As we all know, the skin is your body’s largest organ and it deserves great care and protection. While Indonesia's humid weather might cause oily skin to be more prominent, skin dryness is also common problem for some people. There are a lot of causes for this condition, ranging from external to internal factors.On this week's journal, we will be discussing some tips you can take to fight dry skin and improve your skin's overall condition. Read on!
1. Staying hydrated & reducing caffeine and alcohol intake
Often times, the simplest way that comes to mind to keep your skin from drying out is to stay hydrated. However, studies have shown that drinking large amounts of water alone does not affect the skin all that much, as the water we drink is processed internally and does not impact the look and feel of the skin. The skin’s outer layer is essential for keeping moisture in. It is not wrong to keep yourself hydrated as water is one of the most important factor for keeping your health, however, relying on it alone might not be as beneficial for your dry skin.
You might want to watch your intakes of caffeinated beverages as they promote drying of the skin. Consumption in normal range (as in less than 3 cups of coffee per day) would not be harmful enough for you to see the effects. Alcohol is also highlighted as it acts as a diuretic and causes your body to create more urine, sending you on more frequent trips to the bathroom. Urinating more than usual may dehydrate you, as it causes you to lose fluid more quickly than normal. Therefore, be sure to drink plenty of water after your alcohol to replace any lost fluids.
2. Take breaks from airconditioned room
Air conditioners are a norm in Indonesia, as the humid weather is often unbearable. However, for some people convenience comes with a cost of your skin. Staying too long in air conditioned areas can cause dry skin as they remove moisture from the air, which lowers skin’s resistance and makes surface cells dry out. This is why cold air triggers dry and itchy skin. To help prevent this, you might want to use a humidifier or switching to fans instead of aircons. If you find yourself not being able to live without air conditioning, aim for a temperature that’s comfortable and not too low.
3. Limit your hot bath
Soaking up a relaxing shower after a long day is a soothing escape, but staying in the hot water for too long is one of the most common causes of very dry skin. Too much hot water removes natural moisturiser found on the skin’s surface. Add that with soaps and harsh cleansers that can remove protective lipids and damage skin proteins, weakening the skin’s surface and exposing deeper and deeper layers to additional moisture loss. Your skin is losing the ability to retain water. Therefore, use warm water instead of hot, limit your shower time and seek out moisturising soaps and shampoos.
4. Eat nutritious foods
A number of dietary measures can be taken to fight skin dryness, including incorporating more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids offer great benefits for your skin. They are richly present in cold-water fish like salmon, tuna and trout. You can also find it in avocado and walnuts. Oysters, crab, lean turkey, beef and beans are rich providers of zinc, a mineral that is especially useful for healing wounds and cracked skin.
Plenty of vitamins, such as vitamin C helps formation of collagen in the body and allows the skin to absorb moisture. Vitamin A can help to repair skin damage, while vitamin E does not only boost the healing of skin tissue, but also enhances moisture and defends against UV damage.
5. Taking natural supplements
There are plant extracts that can help improve skin health. One of them being mangosteen (manggis). Mangosteen has been used traditionally to treat acne, as well as reducing signs of ageing that are brought by oxidative stress caused by free radicals, which is battled efficiently by the antioxidants of mangosteen. The antioxidant Catechin especially works wonders for your skin by preventing wrinkles and signs of ageing. Its high antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as the star component Xanthone can bring down the risk of many skin diseases to a great extent by repairing the damaged cells. It's also packed with vitamin C to further boosts skin health.
Herbana promotes the benefits of mangosteen through our Relief Sari Kulit Manggis product. Made from natural plant extracts, our product is made to deliver best results for your health while minimizing side effects that conventional supplements may offer.
