Dry skin explained by Ameliorate:

• Dry skin can be invisible to the eye, it can look dry or patchy or it can be scaly or flaky. Skin can also feel tight due to a lack of water.

• As skin becomes dry it can become more sensitive and may feel itchy.

• It is caused by your skin losing water. Your skin has a thin coating of natural oils and other natural moisturisers on the surface, if they are removed, then water evaporates more quickly and your skin dries out.

• The quantity of natural oils produced by the skin varies from person to person, so some people are more prone to dry skin than others. It also varies in different places on the body and face.

• Most cases of dry skin are caused by external and environmental factors that strip the skin's protective barrier.

Causes of dry skin:

The causes of and reasons for dry skin can be varied. Here are some common examples:

• Hot water strips oils from the skin faster than warm or lukewarm water – long and hot showers can do more damage than quick, luke warm ones.

• Soap is an emulsifier which removes the skin’s natural oils from the surface and dries it out. The more often skin is washed with soap, the more oil is removed, ultimately resulting in dryer skin.

• Sponges, flannels and exfoliators physically remove your skin’s natural oils.

• Dry air – usually caused by heating, air conditioning or drier climates, draws moisture out of the skin.

• Some drugs have side effects that can cause dry, flaky skin – seek your doctor's advice if you think this is happening to you.

• A health condition, menopause or genetic predisposition can also make your skin dry out – seek your doctor's advice if you think this is happening to you.

What can I do about it?

Whether you have dry, flaky skin patches on your face or dry, itchy skin elsewhere on your body, there are a number of remedies you can look into:

• Use a moisturiser with two main ingredient types – those to provide a barrier and stop water evaporating and those to draw water to the skin – humectants.

• Moisturise while the skin is damp to lock in water. Moisturising on dry skin is much less effective.

• Use a pH-balanced skin cleanser rather than soap. After cleansing, your skin should feel soft, smooth, and healthy. If your skin feels dry, tight, inflamed, or at all irritated, change product.

• Look out for Alcohol on the ingredient list - some are beneficial to the skin (Cetyl, Stearyl, and Cetearyl Alcohol), others can dry and irritate skin and should be avoided (Ethanol, SD Alcohol, Denatured Alcohol or Isopropyl Alcohol).

• Lower central heating, reduce air conditioning, use a humidifier while indoors.

• Some materials such as wool or synthetic fibres can cause skin dryness and itching due to irritation. Wear soft materials such as cotton where you can.

• Protect your skin in cold or warm dry air by wrapping up in cotton layers and ‘hide’ your skin.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Eat foods rich in Omega 3 to fortify the skin’s natural oil protective barrier.

How can AMELIORATE help?

Trying to decide how to treat or heal dry skin on the face or elsewhere on the body can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Ameliorate is designed for people with dry skin.

The active LaH6 ingredients within our unique Skin Hydration Complex include both barriers (to stop water from evaporating) and humectants (ingredients that draw water to the skin). They will moisturise skin for eight hours in our wash-off products and 24 hours in our famous Transforming Body Lotion and Transforming Body Cream. With the right products, you can soothe and treat dry skin patches on the body, which can do wonders for your self-esteem.