Having clean and moisturized skin is important, especially for those of us with dry skin. You can always use lotion after you take a shower to restore moisture to your skin, but what about during your shower? Your hydration process should start while you wash your body.
The purpose behind body wash is to clean your skin; however, it is also designed to moisturize and leave you smelling fresh. Even though there is more than one way to get your body clean in the shower, these other methods can be more drying than body wash.
Anyone can suffer from dry skin from time to time. Especially during the winter, it can be hard to keep your skin feeling soft and nourished.
So how do you pick a body wash specifically for dry skin? Well, we’ll tell you.
How To Figure Out Your Skin Type
If you aren’t sure what kind of skin you have, there are a few ways to figure it out. First of all, if you don’t notice flakiness or patches on your body, then your skin probably isn’t severely dry.
You can usually tell your skin is dry if it feels tight most of the time. If you have normal or combination skin, you may experience some dryness as well as some oiliness in places like your t-zone on your face.
If your skin is oily, then it probably tends to look greasy or over moisturized. This kind of skin still needs to be hydrated, but you need to be careful about the ingredients that you use.
The areas of your skin that generally get the driest are your legs and arms, especially during the winter or in particularly dry climates.
Why Does Skin Dry Out?
Skin can be dry for several reasons. A lot of it can have to do with genetics or hormones. Teenagers tend to have more oily skin due to the overproduction of sebum, but also you get older, your skin tends to dry out. It can also be due to environmental factors and your diet or lifestyle.
One of the biggest reasons for dry skin is dehydration. Your body requires water to maintain a healthy and glowing appearance. If you suffer from dry skin, you should make sure that you are drinking at least 6 cups of water a day and limiting your intake of diuretics like caffeine.
Ingredients For Dry Skin
Some of the best ingredients for a body wash that suits dry skin fit into three categories. These are known as emollients, humectants, and occlusives. Let’s break down what this means.
Emollients work to help soften your skin as well as provide moisture. Shea butter different types of oils are examples of emollients. This could be derived from coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, or any other naturally produced oil.
Humectants allow different layers of your skin to extract water from itself and provide moisture to the outermost layer. When the top layer of skin is given water, it is less likely to crack or flake.
Examples of natural humectants are aloe vera, honey, hyaluronic acid, and sorbitol. These ingredients can break down the proteins of your outermost layer of skin and shed the dead cells.
Occlusives are the final portion of the ingredients needed to hydrate dry skin. This ingredient helps to seal the moisture in by creating a seal over your skin. Some examples of occlusives are beeswax, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil.
Factors To Consider
Besides the ingredients needed for dry skin, there are a few other factors you should consider when shopping for a body wash.
If your skin is dry, you want to be careful about the tools that you use to apply your body wash. Some scrubbers can be too harsh for dry skin and cause irritation and redness.
Spongellé offers a solution to this. We have sponges that are infused with body wash. This means you won’t have to worry about finding the right tool to apply your product. It’s an all in one solution!
Even dry skin needs gentle exfoliation to get rid of dead skin and encourage cell regrowth. With a premium sponge from Spongellé, you’ll get just the right amount of scrubbing on your sensitive skin.
If you have skin that is dry and prone to eczema, you should look for products with the NEA (National Eczema Association) seal on it. You can also research body washes for dry skin through customer reviews. The things people have to say about a product they bought are usually pretty accurate.
Something else to consider is certain allergies to ingredients commonly found in body washes. Even if you did everything right and found a body wash that works for dry skin, your skin could still have an allergic reaction. This could lead to several unwanted side effects, such as hives or rashes.
You can also do some research about the body wash that you buy and see whether or not they use synthetic ingredients or are vegan friendly.
How To Use Body Wash On Dry Skin
When using body wash in the shower, this should be one of your last steps. Body wash helps remove any remnants of exfoliants or excess shampoo on your skin. These leftover products could cause irritation or breakouts if they were not rinsed off properly.
You should try to use warm or lukewarm water on your body (not scalding hot) and shower for less than 10 minutes. Anything more than 10 minutes could dry out your skin even more. You should also only use the body wash in the areas that need to be cleaned and avoid sensitive areas. After you get out of the shower, you should immediately apply lotion.
Spongelle Body Washes
Spongellé offers a wide variety of body wash infused sponges. They come in all different kinds of scents, ranging from fruity to fresh. You can even take our fragrance quiz to find out which scent you will like best.
Each sponge offers a unique experience for the perfect blend of cleansing, exfoliating, and nourishing for your skin. We have buffers and sponges that everyone will love, and we even have a holiday collection. Our sponges make an excellent stocking stuffer.
Our body washes are a luxury experience for your everyday life. We all deserve to be pampered a little bit during the chaos of our life. Spongellé body wash sponges are infused with so many ingredients that are good for your skin and smell amazing.
With winter approaching, it is easy to fall into seasonal depression. 2020 has been especially hard for everyone. Taking the time out of your day to enjoy your shower and nourish your skin can help you feel better. We aim to make your experience simple, so all you need is our sponge and some water, and you’ll be on your way to bliss.
Let’s Review
Now that we’ve gone over everything, let’s review.
Ingredients are the most important factor when it comes to picking a body wash for dry skin. You should look for products that have moisturizing agents without any harsh chemicals.
Make sure you pick a brand that has a good reputation. Read reviews and do your research. You can even consult with your dermatologist to see what they recommend. They are the skincare experts, and they may know what will work best for your skin type.
Don’t take extremely hot or long showers because this could lead to even drier skin.
Avoid using an extremely rough loofah or washcloth to apply the body wash. Opt for a softer sponge or your fingers to apply.
Look for a quality product that isn’t outrageously expensive. You want something in the middle range that has useful ingredients but doesn’t cost a fortune. Our products range from $9-16, depending on the size of the sponge or buffer. Our products also feature an antibacterial agent infused in our sponges to prevent bacteria from growing on the surfaces.
Our sponges and buffers are vegan friendly and cruelty-free. We don’t like harming the planet or animals when making our products.
In Conclusion
Overall, the body wash that you choose should fit your skin’s need for moisture.
Your body needs the correct balance of moisture, exfoliation, and cleansing to feel the best it can be. Everyone’s skin is different, so certain products may not work for certain people, and that’s okay!
It may take some trial and error to find the right one, but don’t give up if you haven’t found it yet. Spongellé is a great place to start looking for your perfect body wash.
Sources:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-identify-your-skin-type_l_5cd1d496e4b06c00871a7f2a
https://www.healthline.com/health/humectant
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-skin/symptoms-causes/syc-20353885
