The Truth About Your Dry Skin

1. Is Dry Skin Inevitable as We Age?

A customer places an order for a facial masque. Then mere hours later, we receive an email: Please cancel my order for the masque. I’ve just realized that masques on my dry skin simply don’t work.

Of course, we canceled the order. But it saddens me that this person’s understanding of dry skin is quite mistaken.

Out of curiosity I checked ChatGPT, asking what’s the best way to deal with dry skin. In condensed form, ChatGPT gave me this…

Daily Habits: Hydrate: Drink plenty of water. Humidify: Use a humidifier. Lukewarm Showers: Limit to 10-15 minutes.

Skincare Routine:

Gentle Cleansing: Use mild, fragrance-free cleansers, Avoid soap bars.

Exfoliate: Gently, once or twice a week.

Moisturize: Apply immediately after bathing. Look for hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, ceramides, or natural oils.

Statistics shows that by the age of sixty nearly everyone has dry skin. I find nothing wrong in the suggestions ChatGPT spewed out. But will they, I wondered, solve the dry skin problems for millions of people?  I think it will only get worth, because these days the majority is less likely look for alternative solutions.

If you’re reading this, you’re an exception! And if you follow my advice I present below, you will not have dry skin by the age of 60, or at any time before or after.

Dry skin—technically, xerosis or xeroderma—affects people of all ages, across the globe. Its prevalence varies widely, from 41% to 99%, depending on geographic and cultural contexts. Given this, it’s pretty clear that ChatGPT’s glib statements aren’t an universal answer.
 

What is dry skin—really?

Look at this picture of an expanse of bone-dry earth. Note the parched, cracked landscape, deep fissures spidering across its surface. 

Dry earth creates deep cracks. Dry skin forms deep wrinkles. To avoid those wrinkles, it’s imperative that you do not allow your skin to dry out. Yes, if a person has dry skin, in most case it’s his doing. Or, more correctly, his not doing. In particular, not removing dead skin cells daily.

Look at feet that haven’t seen a pedicure in months. Somehow, we know we must scrub our feet. And what about faces?

People go about with faces that haven’t been well scrubbed for years, yet complain their skin is dry. Your face is, admittedly, more delicate than your feet. But the need for skin renewal—and the best means—remains the same.

An oh-so-gentle, casual exfoliation once a week isn’t going to help! It’s just not enough—especially in your fifties, sixties, and beyond. A gentle exfoliation every day is the way to start.

But this is only a start. Add in Strigil scrubbing and dry brushing as your skin permits. Will your skin immediately stop being dry? Not likely. At first, you’ll notice a certain flakiness. This is your skin’s way of speeding up cell renewal. It’s not enough to remove the dead cells from the surface of your skin, you have to train your skin to speed up new cell replacement rate. It can only be done by daily training. Like all worthwhile processes, it takes time.

Here's another email I received:

I just pulled out the shorts after a long winter, and my lower legs are incredibly dry and flaky!  What do you recommend for ongoing leg (and arm) skin care?

And you already know my answer: Dry Brushing. By the way, our vegan Body Brush is back in stock.

Applying a daily masque is the best route to reviving your dry skin. I’ve done a daily masque for more than 30 years, and I haven’t experienced any of the dryness that my first correspondent refers to.

I did this video at 62. I practiced a daily masque then and I'm doing it now. Masques are also the most gentle way to deal with dry skin.

With consistency they make your skin glow, even out its tone, and help it to be supple and youthful. A good masque increases blood circulation and removes toxins.

Think of facial masques as the ultimate nutrient delivery system. Usually, the ingredients are more concentrated than those in lotions or cleansers, so they produce greater benefits in less time.

A masque is much thicker than a moisturizer or topical treatment and, because of its extended application time and the inner warmth opening the pores, the passage of nutrients into your skin occurs far more quickly and efficiently.

Masques can also remove excess oil, environmental debris and pollutants much more gently than astringents, toners, or scrubs, and eliminate them completely.

A new batch of our Mermaid's Dream Masque has just arrived!

Our most popular Mermaid's Dream Masque is back and better than ever! Packed with phyto-chemicals, 92+ minerals, structured water, and polysaccharides, this masque is a powerhouse of restorative and healing goodness.

Mermaid’s Dream Masque is a soothing, creamy delight with a light, fresh scent that's a joy to apply. Its silky consistency, porcelain hue, and tiny emerald particles make it a treat for your skin and senses. 

If you don’t progress, you regress.

Here is a glimpse into my current dance practice. Мy approach to dancing goes like this: No matter how disadvantageous your starting position, consistent practice is bound to make you better than when you began.

The seventh decade is not the ideal time to start learning dancing. Plus, having many injuries and surgeries complicate the matter tenfold. Still, I know if I just keep practicing, I will start improving. It's just how it works.

Apply this approach to your skincare goals. No matter your age, present skin condition, or past skin neglect, with consistent practice, you're bound to improve. If you don’t progress, you regress. It's that simple.