What is the Best Moisturizer for Extremely Dry Skin?

So many folks seem forever in search of the best moisturizer for dry skin, or are always looking for the best anti-aging gel, cream, or serum. You don’t need to settle for so-so when what you really want is (as Tina Turner might say) simply the best. So which cream or skin care brand is better than all the rest when it comes to moisturizers for dry skin? Well, we do have some thoughts on the matter. We also have some experience and evidence to back those ideas up, but let’s first look at some of the things that cause dry skin so we can address the situation with the best overall approach.

There are some people for whom dry, cracked skin feels like a curse, and it’s hard to get the situation under control. They may suffer from dry, irritated skin year round. The best moisturizers for dry skin are often the best for sensitive skin as well, because according to dermatologists and the scientists who formulate these products, when skin is dry it’s often more vulnerable to irritants and allergens. It’s one reason fragrance-free products are popular for those with sensitive skin. If you think you are suffering from a more severe dry skin condition, you should speak to a specialist to help you determine the best course of action. You may require a prescription cream.

For some of us, dry skin symptoms are temporary. When the dry winds blow in, so does dry skin. A lack of humidity in the air pretty much affects the moisture content for all skin. Exposure to harsh chemicals, stress, not drinking enough water, and other lifestyle habits can increase symptoms of dry skin, according to experts. That’s why it’s important to do what you can during dry times. To help your skin retain moisture, you might try a few things:

Use a humidifier

Using a humidifier can add moisture back in the environment. Shooting ourselves in the face with a squirt gun won’t quite cut it. The way that water works, you can’t just splash it on and expect relief. The skin absorbs moisture from the environment over time, and water in the form of a gas or vapor penetrates our pores in a consistently moisturizing fashion.

So what exactly is the recommendation with humidifiers and dry skin? According to Dr. Riley Greene (board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado), people should turn on their humidifiers as soon as they turn on the heating in their homes. Forced air heating can decrease humidity levels to 10 percent, and “the skin needs humidity levels of at least 30 to 40 percent to stay healthy” says Dr. Greene.

According to dermatologists, hydrated skin looks healthier and feels better. Fine lines and wrinkles appear more prominent with dry skin. Humidifiers can not only alleviate symptoms, but possibly prevent them in the first place. Just be sure you are cleaning your humidifier and making sure you’re using it according to instructions.

Drink Plenty of Water

To keep skin feeling moisturized and healthy, we need to consider what we put in our body, not only what moisturizer we put on it. What we eat and drink is just as important as the moisturizing cream we apply. Drinking eight or more glasses of water a day can do wonders for your health, and may earn you some extra points with your doctor as well. Healthy liquids keep your system working and help keep you hydrated.

Eating right, making sure to consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains is also great for your health. And while having too much to drink can dry you out, feel free to partake in the occasional toast. As with most things, moderation is key.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is one thing you don’t want to mess with if you’re hoping to have healthy, youthful-looking skin. And even though we were just talking about moderation, given the addictive properties of cigarettes, it’s much better to abstain completely from this unhealthy habit. If you do smoke, think about cutting back or quitting altogether.

Don’t Stress & Scratch

Here’s some more advice that’s easier said than done. But if you do have itchy skin, or other symptoms that flare up when you stress out, see what you can do to get to the root of the cause. Though a moisturizer can address some dry skin symptoms, if you’re continuously scratching your skin, it makes it harder to heal. See if a rich cream or moisturizer can calm your skin and start you off on a calming cycle. Then, do whatever works to stop the scratch. It might be a cream or balm. It could include keeping your nails short, or doing other things to keep yourself distracted. If you can calm your mind as you calm your skin, that sure seems like a win-win for the mind-body.

Now that we’ve covered some of the things you can do for yourself on your beautiful skin journey, let’s talk about what Viviane Woodard can do for you. In addition to having the best water-based skin care products, there are many anti-aging, fragrance-free, and sensitive skin options available. On top of that, every gel, cream, and moisturizer we make for the face and body is cruelty-free. If that doesn’t make you want to sing a little song to a birdie perched on your finger à la every Disney princess ever, we’re not sure what will.

Below we’re hi-lighting just a few of our favorites when it comes to combating dry skin. So if you’re desperately seeking a moisturizer for dry skin, you’ll definitely want to keep reading. There’s a cream, moisturizer, or mist that’s sure to make your day.

1. Intensive Hydration Complex

The key to Viviane Woodard’s Intensive Hydration Complex is really quite simple. It contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which are powerful humectants that plump up cells with moisture so skin becomes more supple. A humectant, as you may have seen mentioned in other posts, is an ingredient that attracts water to the top layer of skin, called the stratum corneum. This top layer of our epidermis is also called the skin barrier. The skin’s barrier maintains moisture balance by protecting the body from excessive transepidermal water loss or (TEWL). It also protects outside elements from entering through the skin.

Hyaluronic acid is a particularly potent humectant that will hydrate dry skin and lock in moisture, reducing the look of wrinkles while it does. This fantastic facial moisturizer rejuvenates your visage and even improves cellular functioning. It will leave you looking refreshed, and your skin feeling satiated with moisture.

As if that wasn’t enough for a face cream, it also saturates cells with rich emollients like sesame oil to smooth and soften every surface of your skin. Emollients increase elasticity and suppleness. While oils and lipids occur naturally in the body, sometimes we need to add or replenish them when they become depleted. These substances (which include fatty acids) fill in the gaps between our skin cells. Ingredients like sesame oil, but also shea butter and stearic acid, fall under the category of emollients.

This face moisturizer takes it to the next level of skin protection as it contains antioxidants like Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A). Antioxidants help guard against environmental elements like air pollution and harmful sun rays, by neutralizing the free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that occur naturally, so it’s always a balancing game between free radicals and antioxidants.

Here’s one last fun fact about this face moisturizer: since vitamin A also has anti-inflammatory properties, this Intensive Hydration Complex keeps things calm, preventing skin conditions associated with or exacerbated by inflammation (which are myriad). With all that this complex does for the epidermis, it’s effectively a skin barrier repair cream. It’s one of the best moisturizers for dry skin you’ll find, as it has the perfect combination of ingredients in this not-so-complex complex.

2. Intensive Hydration Mist

One of the most refreshing ways to hydrate is with a moisturizing body spray. It’s so convenient, since you can use it any time of day, before or after applying makeup, as often as you like. Viviane Woodard’s Intensive Hydration Mist is one of the best, most moisturizing mists out there. It penetrates the skin to arrive at deeper levels, hydrating and healing as it does. It brings with it all the anti-aging benefits, both at the surface and below.

Carry it around with you on a hot, dry afternoon, and spritz it all over as often as you please. You can wake up with it as well. Try spraying it on after moisturizer and massaging it in for an extra hydrating effect. If you desire a dewy finish for your face, mist that lovely mug after applying your makeup.

This hydrating mist contains antioxidants (vitamin E, A and C) that work against pollution and environmental stresses and some do double duty as anti-inflammatory agents. Ingredients such as Aloe Vera and Vitamin E help soothe and soften. And let’s not forget hyaluronic acid. As mentioned above, hyaluronic acid is a super hydrating humectant, which attracts moisture to the skin.

The Green Tea extract in this mist works to clarify skin, and adds anti-aging benefits by helping with collagen production and fighting photo-aging. Green Tea may even work against the growth of melanoma and other skin cancers. That’s some much-needed uplifting news in a world with so many downers. So sip that Green Tea and then spritz yourself and smile as you soak in the goodness.

If you’ve tried just spritzing water on your face and then introduce this mist into the mix, you’ll immediately notice the difference. The Intensive Hydration Mist brings much more moisture to your skin, and hydrates it in a way that water alone won’t. Plain water will evaporate, and can even leave your skin feeling drier, like it does after you step out of the shower.

With the specially formulated ingredients in this mist, it means the moisture stays where it’s supposed to. The mist brings much-needed oxygen to the layers of the epidermis and deeper. The cell respirator ingredients do their job to refresh and rejuvenate the skin. Of course, you don’t need to know all that’s going on at the microscopic level, but your face will feel it, and you’ll look great! It works wonders for all skin types.

3. Enriched Water-Based Moisturizer

We have one more moisturizing cream whose awesomeness we just can’t overstate. It’s free of heavy oils and fillers, so it works wonders for your face, even if you have more acne-prone skin. Viviane Woodard’s Enriched Water-Based Moisturizer is a rich, water-soluble lotion that provides the skin with hydration as it heals damage done by free radicals. As with the other cream and mist mentioned above, this moisturizer contains antioxidants that neutralize those little nuisances.

If you’ve been looking for a skin cream to send dirt, debris, and other impurities packing, you needn’t look any further. This moisturizer softens dead cells and other detritus, so they can be easily removed. It clears the way for new, fresher skin cells to come to the surface. This, of course, makes for a fresh face that looks much more youthful.

This enriched moisturizer was formulated as a moisturizer for dry skin, as well as for textures that are more mature and lacking in luster. Still, it is light and gentle enough for any face. It absorbs entirely and doesn’t leave a film or sticky surface. You can layer it under a night cream, or even just use it by itself, since it has many of the same benefits as a night cream. You’ll notice the texture totally improve after regular use, and might not be able to keep your hands off your supple and smooth skin.

For those folks who like to experiment with do-it-yourself skin care, the following video is a helpful DIY multi-purpose balm for those extra dry patches on knees, elbows, feet, and elsewhere. As the maker of the balm mentions, it’s an all-natural recipe, so you can even use it on lips, hair, and any skin that can take some of the heavier oils. Some of the ingredients like shea butter may not work as well for the face and could cause flare-ups for those who have more acne prone skin, so just be aware and take care. If you’re looking for a non-greasy face cream, this might not be the best option. For that, you’ll want something like the Enriched Water-Based Moisturizer.

 

For over 60 years, Viviane Woodard has represented “The Purity of Skincare”. We are the leading beauty brand for water-based skin care products and promote the importance of good skin hydration. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for skin care tips, product discounts and more.