SKINCARE SERIES: DRY AND DEHYDRATED SKIN

I have the type of skin that just gives the middle finger to me on all fronts. It’s oily, it breaks out, it’s extremely sensitive and it gets dehydrated from acne treatments. So finding suitable skincare has become somewhat of an obsession for me. Along the way I have tried a fair few products and it’s given me an opportunity to share a little about them with you. I decided to do a three part skincare series with skincare for 1) acne prone/congested skin, 2) rosacea prone/sensitive skin and 3) dry/dehydrated skin. Starting with the last on the list today – dry/dehydrated skin.
 
Cleanser:
The first thing that’s key if you’re having the trub trubs with dry skin is to find the right cleanser. I can’t believe the amount of people that still use foaming face washes. Granted I’m not a dermatologist or an esthetician, so it’s certainly true that I’m not qualified to judge, but in my experience really soapy, foaming face washes dry the skin out so badly that it’s pretty well near impossible to rehydrate it with your moisturizer. Cleansing milks/balms or oils don’t leave the skin feeling stripped and are an awesome choice for any skin type really. The Ren Evercalm Cleansing Milk is the most hydrating cleanser I have ever used. It’s so perfectly creamy. It’s awesome for sensitive and it has a lovely pine-like refreshing scent. If you need something to take your makeup off first, I’d recommend The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. That puppy will destroy all traces of makeup.

Serum:
Another handy-dandy step if you’re trying to turn that raisin into a grape is a good serum. Hyaluronic acid seems to be the buzz word(s) these days as it has the ability to make your skin hold onto moisture. Hydraluron, a lovely serum created by Indeed Laboratories (which I’m sure anyone who follows Caroline Hirons will know), is packed full of that beautiful hyaluronic acid. So if you’re looking to get the most out of your moisturizer you might want to consider using this first. It’s got a bit of a tacky texture when you first apply it that makes me imagine that moisturizer is clinging to it. But hey, that bit’s probably just my imagination. Shoppers Drug Mart carries it in Canada and of course you can get it in Boots in the UK.
 
Moisturizer:
Obviously moisturizer is a pretty key part of hydrating skin, but I’ve used my fair share of moisturizers that did cuss all. Discovering La Roche Posay Toleriane Riche was a pretty glorious moment for me. In a time that I was getting quite peely from my Retin-a treatment, this moisturizer was a massive help. My skin actually felt relatively plump in the morning for once. Then came the discovery of La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume. Man if I thought the Toleriane Riche was good then... I don’t really know where I’m going with this... but the Cicaplast Baume is good shit. It is incredibly effective at stopping peeling, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise as I believe it was designed for dermatitis and other serious skin difficulties.

Hydrating Mask:
Finally, if you want that extra boost of hydration, it’s time for the hydrating mask. The Origins Drink Up masks are something of a favourite among the beauty blogging/youtube community. I have the 10 Minute mask (which I discovered is basically the exact same as the overnight one upon checking the ingredient list) and it is lovely and hydrating. The smell is absolutely phenomenal too. Apricots. Yes. Sadly, the gift is also a curse because it seems that all the fruity ingredients are a bit irritating for my sensitive skin. Beware if you’re a sensy like me. I’ve tried the Aveda Intensive Hydrating Mask too and that felt much more cooling and soothing on sensitive skin. That one's another Caroline Hirons recommendation by the way.