Expert Advice | Get Your Dry Skin Through Lockdown!!!

Essential ingredients for your day/night cream

During this lock down it is vital that you look after yourself and your family’s health. It might be the case that you are working from home, or have become a teacher to your children, but you should also take time to look after yourself and skincare is an important part of that.

Research is showing that the coronavirus pandemic can have a detrimental effect on our skin. Our skin craves stability and predictability, which is impacted by the unpredictability of Covid-19 and the effect of jobs, income and health. When left unchecked, increased cortisol and adrenaline exposure can suppress the skin’s immune function and even slow collagen production. (source Dr Medar)

When choosing a day or night cream you should pay attention to the ingredients. They determine whether the cream will help your dry skin or not. That doesn’t mean you have to know everything about all the possible ingredients, but there are a few essential components that give you added assurance that a skincare product is likely to be effective.

Ingredients that SHOULD be in your moisturising cream

Select a formula whose ingredients have been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on dry skin:

• Antioxidants these are either natural or synthetic ingredients that combat skin damage caused by free radicals and the environment. These substances can reverse some of the harmful effects of exposure to the sun. They also have a positive effect on skin inflammation. There is no single antioxidant that will solve all your skin problems. The best creams for a dry skin contain a powerful mix of antioxidants. We love mesoesthic AOX ferulic in the daytime to protect fibroblasts and improves the synthesis of collagen in the skin. Skin is protected from the damaging effects of photoageing and the high concentration of antioxidants helps to improve skin’s barrier function.
• Skin identical/regenerative ingredients- These are substances between the skin cells that maintain the connection between the cells. They ensure that the skin’s protective barrier remains intact, so the skin is smooth, soft and hydrated. There are many skin identical ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, cholesterol and ceramides. We love Mesoesethic HA Densamatrix which I always put on underneath my night cream. This multi-molecular weight water-gel serum absorbs immediately to hydrate and fill lines. Plant extract and potent antioxidants, anti-hyalironidase complex, protects skin against environmental aggressors that cause ageing, sun damage and stressed out skin, which leads to the reduction and degradation of skin’s natural Hyaluronic Acid reserves.
• Emollients- These ingredients prevent moisture loss, which is essential for a hydrated skin. They have a protective and smoothing effect on the skin. The calming substances can have a watery or thick texture. Examples are fragrance-free plant oils, fatty alcohol, petrolatum, glycerin, triglyceride and fatty acids such as linoleic acid. We love The Algologie Hyder Tender Cream which is a light velvety cream that melts into the skin and refreshes instantly. The skin is left replenished and plumped, for a soft and radiant look.
• Anti-inflammatory ingredients- These are all ingredients that reduce the signs of inflammation, including swelling, sensitivity, pain, itchiness and a red skin. Many antioxidants fall under this category. We love Cult 51 Night Cream which not only reduces the appearance off wrinkles and fine lines, increases elasticity and hydration but also calms and restores the skin’s natural barrier.

Finally vitamins A, C, D and E are vital to promoting healthy skin function, especially now people may be lacking sunlight from staying indoors more. We recommend taking Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Omegas and Skin Moisture Lock.

Ingredients that should certainly NOT be in your moisturising cream

Even if they state that they are suitable for a dry or sensitive skin, many creams contain ingredients that make the problem worse or counteract the beneficial properties of the good ingredients. We are talking about alcohol (not the ‘good’, fatty alcohols but denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol) and fragrances, including the fragrant oils of lavender, rose, lemon and mint. Many of these substances are considered to be natural or organic solutions for skin problems but they can cause irritation and inflammation.

Always the best choice

If, even with this information, you are still having trouble choosing the right day or night cream, try one of the creams from our online shop about dry skin. We have recommended these especially for your skin type. These creams have great formulas that will help you to achieve that soft smooth skin you have always wanted.