Dry skin advice

[CHLAEMMA]

I NEED HELP!!! my skin can get EXTREMELY dry. So dry that it can actually get like, white flakes and extremely red. I’m kinda concerned because usually my skin will never get this bad

[WinglessOne]

@CHLAEMMA  I’ll second @SportyGirly125‘s advice to see a dermatologist or primary care doctor, if you can. You might have a skin condition that needs a little special treatment like rosacea, eczema, etc. I’ll say a bit more about this in the spoiler tag below: 

Spoiler

You could be very sensitive to something you’ve been putting on your face. Or it could be something you used just on your hands, body, or hair that transferred to your face when you touched it. That happens to me whenever I use any lavender hand cream. 😭 (My facial skin haaaaates lavender.) Could even be laundry detergent used on your pillowcases and sheets. A dermatologist or other medical doc can help figure that out. 

What’s your current skincare routine (brands + product names), from cleanser to sunscreen? Sometimes, overusing certain products can cause lots of irritation. AHA exfoliants, especially glycolic acid, are a common cause; those should be used just 1-3 times a week and never twice on the same day. Also, daytime sunscreen’s a must if you use AHAs: they make skin more sensitive to UV rays. 

To calm your skin down right now, try a cold compress: soak a washcloth with cold water, drape it over your face, and hold it there for up to 15 minutes. Then, while your skin’s damp (not dripping wet), apply a thick moisturizing balm to seal in hydration and protect your skin while it heals. Something that contains petrolatum is ideal: plain ol’ Vaseline, CeraVe Healing Ointment, or Aquaphor Ointment (my personal fave, but avoid Aquaphor if you’re sensitive or allergic to lanolin). Aveeno Eczema Therapy Nighttime Itch Relief Balm is also good: it contains dimethicone instead of petrolatum, but also has colloidal oats that can soothe irritated skin.

When my skin gets red flaky irritated, I like to do a cold compress, then apply an Aveeno body lotion (usually their Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion) for soothing oats, then top that with Aquaphor. I do this because, for my angry facial skin, Aveeno’s not moisturizing enough on its own but I still want that oat relief. 

Oh, and if your skin’s too painful to wash with your usual cleanser, try The INKEY List Oat Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm 5 oz/ 150 mL instead: apply it to dry skin, let it sit 5-10 minutes as a soothing oat mask, then apply water + your usual cleanser (hopefully it’s a gentle one) right over it and rinse everything off together. That Oat Cleansing Balm has saved my irritated facial skin more times than I can count. 

[PDXXXX]

@CHLAEMMA I also have very red, dry skin that sometimes won't even tolerate foundations b/c it's quite sensitive. Some of the things that help me are:

- making sure to wash with tepid water only and only with sensitive skin cleansers (I'm a fan of Paula's Choice sensitive skin cleanser). Avoiding retinols (I do use a prescription tretinoin).

- Using products that help the moisture barrier ( Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream Refillable Barrier Moisturizer with Ceramides is a favorite and great line as they offer lots of minis to see how your skin reacts).

- Overnight face masks ( the LANEIGE Cica Sleeping Mask for Moisture Barrier Support is one I recommend for dry, red skin). And always using SPF. If redness is in particular is also an issue I highly recommend Azaleic Acid (The Ordinary and Paula's Choice both have great options in that department.

- Also, don't be afraid to slug (coat your face at night as a last step) with Aquaphor or something like Avene Cicalfate (also a great moisturizer on particularly inflamed days).

Make sure though not to integrate more than one product every 1-2 weeks so you know what is setting things off if you have any reactions. I know how hard these seasonal weather changes can be on sensitized skin: hope you find relief soon!

[SportyGirly125]

@CHLAEMMA I would see a dermatologist