Natural Ingredients to Help with Dry Skin

For many people, dry skin is a year-round concern. Dry skin happens when the skin's natural lipids (oils and fats) are low, due to your sebaceous glands not producing enough oil to keep your skin hydrated. This then leads to the moisture being sapped from the outermost layer of the skin. Many factors can trigger this, such as genetics, nutrition, weather changes, age, skincare habits or products that we use. If left untreated, dry skin can lead to fine lines and premature wrinkles- skin will feel tight and can look dull. Other symptoms can include itching, redness and, in more extreme cases, cracking or bleeding.

As if this wasn't enough to contend with, sensitive skin often goes hand-in-hand with dry skin.

Most people know what it's like to have patches of skin that are red, irritated, itchy or scaly. Dehydrated skin can exhibit some of the same symptoms as dry skin, but there are key differences to be aware of before treating the issue. Dry skin is caused by a lack of oil in the skin; dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water in the skin.

So, what is the best way to treat dry skin? Apart from addressing a few lifestyle factors—like making sure you're eating a healthy diet, cutting down (or avoiding) alcohol and caffeine intake (yawn, yawn!) and avoiding long, hot baths/showers—take a good look at the skincare products you're using.

Research shows that replacing the skin’s lost lipids with those that have a similar natural profile offers the most rapid and effective repair. Naturally, we can see this is true as we know that the body can quickly make use of substances that it recognises and needs. The skin’s primary lipid components include free fatty acids such as linoleic acid (omega 6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega 3) and one or both of these are found abundantly in certain plant oils like Olive, Sunflower, Rosehip, Pomegranate and Sea Buckthorn. Indeed, research proves that these plant extracts are highly effective natural dry skin remedies.

In contrast, petroleum or mineral oil offers no relationship with the skin and no nutritional properties. This is why using genuine natural skincare products is important. Moisturisers full of synthetic ingredients only mask the problem, rather than help repair it for good. Natural substances such as coconut oil are superior to synthetic counterparts like mineral oil. 

Here are some of the best natural ingredients to help with dry skin -

Rosehip Seed Oil

• Has an excellent balanced ratio of Omega 3, 6 and 9.
• Contains a natural form of vitamin A which is a powerful antioxidant.
• Combined with the high Omega 3 content this oil is superb for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles especially on dry and mature skin. 

At Oleo we include Rosehip seed oil in our super-nourishing Essential Skin Serum and our best-selling Replenishing Facial Moisturiser.

Avocado Oil

• An intensely nourishing oil that locks in moisture and gives a healthy sheen to dry skin.
• A superb emollient that penetrates the skin well and restores elasticity and flexibility to the skin.
• Very nourishing with vitamins A, B1, B2, D and E.

Avocado oil is abundant in our Dry Skin Oil.

Sunflower Seed Oil

• Excellent for soothing dry and chapped skin whilst reducing redness and maintaining hydration levels.
• Good levels of Omega 6 in the oil promote moisture retention in the skin.

Sunflower seed oil is in many Oleo products. Such as our Rejuvenating Rosewood Face Cream and Soothing Body Lotion.

Shea Butter

• A superb emollient and is excellent at conditioning the skin.
• Moisturises the skin and restores its elasticity.
• Helps heal and protect dry and damaged skin.

The stratum corneum (the protective covering of the outer skin layer) is far thinner on your lips than it is anywhere else on your body. That is why our Happy Lips Lip Balm contains shea butter to moisturise and heal.

Olive Oil

• Nourishes and protects the skin.
• Extremely rich in Omega 9
• Contains naturally occurring Squalane, which makes the oil spread easily on the skin, leaving it feeling soft and moisturised. Squalane has a very similar make-up to sebum, which is our skin's natural moisturiser and is a great alternative to synthetic silicons.
• Helps to reduce the signs of ageing, such as premature wrinkles and fine lines. 

Olive Oil can be found in our Intensive Dry Skin Balm and is the main ingredient of our Massage Balms.

Hyaluronic Acid

• Can bind water and intensely hydrate the skin.
• Excellent humectant and it can hold over 600 times its weight in water.
• Stimulate cell renewal.
• Hydrating properties result in skin smoothness, softening and decreased wrinkles.

 Often called 'The Fountain of Youth', we include hyaluronic acid in our moisture-boosting Resilience Facial Moisturiser.

Rose Floral Water

• An excellent humectant to moisturise dry, mature, sensitive and devitalised skin.
• Helps with relaxing and induces a calm mood.
• An excellent toner.

At Oleo, we sell our very own Rose Floral Water and we also include it in our Soothing Facial Toner.

Sweet Almond Oil

• Very effective on dry and itchy skin and helps to alleviate dryness and sore skin.
• Contains glucosides, minerals and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E, as well as plant sterols. Making it a very nutritious oil and excellent for use in creams and lotions aimed at helping dry skin.

You can find sweet almond oil in our ever-popular Rich Moisturising Hand Cream.

Natural Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)

• When used on the skin, it can reduce free radical damage.
• Alpha-tocopherol can be produced synthetically in a lab and, although this is effective as an antioxidant, it is widely accepted that Natural Vitamin E works more effectively.
• Can slow down the appearance of ageing, preventing moisture loss in the skin, so is especially beneficial for dry skin.

Alpha-tocopherol can be found in the majority of our products. This is because it is an extremely effective antioxidant that can (naturally) extend the shelf life of creams and lotions by slowing down oxidation. 

Jojoba Oil

• Penetrates the skin very quickly leaving it soft and supple.
• An occlusive moisturiser, which means that it slows down Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) from the skin, typically for about 12 hours. 
• Doesn't seal the skin completely and allows the skin to continue its normal eliminative functions.
• Locks moisture in the skin and soothes dry and chapped areas, making it perfect for dry skin.
• Excellent ingredient for cold weather skin cream, as it is very protective and acts as a barrier to harsh external conditions.

It can be found in many Oleo formulations, such as our Blissful Body Cream and our Frankincense Day Cream.

There are so many skincare products on the market and so many claims being made that it can be quite difficult for us to make sense of it all. Some claim natural products are not effective and others say that synthetic products are harmful. Likely, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Naturally-derived products can be highly effective when formulated properly, which is the route adhered to at Oleo Bodycare.