Do you have dry skin that just won't go away? Taking care of your dry skin is no fun at all and can be a real struggle, especially when you don't know if you're using the right products. Dry skin can be uncomfortable, itchy, flaky and irritating. But you can say goodbye to your dry skin woes if you know what you should be using and what you really shouldn't.

If you have dry skin, there are three important Do's and three very important Don'ts.

You might think these three things are simple but I guarantee that they will leave your dry-flaky skin looking and feeling fresh!

1. Use a Gentle Cleanser

No matter what your skin is like, you should be washing your face daily. If your skin is dry and or sensitive it is important to use a gentle cleanser. A cleanser that is too rough will remove the natural oils secreted by your skin. We recommend using the Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser 185ml.

2. Moisturise!!!

Keeping your skin hydrated is key to is preventing dry skin. If your skin is already dry and flaky you should be moisturising at least twice a day, both morning and night. We suggest using the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Moisturiser 75ml.

3. Get some Hyaluronic Acid in your life and on your face

Hyaluronic Acid is the holy grail for literally anyone's skin type but especially for people with dry skin. It is a natural substance found in the skin to keep it refreshed, stable and encourages skin cell renewal. As skin ages, it becomes drier as its ability to retain water lessens, which results in loss of firmness and fine lines. Our favourite Hyaluronic Acid serum at the moment is the PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum 28g.

If you suffer from dry skin and currently have one of the following products in your skincare routine, it's time for a change.


1. Traditional Soaps

Ready for a brief chemistry lesson? The pH scale, which goes from 0 to 14, indicates how acidic or alkaline a substance is. An acid measures anywhere from 0 to 6.9, and bases range from 7.1 to 14. A pH of 7 is considered neutral.

Skin is naturally acidic. This low pH protects our skin from attack by germs and also helps keep skin hydrated. In fact, an unbalanced pH is a feature of dry skin.

Let's take a look at the pH levels of skin compared to soap:

     •Healthy skin has a pH between 4.2 and 5.5.

     •Traditional soap has a pH between 7 and 10.

Can you see how soap is likely to cause dry skin? Skin is acidic, and soap is alkaline. It's best to avoid all kinds of bar and liquid soap if you suffer from dry skin.

Most products that foam contain ingredients that remove precious oil from skin. These ingredients, called 'surfactants', are used to remove excess sebum, oil-based waterproof makeup, pollution residues, and the occasional speck of dirt from the skin.

Surfactants are very effective—perhaps too effective for some complexions. If you have dry skin, it's best to avoid traditional foaming face washes and shower gels and switch to milder cleansing creams, milks, oils, and balms.

The first toners were heavy on alcohol. Years ago, people believed that alcohol could decrease pore size, particularly in the T-zone area. As scientists have learnt more about the biology of skin, we now know that alcohol doesn't shrink visible pores.

In fact, many alcohols can be very drying to the skin. Alcohol is a solvent that's good at dissolving oils. The outer layers of skin—the ones that prevent dehydration—are mostly oil-based. So alcohol-based toners not only dehydrate skin but also create a compromised barrier function, which leads to long-term dryness.

If you have dry skin, you should avoid any toner labelled 'astringent' and any product that has one or more of the following ingredients high on the list:

     •Alcohol

     •Ethanol

     •Methanol

     •Isopropyl alcohol

Not all alcohols are created equally though. Dr. Hauschka's skincare expert notes that "We make our own natural alcohol by fermenting organically grown wheat. It's a certified organic food-grade ethyl alcohol. Many plant actives are extracted in alcohol because it gains the widest variety of plant constituents."

She also notes that alcohol can provide valuable function to a product, when formulated correctly. "Alcohol serves as a natural emulsifier, preservative and carrier, helping botanical ingredients to penetrate the skin. Alcohol is not drying to the skin when part of a carefully formulated Dr. Hauschka composition. Our alcohol is derived from a fermentation and distillation process and is gluten-free."

It's also important to understand that certain fatty alcohols, such as cetyl alcohol, are perfectly fine for dry skin. These ingredients are more commonly found in moisturising lotions and creams.This also doesn't mean dry skin types should avoid toner altogether. Toners can actually be very beneficial for dry skin, because they balance the skin's pH.