Healing Skin Habits

Dry Skin

If your skin is: Dry
What makes it worse: Most people are born with dry skin but quite often, what we do to our skin can bring on more dryness. Granted, some contributors are out of your control, including winter's low humidity levels and indoor heat. But by making sure that you're using products that protect your uppermost layer of skin (the epidermis) from losing moisture, you're bound to see less dryness overall. Better yet, when you effectively moisturize your skin you're less likely to scratch it -- and as we all know, scratching only weakens the epidermis, triggering the dry cycle all over again.

1. Morning:
Again, proper cleansing is the path to a dewier complexion. For dry skin, it's crucial to look for a cleanser that will remove any oil and makeup from the night before, but that won't disrupt the skin's natural moisture levels. Also, try layering a hydrating toner or mist between your skin and moisturizer for an even better benefit.
Try: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $6.99: Ceramides (natural components of the skin), humectants (which pull moisture from the air), and emollients (which trap moisture onto the skin) make up this cleanser. It's formulated to release its protective qualities slowly throughout the day, keeping the skin comfortable and pretty all day long.

2. Evening:
Your skin is very receptive to therapeutic treatments in the evening, both because the entire body is replenishing itself and also because it's not being exposed to the outside. So go ahead -- use your precious bedtime hours to treat your skin to a hearty dose of moisture.
Try: Ahava Dermud Intense Soothing Nourishing Cream, $30: Mud from the Dead Sea and a multi-mineral complex are joined by shea butter and aloe vera to help boost skin's moisture levels.

3. Once a week:
Dry skin tends to turn over inconsistently, which compromises its ability to accept moisture from the environment, resulting in even drier skin. This is why sloughing off the dead skin cells that build up on the epidermis by exfoliating is so important. To prevent irritation make sure you use a gentle exfoliator, no more than once a week.
Try: pHisoderm Nurturing Facial Polish, $5.69: This exfoliating cleanser features nonabrasive microbeads and moisturizers, making it a great weekly counterpart to your daily cleanser.

Stock up on healthy fats at the grocery store, such as olive oil, nuts, and salmon, as they've been proven to increase skin's moisture levels. Also, invest in a humidifier and sleep with it on at night.