How I Banished Dry Skin With These Simple Skincare Steps

As you may know from my moaning in previous posts, I've been having some difficulties with my skin recently. For someone who usually has normal skin, to suddenly find myself with dry patches without any change to my skincare, diet or lifestyle was frustrating. It was getting to the point where whenever I applied foundation, I was get so worked up about the fact it wasn't sitting right and clinging to all the dry patches (even if they were undetectable beforehand) it would make me want to cry. I completely switched up my skincare routine to incorporate some extra nourishing products, and luckily, with a bit of patience, my skin is finally showing signs of returning back to normal. While it is still getting there, there has been such an improvement in the past couple of months through using these products, that I thought I'd share them to help anyone else suffering with dry skin, or finds their foundation refusing to sit right once applied.

Cleansers

These two cleansers have featured on this site very recently, and for good reasons. The Elemis Pro-Collagen cleansing balm is great for refreshing your face and providing a deep clean. I usually use this once a week almost as a treatment to give my face a good cleanse. On a day-to-day basis however, I use this No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth cleanser. I cannot express enough how much of an impact incorporating this product into my skincare routine has had. I use this after quickly going over my face with some Nivea Micellar Water (primarily to take eye and eyebrow make-up off), and find the creamy consistency fantastic for nourishing my skin and adding that little bit of moisture the Elemis balm doesn't necessarily provide. What's even better is that this cleanser doesn't cost much at all; this massive bottle will set you back under a tenner, so it's definitely something I would recommend you pick up!



Moisturiser

This is probably the most key element of any skin care routine which is looking to get rid of dryness. Using an thick, intensive overnight mask is one of the best ways to replenish your skin and inject some hydration. It is equally important to use a daily moisturiser which is going to give you the same benefits. For the past couple of months, I've been using this Bryt moisturiser. While it's not the cheapest product (£17.50), it has worked wonders for my skin. The day moisturiser is quite thick and really nourishes skin; it's by far one of the best moisturisers I've ever used. For morning, I use one pump of the product, but double the dose at night to act similar to a treatment. 



Facial Oil

The last couple of months have been the first time face oils have been incorporated into my skincare routine. As I usually have normal skin and am only 21 years old, I never really thought it was a necessary step. However, using a facial oil two or three times a week has made a massive difference to my skin. Loved by Cleopatra, not only are face oils packed full of anti-oxidants, they are fantastic for smoothing you skin, aiding the absorption of your moisturiser and leaving your skin with a gorgeous glow. My skin is definitely at its best the morning after using a face oil! I use this mainly in the evenings before applying moisturiser; after cleansing my face, I put a few drops of oil onto my fingertips, dab it over my face and then properly massage it in. You don't need a lot, and it's best to avoid over-packing your skin with oils (unless you want your face to look as greasy as a hormonal teenager's hair). Not only are they great for dry skin, but you see the benefits immediately and most come with an incredibly relaxing scent which sends me straight to sleep!



Primer

One thing I hate about most primers is their matte effect. Their often drying qualities are a nightmare for those with dry skin, and I find many tend to cling to dry patches, making them look extra flakey (mmmm!). One primer that I have been turning to is Nivea's Express Hydration primer. Using a primer is an essential stage in applying make-up; it smooths skin, evens complexion and helps make-up stay put for so much longer. This Nivea primer looks a lot like a thin moisturiser with added priming abilities. As I stated in this post, this primer definitely isn't the best primer out there. HOWEVER, it is one of the best for dry skin due to its effective hydrating ingredients which moisturises and primes at the same time. You don't feel your skin drying out, and the gel/cream texture effectively soothes skin whilst adding hydration. For only £4.99, this is definitely a product to try out if you suffer from dry skin.

What are your miracle products for dry skin? Do you have any other tips or tricks?

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