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Harsh weather and dry skin combine to make for damaged skin. Fortunately, there are skincare moisturizers and creams available that can help solve common problems. Weather changes can have adverse effects on dry skin and a person needs to be armed with winter moisturizers for dry skin. While some people might require specific treatments, there is over-the-counter winter skincare that is effective and will work magic for your skin.
Dry skin sometimes can be flaky or irritated. This article will cover the causes and symptoms of dry skin as well as the qualities of the best dry skin moisturizer for the best dry skin treatment.
What is a moisturizer?
A moisturizer is a lotion, cream, gel, or ointment that serves to treat dry skin. It gives maximum hydration benefits to dry hands and the entire body. It caters to a lot of skin types and yet it can be personalized to meet individual needs. A moisturizer can also have anti-inflammatory benefits when it contains the right ingredients.
Causes of Dry Skin
- Harsh weather
- Medications
- Skin conditions like eczema
- Personal care products and detergents
- Excessive skin scrubbing
- Aging
Symptoms of Dry Skin
- Cracked skin
- Chapped lips
- Skin tightness especially after a bath
- Fine lines
- Itchiness
The Best Dry Skin Treatment Lotions and Creams
The best moisturizer should be soothing, gentle, and help the skin retain moisture. It functions to treat flaky skin and relieve itchiness. Furthermore, it should contain ingredients that increase the moisture levels of the skin like shea butter.
Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream
Cetaphil is the best dry skin moisturizer according to dermatology expert Dr. Barry Goldman and aesthetician Jean Dachnowicz. It is effective for the whole body including the face and dry prone skin areas like elbows, knees, and hands. This cream contains petrolatum, glycerin, vitamins B3, B5, and vitamin E.
Because it is a fragrance-free cream, it is excellent for people with dry sensitive skin as well as those with varying allergies. Made with a non-greasy formula, the cream is easy to apply as it absorbs into the skin barrier effortlessly.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer
Neutrogena Hydro Boost is one of the best moisturizers that strives to give a person hydrated skin. Because it is an oil-free moisturizer it acts as a great make-up primer and a good choice for people with acne-prone skin.
Dry winter skin can highly benefit from this fragrance-free moisturizer. It contains hyaluronic acid which can lock in moisture hence very hydrating.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
For the person experiencing very dry skin, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is the answer. Specially formulated for skin that is cracking or minor burns, this moisturizing ointment is versatile. It is regarded as a great moisturizer because it contains humectants and occlusives. It traps moisture and acts as the skin’s moisture barrier.
It is not only meant to treat dry skin but it is also great for a baby’s bottom as well as an addition to a make-up routine. It is free of irritating smells and comes in different sizes and packaging tubes making it easily portable.
Tatcha the Dewy Skin Cream
Maximum hydration is what comes to mind when a person with dryness issues thinks of Tatcha the Dewy Cream. The cream is ideal for those cold months that are not great for the skin. Due to its thick and creamy consistency, it is one of the creams that is excellent for any skin type because it is not greasy.
Formulated with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, the cream will leave dry hands soft and moisturized.
Necessaire Body Lotion
Necessaire Body Lotion is one of the skincare products that are essential for anyone who is seeking a hydrating lotion. The vegan, hypoallergenic lotion includes vitamin C and E which are necessary for moisturizers for dry skin.
Hydrate Revitalizing Jelly Night Treatment
Although it is a night cream, there are people who use this jelly during the day to get as much moisture as possible. Developed with vitamins, fatty acids, and glycerin, this jelly will leave the skin soft and moisturized come morning.
Atolla Personalized Cream
Personalized hydration is very important in any person’s skincare routine. Considering that people have different skin types, Atolla Personalized Cream works by addressing each individual’s skin problems.
The fact that a person can go to the store and get a cream that is specific to their skin type is a dream come true. In addition, the cream is made with natural oils that provide hydration to the skin.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
While a lip balm is what someone would ordinarily reach for in the event of dry lips, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask offers the same function when one is catching some sleep. Applied at night, this lip balm will ensure that anyone with dry cracked lips will enjoy soft, supple lips throughout the colder months.
Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream
A product from Youth to the People, Adaptogen cream is one of the few vegan moisturizers available. It comes as a thick layered cream that leaves a person with hydrated skin. It contains pentapeptides which are a good match for irritated and sensitive skin.
Adaptogen is great for cell renewal because the peptides act as growth factors for new skin cells.
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Cream
CeraVe is all about youthfulness given that the cream contains fatty acids that lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The cream is exceptional for those who worry about premature aging.
Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer
For people who are all about plant-based moisturizers, the Biossance Squalane +Probiotic Gel Moisturizer would be a great addition to their skincare routine. Prepared with squalane, an ingredient produced by the body under the name squalene, this salve is very hydrating.
Combined with biossance, probiotics, and other plant extracts, it is the best salve for irritated skin.
Vaseline Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly ranks as one of the best and most inexpensive moisturizers available. Formulated with petrolatum, it is very soothing to the skin’s surface. Considering that winter skin can be a nightmare Vaseline Petroleum Jelly can alleviate any discomforts that a person would feel in the cold winter months.
Petroleum jelly can be used by people of all ages and for every part of the body. Parents can use the jelly for a baby’s diaper area while adults can use it on their hands, feet, and even on chapped lips.
How to shop for moisturizers for dry skin
As the colder months prove unforgiving, any person can beat winter skin by investing in a skincare routine that includes the best winter moisturizers. In every product a person purchases, there are things to look for and others to avoid like denatured alcohol.
What to look for in a moisturizer
There are several factors one should consider when looking for the best dry skin moisturizer for winter. Moisturizing ingredients should be on top of that list. There is no point in buying a cream or lotion to moisturize the skin’s surface, only to find it falls short. The goal is to get a product that provides a skin barrier from the cold weather.
The following are ingredients you should look for in a moisturizer.
Emollients
Emollients are ingredients found in lotions, creams, gels and ointments. They work by softening the skin’s surface and are great at trapping moisture. They can be a bit greasy and they are beneficial to parched skin and very dry skin. The most common emollients include shea butter, cocoa butter, lanolin, beeswax, and isopropyl palmitate.
Humectants
Humectants make the backbone of most moisturizers because they function by drawing moisture from the environment and into the skin. In addition, humectants help the skin retain moisture. Humectants are superb for hydrating dry skin, giving it a plump and supple look. The most common humectants are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, lactic acid, and ceramides.
Hyaluronic acid which is considered one of the most important common humectants is excellent for absorbing moisture from the environment. Dermatological experts compare this ingredient to a sponge.
Occlusives
While emollients and humectants soften the skin and trap moisture from the environment, occlusives work by protecting the skin’s surfaces from possible environmental irritants. A person with dry skin does not need to add irritated skin to the list and occlusives can help with that. These ingredients work by providing a skin barrier that aids with moisture retention and subsequently prevents water loss.
Occlusives can be quite rich and can be classified as greasy creams hence people who are prone to acne should avoid occlusives because they tend to close the skin’s pores.
What to avoid in a moisturizer
Anyone with dry skin might want to stay away from moisturizers that include fragrances, denatured alcohols, and exfoliants in their packaging labels.
Fragrances
A fragrance-free cream is great for people with respiratory allergies and that is why the best treatments for sensitive skin have no smell.
Denatured Alcohols
An alcohol-free salve or lotion is the best moisturizer, especially for a person with sensitive skin. That said, there is a type of alcohol that moisturizers contain that is not harmful to the skin. What a buyer should steer clear of is ethyl alcohol.
Exfoliants
While removing dead cells gives way to new cells, people with dry skin should avoid exfoliants which can be irritating to the skin making it drier. Examples of exfoliants include salicylic acid and glycolic acid.
How to apply moisturizer
It is critical to apply moisturizer as directed in order to achieve maximum hydration. One should apply the treatment after a bath when the skin’s surface is still damp. By doing so, the lotion will serve its hydrating purpose. The trick is to apply it twice a day.
Ready to invest in the best solution for your skincare?
Dry skin can not only be embarrassing but it can uncomfortable and painful. It is wise to choose a cream that is anti-inflammatory and contains moisturizing ingredients like alpha hydroxy acid, shea butter, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid.
Fort Worth Pharmacy provides a range of creams and lotions that are hydrating to the whole body. Furthermore, the pharmacy will provide personalized treatments for those who need them.