People with dry skin tend to turn to moisturizers for maintaining their skin. However, dry skin is best dealt with when moisturizer use is combined with the use of a face wash or face cleanser.
By combining the use of moisturizer and face cleanser, you can keep your dry skin hydrated, which will result in skin that looks and feels good.
When looking for the best facial cleanser for dry skin, you may be overwhelmed, as there are so many options to choose from.
However, in this article, we'll attempt to give you some clarity in terms of how you can choose the best facial cleanser for dry skin.
So, without any further delay, let's begin!
Table of Contents:
- Why should you cleanse your face regularly?
- What should a facial cleanser for dry skin contain?
- Hyaluronic acid
- Ceramides
- Glycerin
- Urea
- Antioxidants
- Aquaporins
- Salicylic acid
- Facial cleansing: Best practices
Why should you cleanse your face regularly?
Regular face cleansing is important, as it provides a number of benefits, such as:
What should a facial cleanser for dry skin contain?
The best facial cleanser for dry skin contains a wide variety of ingredients. Some of those ingredients are good for dry skin.
However, some of them may be better suited for other skin types. So, before you buy a facial cleanser for dry skin, make sure that it has one or more of the following ingredients.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring complex sugar in the skin. However, people with dry skin suffer from a lack of it. Thankfully, there are a variety of skincare products containing hyaluronic acid.
For instance, Wow Skin Science's Coconut Water Full Cream With Hyaluronic Acid is a popular product for providing deep nourishment and hydration to the skin.
Here are a few of the benefits that hyaluronic acid has to offer:
- Supple, firm skin
- Instant hydration
- Anti-aging properties
- Smooth skin texture
- Dewy complexion
So, when buying a facial cleanser for dry skin, be sure to look for hyaluronic acid in the list of ingredients.
Ceramides
Ceramides, like hyaluronic acid, are naturally-occurring. They are fats or waxy lipids that are a part of the skin's natural protective barrier, and their concentration is highest in the skin's outermost layer.
However, over time, as skin is exposed to pollutants and contaminants, their production decreases. Ceramides play a huge role in retaining moisture, and for people with dry skin, these fats can work wonders.
Apart from retaining moisture, ceramides also provide the following benefits:
- Effective for eczema management
- Facilitates the formation of a protective skin barrier
- Minimizes skin irritation
The best facial cleanser for dry skin and other skincare products contain ceramides, and they are safe not just for people with dry skin but for every skin type in general.
Glycerin
Humectants are substances that facilitate moisture retention, and glycerin is one of the best humectants known to man. It's an odor-free, clear liquid that's not only popular as an ingredient in skincare products - it's also used for cooking as a sweetener.
There are two types of glycerin that are used in skincare products - synthetic and plant-based. The latter is the safer option, as it isn't likely to cause any adverse reactions.
Here are some of the glycerin's benefits for the skin:
- Skin tightening properties
- Exfoliates the skin
- Improves complexion
- Enhances the skin's natural protective qualities
While some facial cleansers do contain glycerin, it's a substance that's mostly used for creating moisturizers.
Urea
Urea is yet another naturally-occurring substance in the skin that facilitates moisturization. However, with age and chronic exposure to contaminants, urea production decreases, which is where facial cleansers containing urea can come in handy.
Urea's most important function is moisture retention, similar to glycerin and ceramides. The fact that it is naturally occurring ensures that it does not do any damage to the skin.
However, the substance also has the following benefits to offer:
- Improves cellular turnover
- Loosens dead skin to facilitate exfoliation
- Prevents dry skin development
- Enhances topical medication's skin penetrative properties
Like glycerin, urea is mostly used as an ingredient in moisturizers. However, some facial cleansers also contain the substance.
Antioxidants
Compounds that inhibit oxidation are known as antioxidants. Some of the most commonly-found antioxidants in skincare products include niacinamide, vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol, and retinol (vitamin A).
Wow Skin Science's Retinol Face Cream is one of the best examples of a skincare product containing an antioxidant. It repairs the skin and provides the nourishment that dry skin needs to look and feel smooth.
Antioxidants provide a wide range of skincare benefits such as:
- Anti-aging properties
- Prevents sun damage
- Brightens skin tone
Facial cleansers typically consist of multiple antioxidants for facilitating the recovery of the skin from oxidative stress and free radical damage.
Aquaporins
Aquaporins are membrane proteins found in the skin, and they are responsible for transferring water between skin cells. They also facilitate the spread of solutes like urea and glycerol, which hydrate the skin.
There are different types of aquaporins naturally present in humans - AQP1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10. Different aquaporin types perform different functions.
For instance, AQP3 transports glycerin and water, while AQP5 plays a vital role in perspiration.
In general, aquaporins provide the following benefits for the skin:
- Facilitates deep hydration of the skin
- Transfers different compounds and water between skin cells
In skincare products like facial cleansers, a variety of compounds like gluco-glycerol and acetyl hexapeptide-37 are added to promote adequate aquaporin production.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a widely-used ingredient in skincare products. While it's at its most effective for people with oily skin, it can also provide a wide range of benefits for people with dry skin.
Salicylic acid is a naturally-occurring compound in sweet birch bark, willow bark, and wintergreen leaves. However, in most skincare products, the synthetic version is used.
Salicylic acid offers the following skincare benefits:
- Prevents acne by weakening acne-causing bacteria
- Cleans excess oil from the skin's pores
- Soothes inflammation
- Exfoliates dead cells in the skin
As an exfoliator, salicylic acid is incredibly effective, which is why it's an ingredient that's present in numerous facial cleansers.
Facial cleansing: Best practices
It's one thing to invest in skincare products, but it's another altogether to develop the right habits and practices for maintaining healthy skin.
In this section, we'll take you through the best skincare practices for people with dry skin. So, if you've been at the wrong end of dry skin problems, read on to know some of the best practices that you should put into practice right away.
Remove makeup before applying cleanser
If you want your facial cleanser to be at its effective best, you've got to remove every bit of makeup that you're wearing.
Makeup clogs the skin's pores, and if you're wearing makeup while applying the cleanser, the cleanser's ingredients won't be able to penetrate the skin well enough. Ultimately, all this will do is make the skin's pores congested.
You should also ensure that you remove makeup as thoroughly as possible so that no traces of it remain in the pores. To do this, you can use the oil cleansing method. For people with dry skin, moisturizing olive oil is the best option.
Moisturizing olive oil is full of antioxidants and vitamins, which promote hydration. If you want extra moisture, feel free to add some avocado or coconut oil. Also, avoid castor oil if your dry skin is sensitive. While castor oil provides multiple antibacterial benefits, it can cause the skin to dry further.
To start the makeup removal process through the oil cleansing method, apply 1 - 2 teaspoons of moisturizing olive oil without applying any water. Massage the oil gently for a minute - this will remove dead skin cells along with traces of makeup.
Next, wipe the oil away using a warm and damp washcloth. Again, it's important to be gentle at this stage, as being too rough may lead to breakouts. When you're done, your face should be moisturized, but it shouldn't feel greasy.
Use lukewarm water
While you can definitely use either hot or cold water when washing your face, we recommend sticking to lukewarm water.
The reason for this is simple - extreme water temperatures may irritate your facial skin. So, it's best to go with a water temperature that's neither too hot nor too cold.
Lukewarm water is also incredibly effective at loosening any remaining impurities in the skin's pores. So, when it comes to washing your face, there's nothing better than lukewarm water. It does what's needed, and it prevents flushing.
Don't use more than the recommended amount
Too much of anything isn't good for you, and the same goes for the facial cleanser you choose. On the label, there will be clear instructions that will guide you in terms of how much of the product you should use. It's important that you stick to the instructions and don't end up using more than you need.
Even if your preferred facial cleanser has tons of helpful ingredients for combating dry skin, applying more than the recommended amount may disturb your facial skin.
On the other hand, it's also vital that you don't cut corners when applying the product. This is a common habit among those who pay a lot of money for their facial cleansers. Using less than what's recommended may lead to inefficient facial cleansing.
Finish the facial cleansing process with a toner and a moisturizer
Cleansing your face doesn't only involve using the best facial cleanser for dry skin. Ideally, you should finish the process by applying toner and then moisturizer.
Toners contain ingredients like chamomile, witch hazel, salicylic acid, and/or rosewater. Their light, liquid formulas facilitate the resetting of the skin's pH. If your skin's pH isn't balanced, it will be prone to damage and bacterial infestations.
When you're done applying the toner, you should apply a moisturizer. This will ensure that your skin doesn't feel excessively tight after you've cleansed it.
While a lot of people are appreciative of the tight feeling, what they don't realize is that it's actually dryness that's causing the sensation.
Last but not least, you shouldn't be afraid to keep experimenting with your facial cleansing routine.
For instance, if the routine you start with doesn't yield the desired results, do some reading on the internet and follow skincare experts on social media. Experimenting will allow you to gain more knowledge about different types of skincare products, and it will also help you create a routine of your own - one that solves your facial skin problems.
So, that's about it for this article. Now you know the importance of facial cleansing and how to choose the best facial cleanser for dry skin. We hope to educate and inform you more in the future so that you can take better care of your skin. Happy cleansing!
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