Is your mature skin dry and sensitive? Your skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. While some people may suffer from dry skin only during winter, others might have chronically dry skin. Harsh soap, cold air, or bathing in hot water can contribute to dry skin. 

To clarify, dry and dehydrated skin aren't the same thing. Dry skin lacks oils to hold in moisture, causing cracked skin that can even bleed. Or your skin may have lost moisture because of low humidity. Dehydrated skin doesn't have enough moisture on the inside.

Dry skin is often associated with sensitive skin because keeping moisture in your skin from the inside becomes difficult to retain. In general, sensitive skin refers to the skin condition that easily breaks out in rashes, gets blotchy red, burns or stings. Dry skin is delicate. Its protective barrier is broken all over the place. You need to build it back and treat your skin with kid’s gloves while it heals. To help your dry sensitive skin feel and look healthy, you need a simple, daily skincare routine that will work for your skin type. This article will help you establish a good dry, sensitive skincare routine, and provide sensitive skincare tips to help your skin become healthy, hydrated, and smooth.

To help heal dry skin and prevent its return, at Nashe beauty, we recommend the following:

1. Stop baths and showers from worsening dry skin. When the humidity drops or your skin feels dry, only wash your face with warm water, never hot, and limit long showers under hot water. Humidity is your dry skin's friend, and by keeping the shower door closed, you can increase moisture as you shower or bathe. Limit your time in the shower or bath to 5 or 10 minutes. Apply enough cleanser to remove dirt and oil, avoid using so much that you see a thick lather. Blot your skin gently dry with a towel. Slather on the moisturizer immediately after drying your skin.
2. Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. Use Ointments, creams, or lotions, they (moisturizers) work by trapping existing moisture in your skin. To trap this much-needed moisture, you need to apply a moisturizer within a few minutes of drying off after a shower or washing your face or hands.
3. Use skincare products that contain one or more of the following ingredients:
   • Jojoba oil
   • Dimethicone
   • Glycerin
   • Hyaluronic acid
   • Lactic acid
   • Lanolin
   • Mineral oil
   • Petrolatum
   • Shea butter
4. Anti-aging ingredients such as retinol and salicylic acid may be irritating to your sensitive skin and should be avoided. Always test a small amount of any new product on the inside of your wrist and cover it with a bandage. Wait 24-48 hours for any negative reaction.
5. Use only gentle, fragrance-free skincare products. Some skincare products, such as deodorant soaps, are too harsh for dry, sensitive skin. Dermatologists recommend using products labeled "fragrance-free." If you see the word "unscented," the product can contain chemicals that neutralize or hide the odors of other ingredients. These chemicals can irritate dry, sensitive skin.
6. Get enough sleep. You should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Sleep lets your body recover and restore any damage. Lack of sleep has significant effects on the skin. In one study, researchers kept participants awake for one night and tested the condition of their skin the next day. They found that participants’ skin was significantly dryer, which led to less elasticity and more scaling of their skin. Blood flow to the skin was also greatly decreased and their facial pores were more obvious.
7. Avoid skin peels and other salon treatments that may aggravate the problem.
8. For makeup, dermatologists prefer mineral-based cosmetics. These will not clog pores and in general, are gentle on sensitive skin.
9. Don't touch your face. Dermatologists warn against causing irritation by transferring bacteria, fungus, and viruses from your fingers to your skin. Make sure your hands are clean as you apply moisturizers and makeup.

In conclusion, we don't recommend purchasing products simply because they are popular at that moment. We have certified professionals at Nashé beauty to tailor the recommendations to your skin type and to what's going on with your skin.