by Lorna Callaghan

Created on: August 12, 2010

I am now 41 years old and I have always had very dry skin. I have a very basic cleansing routine which seems to work for me and keeps my sry skin under control.

Basically I wash my face morning and night I use a hypo-allergenic soap, it has no added perfumes and is a very plain product. I splash my face with cold water, I never wash my face with warm or hot water, I lather the soap and apply to my face and then I wash off again with cold water. I find the soap I use does not add to the dryness of my skin, it does not feel tight or itchy when I wash it. After I have washed and dried my face I moisturise, I use a very common and basic moisturiser, it is very inexpensive and can be bought in many outlets. I carry out the same regime at night. Occasionally I will use an exfoliating scrub on my face, perhaps once every ten days or so, this just helps get rid of any dead cells and keeps my skin looking bright. I always make sure I wash off any make-up I have been wearing, I only use make-up for sensitive skin so it does not irritate my skin, again I wash my make-up off with soap and water, rather than creams.

Not only do I have dry facial skin my body skin is also dry. Basically I find that by showering I can control the dryness, rather than having a bath. I use a very low fragranced shower cream and I only use enough to make a good lather on my sponge. I try not to spend too much time in the shower as I find the longer I stay in the more dry my skin will be after I have finished. After drying I use an all over body moisturiser, again I avoid anything with perfumes or other additives.

My hair type is also dry and my scalp does get itchy if I use perfumed shampoos. I use a medicated shampoo and a good conditioner for my hair. I find that getting my hair cut often helps keep the dryness at bay and using a good shampoo ensures my scalp does not itch and I avoid the dreaded dandruff.

Dry skin is not really curable, although I drink lots of water to keep my skin hydrated, so it is essential to manage the condition through having a good cleansing routine. It does not have to be an expensive regime but it does demand that you regularly clean and moisturise and look after the skin.

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