Glo’ing Up: Five Ways to Combat Dry Skin

When you get older, everything changes — including your skin. So when my once uncomplicated skin started breaking out and getting extremely dry this winter, I freaked out.

I bought all kinds of products dedicated to dry skin, stopped eating dairy (except for the occasional slice of pizza on a drunk night), and downed massive amounts of water.

In the midst of complaining to my friends and other self proclaimed skincare savants about the constellations that was currently scattered across my forehead, I realized I was doing way too much. My typical skin routine in the summer is: charcoal soap, rose water and coconut oil— and that’s it. I was only making my skin worse by over manipulating it and piling on makeup to cover up my problems.

As I looked at all the random skincare products and thought about how much money I had spent on them, I decided I needed to go back to the basics and create a simple routine for my skin. Here are five (cheap) ways to deal with dry skin:

1.Oil Cleansing: A friend recommended oil cleansing to me a few months back, but I paid it no mind thinking that oil would only make me look greasy. But, oil cleansing has literally brought the glow back to my skin. At first, I used apricot and almond oil — which can be found at any GNC or supermarket that carries body/skincare for $3.99 to $8 depending on the size— but I’ve added a few drops of Jamaican castor oil to the mix for a little extra moisture. I’ve noticed that not only has my skin become much softer and brighter, but my makeup sets better.

Another benefit of oil cleansing —to me at least— is that I can use the same oils in my hair! By using more natural oils in my hair and skin, I rarely get any of those awful “I’ve used to many hair products” breakouts on my forehead. And, Jamaican black castor oil is great for eyebrow and eyelash growth! Checkout this video from Hey Fran Hey on Oil Cleansing below.

2. Use Glossier: I’ve heard nothing but great things about Glossier. Literally all of its products— from The Milky Jelly Cleanser to the Coconut Balm Dotcom— are hydrating and great for bringing moisture back into your skin! The cleanser will run you $18 which is a lot cheaper than some products that claim to get the same job done. You can buy and read reviews — always read the reviews first!— about Glossier here.

3. Drink More Water… No Really:

What you put in, is exactly what you get out. Though it can be hard, drinking more water hydrates your skin from the inside out. I’ve noticed that when I slack on my water intake, my skin looks very dull and ashy even— and that’s not cute. I’ve been aiming for a gallon of water a day, and my face is thanking me for it. On days when I want a little flavor in my water, I add fruit or mint!

4. Raw Honey Mask: I love honey. I’ve used it as a natural remedy for everything from my allergies to colds and now it’s become apart of my daily diet. But when I read that you can use it on your face, my immediate thought was — I’m not wasting honey like that. But now that my skin was dry, I knew using my regular aztec clay and turmeric mask would be a bad idea.

So on one of my #SelfCareSundays, I decided to give it a shot. You only need a tiny bit of honey and 15 minutes for this mask. After I rinsed my face, I fell in love. I had that same tight feeling that I got with an aztec clay mask but without the dryness. My whole face felt and looked good, especially my problem areas.

Watch Hey Fran Hey’s video on using honey as a cleanser in three different ways below:

5. Use Gentle Soaps: One of my biggest mistakes during the battle with my skin was using the wrong soap. For some reason, I was under the impression that African black soap would automatically solve and skin dilemma I had.

NO.

Using black soap was literally the worst decision I’ve ever made. It was way too rough and completely dried me out which made my skin look worse! Lately, I’ve been using Apoterra’s Pumpkin and Wild Carrot Complexion soap — which is good for all skin types. Filled with five different types of oils, the complexion soap has been working for me since the first day I tried it. It’s really easy on the skin but gets rid of all my makeup — including my tough Benefit “It’s Real” mascara — without a second wash. Since it’s good for all skin types, I’m considering adding it to my summer routine! You can buy Apoterra’s Complexion soap for $12 online or at Vivrant Beauty— if you’re in the NYC area!

What are some of your favorite ways to deal with dry skin? Let me know in the comment section!