Difficult Dry Patches

[DORKlol]

I've some very rough, dry patches below my lip& on the edges of my forehead that are difficult to scrub & exfoliate. I'm wondering how you (if you have similar issues) combat this!

My favorite moisturizer is the Tatcha Dewy & I have sensitive skin so I use the Mad Hippie Cream cleanser.

I've been considering purchasing the Tatcha Dewy serum but still on the fence.

Thank you in advance!!

[WinglessOne]

@DORKlol  Adding to the "stop exfoliating (at least temporarily)" chorus. The more you exfoliate (be it with AHAs, BHA, a scrubby wash, spin brush, etc.) your dry patches, the worse they can become. 

Here's how I tend to this issue when it arises:

1. Gentle cleanser - for my skin, that's either Paula's Choice Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser, Paula's Choice Hydralight Cleanser, or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar (it's basically the bar version of the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser). I rotate through those cleansers on a regular basis. 
2. Hydrating serum applied to damp skin - my skin especially likes serums that contain humectants like hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, or sodium PCA. My favorites are The Ordinary "Buffet" 1 oz/ 30 mL (hyaluronic acid + hydrating & strengthening peptides) and It's Skin Power 10 Li Effector (polyglutamic acid + soothing & brightening licorice root). Some folks have good results with honey extract serums; COSRX makes one, and the Farmacy brand has plenty of honey products. 
3. Make sure skin's damp before applying moisturizer - if my skin's dried down, I spray a hydrating mist on my face and then immediately apply moisturizer. Gotta give the moisturizer some hydration to seal into skin, instead of sealing in dryness. A hydrating mist can be as simple as plain ol' water—in fact, you can just get your hands wet and gently press that water onto your face. Since my skin has inflammation issues, I use COSRX Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner as a hydrating mist. (Centella asiatica works well for me as an anti-inflammatory ingredient.) 
4. Moisturizer(s) - my daily AM & PM moisturizer is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. But if I have dry flaky/scaly patches, I top those areas with a very occlusive petrolatum-based balm. The balm will act as a temporary barrier that protects those dry areas while they heal. My favorites are Aquaphor Ointment and CeraVe Healing Ointment. If you're sensitive to lanolin, avoid Aquaphor and try the CeraVe instead. You could also use plain ol' Vaseline or a generic petroleum jelly for this. 

I temporarily stop using all exfoliants, vitamin C, and most other active ingredients that could further irritate my damaged dry patches. Once that skin's healed up, I reintroduce those ingredients/products to my routine. 

[DORKlol]

Thank you ladies for the advice! I started tonight with the advice you've given and I'll give it a week or two; if I see a noticeable difference for the better I'll definitely come back and give you an e-hug!

🤗🤗

[TheBeezKnees]

I agree. I would probably steer clear from exfoliating that area because you don't want to damage the skin.

I have dry skin in some areas and use the Inky List Oat wash to cleanse, the Ordinary Hyaluronic Serum for hydration and then follow-up with moisturizer. That has been working great for my skin and on the plus side, both the Inky List and the Ordinary products are sold on Sephora and are very affordable yet effective.

[Zaex]

I can’t say for sure about your skin but dry patches could also be from irritation (skincare or otherwise) or an allergic reaction (skincare or otherwise). Since exfoliating hasn’t worked, that’s probably not the answer. From them limited knowledge I have of your skin, I can only suggest that you focus on hydrating & moisturizing your skin or those specific areas. Maybe try something more occlusive and maybe not exfoliate those areas until it’s all cleared up. I’m not a dermatologist so feel free to take my suggestions with a grain of salt and do some research if you haven’t already.