Welcome to the wild world of peri-menopausal and menopausal skin where your complexion status shifts as quickly as the sand. One of the most consistent and also confusing indicators that your homornes are shifting or declining is a constant sensation of tight skin that feel as if its crying out for moisture.
But is your skin dehydrated, or is it dry?
What’s the difference, we hear you ask, and does it matter?
Actually it does, and identifying what’s really going on is key to moving from Meh to moisturised.
So how do you tell which you’re suffering with and does it matter? Well, yes and no.
Dry Skin is usually lacking in oil and gives “Sandpaper” Vibes.
1. Has the "Flakies": Dry skin feels rough, and if dryness becomes severe skin can start to flake. Think facial dandruff and you get the idea.
2. The Icky Itch: Dry skin can be incredibly itchy, making you feel like a contortionist as you desperately scratch for relief - but dont! Scratching will disturb the skin barrier and add to inflammation.
3. Loss of Elasticity: Picture your skin as a once-bouncy trampoline that has now transformed into a slightly deflated air mattress. Yup, that's skin dryness stealing your youthful elasticity - dont despair as putting back what’s missing will give your skin a new lease of life
4. Not so Fine Lines: Dryness exaggerates the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, turning your face into a road map of memories. We love a laughter line and a life lived dont get us wrong, but if they appear more pronounced than usual it can mean your skin isnt so happy.
5. Dull as ditchwater: Parched skin is low on radiance as it loses it lovely light reflective qualities but putting back what it needs will mean no one but no one can dull that sparkle!
How to tackle dryness?
1. Moisture Marvels: Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerine, and ceramides. They'll help replenish skin and boost its natural moisture reserves giving you a much needed boost.
2. Keep it cool: Avoid long, hot showers that can strip away precious oils from your skin - in fact if you can cleanse before showering to ensure that you use lukewarm water only which also helps avoid redness and broken veins.
3. Exfoliate, but with care: Gentle exfoliation is important in order to remove dead skin, boost cellular turnover and allow your skincare to penetrate, but look for chemical exfoliants rather than physical scrubs, and opt for gentler lactic acid and AHAs that wont irritate.
4. Tread lightly : adopt a skincare regime that avoid harsh sulfates and foaming agents - Made of More cleanser is packed with barrier-supporting hemp seed oil, humectant glycerin and protective antioxidants
Quenching the Thirst: Desert-like Dehydrated skin is usually due to a thirst for water
1. Skin feels tight as a drum - dehydrated skin feels tight, like it's being held captive in a constricting corset. Hydrating skin will unlock its plumpness and allow it to breathe again. Let your skin breathe, ladies! Hydration is the key to unlock your skin's freedom and plumpness.
2. Puffed up - although this seems contradictory, dehydrated skin often suffers from puffiness as your body tries to hold onto fluid - this draws water into blood vessels, particularly in the facial area, causing them to swell and skin to look puffy and less defined.
How to tackle dehydration?
1. Dehydrated skin is usually due to lack of water, so drink up - whether its herbal tea, green juices or plain water, boosting fluid levels asap is vital to regain your glow.
2. Avoid products that such moisture from the skin such as mineral oils and sulfates - pack in the hydration by layering your products and sealing in essential water based creams with a balm before sleeping - we love Made of More salvation for this it is packed with plant based oils and ceramides and forms an occlusive layer to seal in hydration.
Whether your skin is dry or dehydrated, a little TLC will work wonders, as will adopting a mindful approach to nutrition. The Made of More team rely on a ‘micro-steps’ approach, knowing that little changes such as an extra glass of water a day, switching out one coffee a day for a juice and avoiding harsh products that de-stabilise skin can add up to a huge impact on the skin.
Give you skin more - more hydration, more love, and more glowing gorgeousness.
