protect your skin with a moisturizing day cream that also shields against UV rays, blue light, free radicals, and oxidative stress.

We recommend: i+m Hydro Perform Moisturizing Cream Aloe Vera Pomegranate

Prevent moisture from evaporating

Surface-dry skin is not lacking oil or sebum. However, oils and oil-rich creams are good to apply to the skin to prevent moisture from evaporating.

If you feel the moisture you apply to your skin doesn’t stay or disappears quickly, a facial oil can be a good idea. Use it as is or mix a few drops with your face cream.

We recommend light, moisturizing, and protective facial oils for surface-dry skin: Fushi Japanese Camellia Kissi Oil, Fushi Kalahari Melon Oil, and Loelle Raspberry Seed Oil.

Control humidity

During winter, humidity drops significantly, which can easily cause surface dryness.

Make sure to add moisture to the air by:

• keep plants and flowers at home and in the bedroom that need frequent watering.
• hang laundry in the rooms you spend the most time in (bedroom, living room) instead of the laundry room.
• use humidifiers, especially while you sleep, to help your skin regain moisture.

We wish you the best with your skin, and don’t hesitate to ask us if you have any questions!