Searching for product suggestions and practices to relieve AND heal skin that is parched, chafed, flaky, and tight - AND support strong, healthy, resilient skin better able to withstand the ravages of time and stress?
I spend a lot of time in my store sharing information with my customers and offering advice to those who find me online. The topic of Dry Skin and Aging comes up all the time. The number one complaint is skin that feels persistently parched and dehydrated, often itchy, flaky, sensitive, irritable, and reactive.
They all point to the same thing … an impaired Acid Mantle, aka. our Moisture Barrier. The good news is that mild symptoms, addressed early, can be resolved completely. For others, relief is certainly attainable, while long-term healing can be elusive.
The journey can be confusing! Seeking to QUENCH our skin, and ward off the signs that time is marching by, we often mistakenly do the wrong things. There’s a surprising reason for this.
So let’s delve deeper into determining what your skin needs to be relieved, potentially heal, and help reduce premature signs of aging.
Your skin loves you … learn how to love it back!
My goal is to help you get to the root cause of your “dry skin” issue so you can take prompt action.
There’s an extraordinary amount of information I could cover and still barely scratch the surface. Starting with skin structure and function, moving on to skin chemistry and physiology, digging into nutrition and genetics, skin diseases, and disorders, the list is long indeed. Well, the skin is the largest organ we possess. So, no surprise!
But still, it’ll make anyone’s head spin.
With that in mind, I want to introduce you to what I consider practical information before permanent damage is done more serious conditions arise, before healing becomes difficult or impossible, and signs of “aging” begin prematurely.
I hope to shed light and provide insights, along with product links and routine suggestions, more learning, instructions, DIY techniques, scientific literature, and research. Please reach out to me with questions. coloradorealsoap@gmail.com
“Dis-Ease” is the alarming state from which “disease” processes can advance. For our skin, this means it becomes more vulnerable to the stresses of life and time, and less able to withstand external stress and signs of aging. Without knowing it, we often create a situation where our skin remains in a chronic state of “dis-ease”.
The two most common skin challenges reported by women of all ages and skin types are “dry” and “aging” skin.
They do go hand in hand.
By the time we hit our mid-30s, we start to see signs that our skin is beginning to succumb to the march of time. By the time a woman reaches menopause, she’ll have noticed her once plump skin has thinned dramatically in the last 10 years. The feeling of being “dry and tight” becomes more persistent, and harder to relieve, and the deeper signs of aging have arrived to stay.
But before delving into this discussion, can we first put aside the notion and ridiculous term, “anti-aging”? Please?
“Anti-aging” - It has no meaning whatsoever, it’s disingenuous, and just plain insulting!
In our youth-obsessed culture, this dangerous mindset instills in us that youth is EVERYTHING, aging is BAD, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from happening. So the quest for an ever-youthful appearance can push us to make skincare choices that lead to the loss of Natural Moisture Factor (NMF), stripping of natural skin oils, and disruption of our skin pH - all of which cause damage to the skin’s Acid Mantle.
May I suggest we focus instead on “Healthy Aging”? Let’s discover things we can do to mature in a healthy way, ways that support strong resilient skin, better able to withstand the steady march of time, and the stresses of life.
so HERE WE GO …
in this article
Oil Dry or Water Dry? or both? How to tell your skin type?
Dry Skin vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the difference and why does it matter a lot?
What is the Acid Mantle, what do we need to know about it, how do we damage it, and how to support its healthy functioning?
What are NMF Natural Moisturizing Factors, and what’s their role in skin health, dry skin issues, and aging?
Our skin pH and why it matters; how fixing pH can heal!
Signs of the times: at what age do we now have “mature” skin?
What do we mean when we say “Moisture”? Are plant oils & butters from seeds and nuts Moisturizing? (coconut oil, shea butter, etc)
Products Choice: When/why would you choose a lotion over a cream, or an oil, to relieve/heal parched/impaired skin?
Tips, tricks, and habits to help relieve and help heal.
Let the healing begin
Armed with knowledge, those with mild symptoms, “normal” skin, no underlying issue causing the problems, and those willing to take the necessary steps (is change products and skin care habits) will be happy to hear that well formulated skin care, and gentle routines can help create the healing space the skin needs to heal, and alleviate most symptoms associated with dehydrated, flaky, scaly, skin and keep them from returning.
But not everyone
What’s causing your symptoms?
The information I’m presenting is not medical advice. It’s for those without underlying medical conditions manifesting in acute and/or chronic skin issues.
If your condition does not resolve or gets worse again after adopting new products or routines, if you experience unexplained allergic/histamine reactions, acute inflammation, pain, redness, hives, peeling, or heat, please consult a dermatologist or physician.
If your situation requires prescription steroid cream, try minimizing use to acute situations to alleviate painful symptoms, keep the cream handy, at the first sign of symptoms returning, use the cream immediately, and ease off as they abate. Topical steroids impact skin barrier functions, they can cause epidermal atrophy, reduce keratinocyte size, and decrease free fatty acids, impairing the skin’s ability to hold in moisture, potentially leading to further degradation of skin function and developing dermatitis. Topical corticosteroid application and the structural and functional integrity of the epidermal barrier. J Clin Aesthetic Dermatol. 2013;6(11):20–27. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] [Ref list]
Do you have mild sensitivities? Please perform a complete patch test before incorporating new topical products. Proceed with caution when adopting new routines. Reach out to me with questions, suggestions, or directions anytime. REACH OUT. If you experience severe symptoms …
Sensitive Skin Syndrome? “Sensitive skin was initially believed to be an unusual reaction evidenced in only a small subset of individuals. However, over the last two decades, surveys on sensitive skin have been conducted in over 20 different countries on 5 continents. This research has demonstrated that individuals with sensitive skin represent OVER HALF the population.” The Prevalence of Sensitive Skin. Published online 2019 May 17. Journal of Frontiers in Medicine.
Let’s dive a little deeper
#1 Is your “Dry Skin” not “Dry Skin” at all, but something else?
#2 Moisture vs Hydration? Are they different?
#3 What does, and what does not, provide moisture?
Mixing these up can easily lead us quickly down the wrong path when symptoms of an impaired Acid Mantle become evident.
Why is that?
The number one search term leading people to my website (drum roll please) … “is coconut oil drying my skin”
Seriously like 20:1
Are you reaching for pure seed oils and butters to “moisturize” and getting good results? Excellent news! There’s a reason for that … you are probably not close to menopause (under 40) you are not a “Dry Skin” type, you rarely break out, and you might live in a more humid climate.
Are you reaching for pure seed oils and butters to “moisturize” and NOT getting good results?! Are your symptoms not improving, or getting worse, are you breaking out or getting clogged pores? There’s a reason for that too! It’s time to reconsider your approach.
Thanks to marketing by skin care companies, just about everyone I meet has come to confuse “Dry Skin” with “Dehydrated/Parched Skin” and accept that “oils are moisturizing”.
Words matter, and the entire skincare industry uses them incorrectly - Misidentifying these seemingly benign words impacts product choice and lifestyle habits - No wonder our symptoms persist!
The good news is that we have a good shot at getting this right once we know what we are dealing with.
And when we do, we start on the path to finding relief and possible resolution!
First things first!
Most people have normal skin (that’s why it’s called normal)
Oil Dry or Water Dry? or both? How to tell your skin type?
Dry Skin vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the difference and why does it matter a lot?
It is this easy …
Does your dry, itchy, flaky, scaly-looking skin occur primarily on your face, arms, legs, and hands - BUT NOT on your torso or back?
YES?
If you get flaky, scaly, tight skin on your torso back, and probably scalp too: YOU HAVE DRY SKIN!
NO?
Most people have normal skin, you too probably have NORMAL SKIN, that has become dehydrated AT THE SURFACE. Let’s fix that before it gets worse.
When we’re young, our skin looks and feels plump and smooth: Our skin is pH balanced, the Acid Mantle is intact and functions well, the skin is efficient at producing sebums and creating there are ample Natural Moisture Factor (NMF) and collagen synthesis is carried out.
As we accumulate birthdays our skin “organ” becomes less and less efficient at performing the vast array of biologic processes needed for optimal skin function. The skin pH naturally becomes more alkaline (impacting skin function) and we experience the gradual decline of youthful appearance and an increase in how quickly moisture evaporates leaving us feeling parched, tight, and dehydrated. Adjusting the pH by toning the skin becomes even more important.
WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR YOUTHFUL SKIN?
Before we tease apart what “dry skin types” vs “normal skin types” need when it feels parched, irritable, tight, or dehydrated we need to consider first what accounts for a plump, supple, and smooth youthful appearance.
We know that time is not on our side in this matter.
NATURAL MOISTURE FACTOR (NMF)
We create our own NMF … we lose it in different ways
NMF is not a single substance, rather NMF is a complex of water-soluble humectants created by our amazing bodies in a biological protein recycling program involving amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, etc.
Humectants have a delightful and highly desirable quality - they draw water from the environment like a bee drinks up nectar. Healthy adult skin should contain about 20 to 30% NMF in dry weight (total weight - water).
And here’s an important point in this discussion:
If you’re in your 30s or early 40s and have determined you have normal or oily skin and no underlying disease, I’ll suggest that in my experience, the root cause of your “dehydrated at the surface skin” is on the following list.
What strips skin oils and NMF, alters the pH, and disrupts the healthy function of our Acid Mantle?
The aging process
Harsh dry climates, very cold or hot weather.
Exposure to chemically treated hot tubs and pools.
Soap
Irritants in synthetic soaps and fragrances, anything with a basic pH (baking soda), even neutral pH 7 tap water is seen by the skin as an alkaline substance.
UV Radiation
Skincare habits: over-exfoliating, use of strong acids, laser peeling, clay masks, over-cleansing, contact with very HOT water.
Heavy makeup.
Not allowing enough time (8-48 hours) for the Acid Mantle to be restored after washing it away.
Emotional and physiological stress.
Hormones
Nutrient density of the diet, nutritional status.
Gut health: the Gut - Skin Connection
Medications, hormonal imbalance, skin disorders, underlying disease: diabetes, hypothyroidism, Histamine intolerance MAST Cell Activation Syndrome, etc (all beyond the scope of this conversation).
and the list goes on.
The Acid Mantle: optimal skin pH and THE SKINS MICROBIAL LANDSCAPE.
Our skin is made up of layers. The very top layer, the Stratum Corneum, has a thin, protective hydro-lipid film: "Hydro" for moisture and "lipid" for sebum. This is the Acid Mantle. It goes by many names: protective barrier, hydro-lipid film, moisture barrier, etc.
Our Acid Mantle can be added to the long list of bodily functions which doesn't receive much attention, but one which is the very foundation of healthy, strong, resilient skin.
Healthy skin functioning depends, in large part, on the continuous renewal of this protective film. The film is synthesized in healthy skin with excretions from our oil (sebaceous) glands, water from the underlying tissue, and naturally occurring native skin compounds including lactic acid, cholesterol, ceramides, amino acids, etc.
The Acid Mantle is our front line of defense, protecting us from invading bacteria, viruses, fungi, mold, toxins, pollutants, dust, pollen, and sun damage.
Preserving and nurturing the Acid Mantle also nurtures and supports our skin's native flora which in turn impacts our immune health. The Acid Mantle is where your skin's community of microbes resides; the Skin Microbiome. MILLIONS if not BILLIONS of microscopic creatures perform vital biological functions there. We’re just starting to understand the many roles these beneficial creatures play in protecting us from our often hostile environment and informing our immune system beyond the skin through immune system modulation.
An appreciation for an optimal skin pH is not only vital in understanding how to support healthy skin and the microbes living there, but addressing the factors that disrupt skin pH can resolve mild dehydrated skin symptoms, repair the Acid Mantle, and improve long-term skin functioning to prevent premature aging.
You might have guessed by now that the reason we call it the Acid Mantle is because healthy skin able to perform its vast array of functions, must remain within a certain, slightly acidic pH - meaning somewhere between 5.4 and 5.9 on most parts of our body.
Please refer above to the list of factors that disrupt skin pH and follow this link for a more detailed explanation of how Tap Water: impacts skin health. You can also find a map and links to find more information about your water source.
To be brief, our tap water is, at best, neutral. Or worse - it is basic. Neither of these situations is desirable from your skin’s perspective.
Now we might not consider the difference between 5.5 (a skin-friendly pH) and 7 (neutral) but suffice it to say that this is a big difference! Even neutral tap water can take its toll over time and can be at the root of skin issues.
It matters! Rebuilding the Acid Mantle takes time - 8 hours or more, and in some cases days, and if seriously damaged it might take months to heal. This depends on so many factors including our age, skin condition, nutritional status, extent of damage and what caused it, and much more.
If the skin pH to raised to 6.5 or higher it will be vulnerable to damage and penetration by pathogenic bacteria like those that cause acne, eczema, dermatitis, and rosacea. Healthy skin microbes need a pH of 4.5 - 5.5 to thrive. They become outnumbered and out-competed by bad bacteria when the pH is too alkaline.
HOW TO RE-ACIDIFY THE ACID MANTLE
FINALLY WE’RE HERE!
Product, routine, tips & Tricks
I go into details on determining your skin type HERE “dry, normal, or oily skin” and I suggest you review that article for insights into the best approach for you.
What’s the difference between a LOTION and a CREAM?
Lotions and creams are different in some very meaningful, if not widely known, ways.
Delve deeper with the link above but remember this rule:
LOTIONS CONTAIN MORE MOISTURE THAN CREAMS AND PENETRATE FASTER/DEEPER
AND OILS CONTAIN ZERO MOISTURE, AND ABSORB THE SLOWEST
Normal Skin:
Your skin craves more WATER than OIL so choose a “lotion” over a “cream”.
Go easy on the facial oils; Remember you need more Water than Oil and oils can be irritating. Apply a couple of drops of facial oils to damp skin and allow it to air dry for a light moisturizing effect.
For quicker absorption of oils and deeper penetration, add a few drops to a lotion and mix in your hands before applying liberally to damp skin (face or body).
Body Care: a nice lotion is all you need, applied to damp skin after bathing. Add a drop or two of oil to the lotion in your hand, mix, and apply.
Dry Skin and Mature Skin:
Your skin craves BOTH water AND oil: You need all 3 creams, lotions, and oils! A cream provides more oil (and oil-soluble ingredients) than watery (moisture/hydration) components. Creams are more occlusive, meaning they will seal in moisture longer. But they do not absorb quite as well in general, do not penetrate as deeply, or add as much moisture as lotion.
For faces: Choose a well-formulated lotion. Lotions absorb better than creams. Dry skin doesn’t absorb topical applications as well as normal skin. Because lotions are less occlusive, they are less likely to cause irritation, clog pores, or exacerbate skin issues.
Body Care: Creams and lotion are applied to damp hands, feet, knees, and elbows. Lotion with extra body oils added and applied to damp skin after bathing. Dampness adds moisture and greatly enhances absorption! Body Oils always soak in better this way, try to add some oil to your lotion or cream and mix in your palm, apply liberally, and allow to air dry.
Facial oils: To achieve a light moisturizing effect apply to damp skin and allow to air dry. For quicker absorption and deeper penetration add a few drops of oil to your face lotion and mix in your hands before applying liberally to damp skin.
Skin cell turnover takes about 4 to 6+ weeks depending on many many factors
For those with mild conditions caused primarily by seasonal conditions or resulting from routines or products that might be causing problems, a quick and complete resolution of this issue is possible.
Acid Mantle repair can take months if not years!
Please consider all the ways we disrupt its function, and reduce spa facials. They tend to do more harm than good, especially for reactive, sensitive skin. I’ll go into more detail later on why “skin fasts” can be a real savior/booster for a variety of reasons.
If your skin issues are more severe, chronic, or acutely inflammatory (red, swollen, peeling) Please seek the advice of a medical professional as this might be an indicator of a more serious problem.
What to look for in lotions and creams?
Now that you have a better idea of what your skin needs, you may want to know more about the individual natural compounds most highly regarded for nourishing our skin (list below).
I’d like to encourage you to check out the descriptions of my creams, lotions, toner, and honey cleanser. I go into more detail regarding the following things to look at, perhaps you’ll be inspired to try some!
Natural Moisture Factors
Ceramides
Humectants
Vitamins
Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Fatty Acids
Bisabolol
Honey for cleansing, masking, and spot treating.
So here we are at the end of this introduction! Thanks so much for your time!
I hope you gained insights that might help you get the results you’re looking for.
The next article will go deeper into tips, tricks, and DIY things to incorporate into your routine, suggestions for how to adapt or change your routine and habits, why “less is more” for everyone at any age, and how “skin fasts” can speed the healing process. I’ll also explain why spa facials can do more harm than good - especially if you have reactive, sensitive skin, or active acne.
See ya later beautiful!
Love, Val