What are the characteristics of dry skin?
You have dry skin if, to the touch, your skin is quite thin, it is sometimes rough, it flakes in places. The “crocodile skin” effect, particularly on the legs and arms, unfortunately no longer holds any secrets for you. When you look in the mirror, the pores are almost invisible, your complexion is rather dull but even. You feel that your skin is not very elastic, it often feels tight (especially after your shower) and lacks suppleness. You have small irritations in places and sometimes itching. You react quickly to external aggression and blush quickly.
Our pharmacist's opinion
Dry skin, like all skin types, needs suitable care and above all extra gentle and ultra nourishing! It should be removed daily and washed with a gentle cleanser that does not dry out the skin. It should be fed morning and evening with a rich and creamy cream. We will favor, rather than a butter (containing only an oily phase), a cream rich in nourishing vegetable oils but also, like all emulsions, an aqueous phase (hydrosol, aloe vera juice, water). Indeed, a rich cream nourishes and hydrates, which is very useful if your skin is both dry and dehydrated while a pure butter or vegetable oil will not work on dehydrated skin. We will avoid excessively regular exfoliations so as not to attack already fragile skin. If a scrub is necessary, we will prefer ultra-gentle scrubs with lemon powder for example.
The ideal routine for dry skin
THE MORNING
Hydrate my skin and brighten my complexion
I use an ultra-gentle hydrosol like cornflower or orange blossom to hydrate my skin and brighten my complexion. The hydrosol is applied using a cotton pad or sprayed directly on the face. It easily replaces more aggressive and more drying water cleansing for the skin.
The eye contour to open the eyes
I apply a hydrating and plumping eye contour serum to open up the eyes. Thanks to its concentration of active ingredients, often higher than a cream or milk, the serum completes the facial treatment. It is always applied before the day cream.
Moisturize and nourish the skin
I apply a day cream that is both hydrating and nourishing which soothes irritation. Do not hesitate to choose a day cream with a slight UV index because the sun and UV rays dry out the skin.
THE EVENING
Remove makeup from the skin
I remove my makeup with a two-phase lotion (oil-water) to remove excess makeup. Choose a gentle makeup remover that does not irritate the skin. Two-phase lotions are ideal because they combine a hydrating hydrosol with a nourishing vegetable oil. And what's more, they are unbeatable against waterproof makeup!
Rinse the face
You can then rinse your face with clean water or spray a non-astringent hydrosol. Avoid soaps which often dry out the skin.
Deeply nourish and repair
I apply a very nourishing and restorative night cream. Do not hesitate to also add healing and restorative active ingredients such as Allantoin or cistus essential oil to repair minor irritations.
+
ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS
A gentle scrub
Dry skin does not particularly need too frequent exfoliation. If necessary, you can use an extra gentle exfoliant like lemon powder. The scrub is often used before a mask or before a treatment to prepare the skin to receive all the benefits of the active ingredients used more effectively. Massage gently onto damp skin then rinse with clean water.
A nourishing and calming mask
I make a nourishing, calming and anti-redness clay mask. Apply the mask, after exfoliation, to damp skin. Massage lightly to spread the mask evenly. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes. When the mask starts to dry in places, it's a sign that you need to rinse!
5 recipes for the beauty routine of dry skin
Eye contour serum with hyaluronic acid
Pour 45 ml ofcornflower hydrosol in a bowl then add 10 drops ofisocide. Sprinkle 0.5 g of xanthan gum on the hydrosol. Mix vigorously with a mini whisk or a fork (it is normal for lumps to form, they will disappear once the gum has finished hydrating). Sprinkle 0.25 g ofhyaluronic acid and leave to hydrate for a few minutes. Then mix every 15-20 minutes until all the lumps have disappeared (this may take 1 hour). When the gel is very homogeneous, add 8 ml ofsweet almond oil and 4 drops of vitamins E. Mix then transfer to a flacon airless de 50 ml.
Moisturizing and nourishing day cream with rice protein
Pour 8 ml of sweet almond oil into a first bowl then add 3 g of cutina. Pour 37 ml of cornflower hydrosol and 0.15 g of baking soda then mix lightly. Heat 2 pans of water. When the water begins to simmer in the 2 pans, place your 2 bowls in the bain-marie at the same time and let your preparations heat up without mixing or stirring (the water must remain simmering). As soon as the cutina has completely melted in the oil, wait another 1 minute (very important to reach the right temperature) then remove the bowls from the bain-marie. Immediately pour the aqueous phase (i.e. the hydrosol) into the oily phase then beat vigorously with a whisk or fork for at least 5 minutes until a homogeneous and creamy texture is obtained (let cool further 5 minutes). Then add 2 ml of rice protein, 10 drops of isocide and 4 drops of vitamin E. Beat again to thoroughly homogenize your preparation. Use in the morning on clean skin.
Ultra-gentle two-phase makeup remover
To make 100 ml of ultra-simple two-phase makeup remover, mix in a bottle: 70 ml of cornflower hydrosol and 30 ml of sweet almond oil. Add 3 drops of vitamin E and 12 drops of isocide to it. Shake, it's ready! Apply in the morning or evening to the face to remove makeup or cleanse the skin. This makeup remover can be used around the eyes and is very effective against waterproof makeup.
Nourishing and restorative night cream with cistus and urea
Pour 15 ml ofhemp oil then add 3 g of cutina. Pour 30 ml of cornflower hydrosol, 2.5 g of urea and 0.15 g of baking soda into a second bowl then mix lightly. Heat 2 pans of water. When the water begins to simmer in the 2 pans, place your 2 bowls in the bain-marie at the same time and let your preparations heat up without mixing or stirring (the water must remain simmering). As soon as the cutina has completely melted in the oil, wait another 1 minute (very important to reach the right temperature) then remove the bowls from the bain-marie. Immediately pour the aqueous phase (i.e. the hydrosol) into the oily phase then beat vigorously with a whisk or fork for at least 5 minutes until a homogeneous and creamy texture is obtained (let cool further 5 minutes). Then add 5 drops ofladaniferous cistus essential oil, 10 drops of isocide and 4 drops of vitamin E. Beat again to thoroughly homogenize your preparation. Use in the evening on clean skin.
Anti-redness pink clay mask
Pour 50 g of pink clay into a bowl. Add 30 ml of cornflower hydrosol and 5 ml of hemp oil. Finally add 7 drops of cistus essential oil. Mix. Then apply to damp face, massage then leave on for 5-10 minutes. When the mask starts to dry in places, it's a sign that you need to rinse!
The best ingredients for dry skin:
Ladaniferous cistus essential oil
Cistus essential oil is the essential oil for small “skin emergencies”. Healing and restorative, it facilitates the regeneration of irritated and damaged skin. It also has powerful hemostatic properties to help coagulate small wounds. Well tolerated by the skin, it will be used almost exclusively cutaneously for dry, mature, damaged or irritated skin.
How to use it :
- 1 drop in 5 ml (0.6%) of rinse-off product such as scrub, soap or mask
- 1 drop in 10 ml (0.3%) of leave-on product such as cream, serum or makeup remover
Hemp vegetable oil
Hemp oil is recognized as one of the most nourishing vegetable oils for the skin. Compared to other ultra-nourishing oils, it is quite penetrating and does not leave a greasy film upon application. Powerfully emollient, it protects the skin from dehydration by maintaining the skin's hydrolipidic film. Restorative and regenerating, it will also be excellent as an anti-aging oil.
How to use it :
- Can be used alone, mixed with other vegetable oils or hydrosols or in all your cosmetic formulas
- There is no maximum dosage, it can be used pure without special precautions.
Sweet almond vegetable oil
Known for its extreme softness, sweet almond vegetable oil will be appreciated by the most sensitive skin of the whole family (eye area, babies, pregnant women, very dry, sensitive skin). Both softening, softening, nourishing and soothing, sweet almond vegetable oil also protects the skin from external aggressions such as wind, cold or sun. However, it will not replace a suitable sunscreen.
How to use it :
- Can be used alone, mixed with other vegetable oils or hydrosols or in all your cosmetic formulas
- There is no maximum dosage, it can be used pure without special precautions.
Cornflower hydrosol
Cornflower hydrosol is the essential hydrosol for sensitive and dry skin. Soothing and decongestant, it relieves redness and irritation. Slightly astringent, it tones the tissues without attacking the skin. It will be ideal for incorporation into serums for the eye area or for direct application in the form of a warm compress to combat dark circles, swollen or tired eyes.
How to use it :
- Use alone as a spray directly on the face or on a cotton pad or reusable cloth
- It serves as a base for your gels and tonic lotions
- It serves as the aqueous phase for your two-phase emulsions or lotions
- It is ideal for the eye area
Urea
Urea is an exceptional active ingredient for softening the skin and allowing it to retain its water content. Very hydrating at low doses, urea even becomes keratolytic at higher doses, that is to say it acts like a scrub to eliminate dead skin and scales. It will give your skin a soft and smooth feel. Ideal in creams or milks for the body or face, it is also incorporated into solid or liquid shampoos.
How to use it :
- Added to the aqueous phase at the start of preparation (before heating)
- For the urea to dissolve more easily, it may be necessary to grind it in a mortar beforehand.
- From 0.5 to 5% of the total weight of your preparation for its moisturizing properties
- From 5 to 10% for its keratolytic properties
- Up to 15% for truly exfoliating use
Pink clay
A mixture of red clay and white clay, pink clay wonderfully combines the properties of these two clays. Softening and healing, it is recommended for sensitive and dry skin. Used as a mask, it gently detoxifies the skin. Slightly toning, it restores radiance to dull complexions. More or less colored depending on the source, pink clay is rarely used in day creams. We prefer it as a mask or in smaller quantities in a solid soap base.
How to use it :
- Used mainly in the form of a mask mixed with a hydrosol (add hydrosol until the clay takes on the texture of a wet paste, most often for 50 g of clay, we use 30 ml of hydrosol ) and a vegetable oil (5-10% of the total weight of the preparation, approximately 5 ml for 50 g of clay)
- Clay can also be added to your cleansing treatments (solid or liquid soaps or gels)
Rice protein
Rice protein improves skin hydration and maintains the skin's hydrolipidic film. It brings softness and suppleness to the skin. It is perfect for the care of dry to very dry skin as well as for maintaining the hydration of mature skin. Its nourishing and strengthening properties also make rice protein an exceptional active ingredient for the care of dry, damaged and volumeless hair.
How to use it :
- From 1 to 5% of the total weight of your preparation
- Incorporated at the end of the formulation after heating
- Soluble in water. Insoluble in oil
Hide