Cold weather is just around the corner, and we all know what that means: dry skin. Cold, dry air and low humidity can leave your skin feeling cracked and rough and looking dull and flaky. And we all know that it’s important to combat dry skin not just to feel more comfortable, but to help fight the aging process.

Really, dry skin can happen at any time during the year, as it’s caused by a lack of water in the skin cells. Your skin cells get some of the water you drink, which keeps them healthy and quenched. The reason skin may feel more dry in weather with low-humidity is that water evaporates faster and then needs to be replenished. To help prevent this evaporation, oil glands in the skin secrete sebum, which spreads over the skin as a sort of barrier to slow evaporation.

When you wash your skin with hot water and soap, sebum is stripped away, which can lead to dry skin. While the skin can moisturize itself under ideal conditions, there are several factors besides low humidity that can cause dry skin such as hot baths and showers, rubbing the skin dry with a towel, shaving and age.

Treating Dry Skin

So what can be done to soothe dry skin? Drinking more water, washing with a soap-free cleanser and applying moisturizer within three minutes of washing your face are all tips for treating dry skin. Additionally, you can:

• Avoid taking long, hot showers or baths – try brief, warm ones instead.
• Gently pat your skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing.
• Use a sharp razor to shave, use a moisturizing shave cream or gel, and apply lotion immediately after shaving.
• Use a moisturizing lotion or cream immediately after washing your hands, and reapply throughout the day as needed.
• Use a humidifier in your home during the winter months to keep the air moist.

Skincare Products for Dry Skin

To help with dry skin, Cosmesis offers moisturizers like the Facial Moisturizer Nutrient Enriched and Precious Drops Moisturizer. Dr. Goldfaden recommends this scientific solution to help dry skin:

• Start with our Pearlscent Cleanser with Red Tea, a gentle foaming cleanser that lifts away makeup and dirt to expose skin so that moisturizers can penetrate it.
• Next, use the oil-free moisturizer, Red Tea Rejuvenating Serum, which contains hyaluronic acid.
• Finish by using Intensive Eye Cream with Red Tea, a skincare product containing hyaluronic acid, which keeps the delicate eye area moisturized, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.