Are you on the lookout for skincare recommendations for dry skin? Or do you just fancy having a nose around the skincare cabinets of some of Team Escentual? Either way, you’re in exactly the right place. For this month’s Escentual Perspective, I got together with some of our skincare-obsessed team to discuss their personal skincare regimes. But before we dive straight in, there’s one question that needs answering first…
What’s the difference between dry and dehydrated skin?
Getting dry or dehydrated skin to behave can be a struggle – and sometimes, it’s enough of a struggle just to work out whether you have dry or dehydrated skin. But what exactly is the difference between them? To start with, dry skin is a skin type that’s caused by a lack of oil or lipids, whereas dehydrated skin is a condition that anyone can experience. Your skin becomes dehydrated when its top layer struggles to retain water. If your skin often feels rough, looks dry and struggles with flaking, then you’ll likely have dry skin. But the tell-tale signs of dehydrated skin is that it often feels tight and rough, looks dull and shows fine dehydration lines.
But the good news is, Zainab and Keavy have perfected their routines for dry or dehydrated skin, and they shared all of their juicy skincare recommendations with us below…
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Zainab: Dehydrated Skincare Routine
Tell us a little bit about your skin…
“I have quite dry, dehydrated skin that often looks a little dull. As a result, I like to use a blend of nourishing products to counterbalance any dryness and then I deal with any odd breakouts separately.”
Walk us through your skincare routine…
Cleanser: I double cleanse, starting with the DHC Cleansing Oil to remove my makeup. It melts away everything really easily and doesn’t sting my eyes either. Then, I love using a cleansing milk to nourish my dry skin. A personal favourite is the Eucerin DermatoClean Cleansing Milk.
Exfoliator: I prefer to use a gentle liquid chemical exfoliator as I find that it’s less abrasive on my dry skin; I’d always recommend the REN Ready Steady Glow Tonic to anyone with dry and sensitive skin like mine. The lactic acid really helps to brighten my complexion without irritating my skin.
Hydrating Mist: For an instant hit of hydration, I use the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Concentrate to soothe my dry skin. One quick spritz and my skin feels cool and calm.
Retinol: Every other day, I use the Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Serum to promote skin cell turnover (which buffs away skin-dulling dead cells) without causing irritation.
Treatments: I use the Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules to brighten my naturally dull skin for a more glowy look. The vitamin C also works to smooth my uneven skin tone. I also love the Dermalogica Smart Response Serum! It’s like it actually listens to what your skin needs and delivers it, hydrating, firming, brightening and soothing my skin with just one pump. As I’m serum obsessed, I have to admit that the iconic Vichy Mineral 89 Serum is another go-to; I’ll use this for an extra layer of hydration – it plumps my skin as well as adding an important layer of hydration and protection.
Moisturiser: I want deep hydration that isn’t greasy, so I use the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturiser. Whenever my skin feels particularly dry and sensitive, I use the REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm. The balm calms any irritation and soothes my skin overnight.
SPF: The final step in my day-time skincare routine is always sun protection. At the moment, I’m loving Avene Intense Protect SPF50+ as it doesn’t leave a white cast and it’s more moisturising than any other SPF I’ve tried to date. Not only is my skin protected, but it also flaunts a dewy glow whenever I use it – plus, the big tube is great value for money and lasts me longer!
If you could only recommend one product from your skincare cabinet, what would it be?
It has to be the Dermalogica Smart Response Serum! It identifies exactly what your skin needs and where, addressing all of my skin concerns even before they’re visible.
Keavy: Dry Skin Skincare Routine
Tell us a little bit about your skin…
“I have dry skin. My main concerns at the moment are dryness, fine lines and dullness.”
Walk us through your skincare routine…
Makeup Remover: My holy grail is La Roche-Posay Respectissime. It has a refreshing oiliness that removes waterproof mascara and tough eye makeup without any pulling or tugging on the skin. I like to apply it directly onto a cotton pad and hold it on top of my eye makeup so it dissolves everything before I swipe the pad across my eyelid to remove it.
Cleanser: I always double cleanse, starting with the aptly named Dermalogica Precleanse. It’s a silky oil that smells of zesty lemons, which easily removes heavy-duty makeup and SPF. I follow up with a cleansing balm, I currently love the ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Balm.
Exfoliator: My staple toner is The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%. It has a watery texture that instantly absorbs into my skin for a boost of hydration. I find that it’s gentle on my dry skin compared to some other chemical exfoliators I’ve used.
Treatments: In my opinion, your skin can never have too much hyaluronic acid! That’s why I love The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. This serum has a slightly tacky texture that works as an excellent makeup base. At night-time, I switch to the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – a soothing lavender-scented oil that I apply before bed to rehydrate my skin when it feels tight and dry. The aroma helps relax me before bed, too.
Hydrating Mist: When I feel the need, I’ll add a quick spritz of the Dermalogica UltraCalming Mist onto my complexion. I’ll use this lavender-scented mist when I get out of the shower to soothe any tight dry feeling.
Eye Cream: I’ve been lucky enough to test out Gallinee’s formulas ahead of the launch on Escentual and it’s fair to say that I’m obsessed! The soft, buttery Gallinee Probiotic Eye Contour Cream is a dream, so it’s no wonder I’m obsessed. I love the fact that Gallinee’s formulations are kind to the skin microbiome around the eye as this is a naturally sensitive area that needs to be treated delicately.
SPF: The Dermalogica Prisma Protect SPF30 is a creamy SPF that smooths my skin; I use it for no makeup days or under makeup. I also love the Avene Tinted Cream SPF50+. It’s a tinted SPF that I wear instead of foundation to work or when I want to look natural but perfected.
Lip Balm: My all-time favourite is the DIOR Addict Lip Glow lip balm in shade 001 – Pink. This lip balm makes my lips glossy while actually taking care of them. It’s so nourishing and plumping, looks incredible, contains SPF10 and smells minty fresh – I recommend it to everyone!
If you could only recommend one product from your skincare cabinet, what would it be?
“My Dermalogica Precleanse is the skincare product I’d recommend above all others. Its oily texture feels luxuriously silky but it still feels fresh and light. The scented formula makes it feel like a spa treatment rather than just the task of taking off your makeup. It always takes me by surprise how easy and comfortable it is to remove heavy makeup; it binds product, SPF, dirt and impurities together like a dream, so they all come off in just one quick swipe. I use this as a first step in a double-cleansing regime, or I use it once if I’m wearing no makeup at all.”
Over to you…
We’d love to know if you’ve been tempted by any dry skin top tips or if you have any of your own recommendations to share – we’re always on the hunt to expand our skincare cabinets! Let us know over on our Instagram…
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