Long winter dryness and very dry skin have made my legs and shins feel tight and itchy. I spoke with an expert about keeping shins hydrated and common bodycare mistakes in my current body care routine.
So, last week I got in touch with Dr. Martin Druelle, the scientific communication director at Mixa, a well-known French brand for sensitive skin, to ask him all of my most important questions. He told me that our shins have fewer oil glands, which is why they can feel so dry. Dr. Druelle gave his best advice for keeping your shins from getting scaly this winter. He talked about the ingredients (and products) to look for when buying body care products and the common mistakes people make when taking care of dry skin. What are you waiting for? For everything I want you to know, keep scrolling…
scientific communication director and sensitive skin brand expert Dr. Druelle explained that fewer oil glands on the shins cause extra winter dryness. He shared advice about important skincare ingredients and dry skin mistakes to avoid.
6 tips from experts on how to keep your shins from getting scaly this winter
1. Use a Cleanser Without Soap
Dr. Druelle says that the first thing you should do is switch your shower gel to a cleanser that doesn’t contain soap. “He says that harsh soaps can take away the skin’s natural oils.” “To protect the skin barrier right away, use a body wash that is rich in lipids and has a balanced pH.”
soap free cleanser and balanced skin pH help maintain the natural skin barrier. Avoid harsh cleansing soaps that strip natural skin oils.
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Buy cleansers that don’t have soap in them:
Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Body Wash, 500 ml
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Aveeno’s body wash without soap has a prebiotic triple oat complex that calms dry skin.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Syndet Ap+ Soothing Cream Wash for Eczema and Atopic Skin comes in a 400ml bottle.
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This body wash is safe for everyone and will instantly calm irritated skin.
2. Follow the “Three-Minute Rule”
I thought this tip was very helpful because I had never heard it before. Dr. Druelle says that you should put on your body cream or lotion within three minutes of drying off after a shower. “This helps to ‘lock in’ the moisture while the skin is still a little damp and most open to it,” he says. I tried it out this morning after my shower, and my skin already feels so soft.
three minute rule helps lock in moisture while skin is slightly damp. Applying lotion quickly supports deep skin hydration.
3. Focus on the shins
As I said, my legs have been dry all over, but my shins are the worst. It turns out that this isn’t all that unusual. Dr. Druelle says, “This area has fewer oil glands and is more likely to get ‘crocodile skin.'” “Don’t just swipe over them; really work the cream into your skin to make sure it gets deep into your skin.”
fewer oil glands make the shin area vulnerable to dryness and crocodile skin texture. Massage cream properly for deep skin absorption.
4. Stay away from very hot water
It’s cold outside, and I think the best way to warm up after a long day is to take a really hot shower. Dr. Druelle says that this isn’t the best choice for people with dry skin, though. He says, “Hot showers can make dryness worse.” “Choose lukewarm water to keep the skin from getting drier.”
very hot showers can worsen winter skin dryness. Choose lukewarm water temperature to protect the skin moisture barrier.
5. Exfoliate with care
Exfoliating your skin is a great way to get rid of all the dead skin cells. Dr. Druelle does say, though, that you should use something gentle instead of a harsh body scrub. He says, “Physical scrubs can be too harsh on dry skin.” “Use a cream with chemical exfoliants, like urea, that smooths the skin and gives it a lot of moisture.”
gentle chemical exfoliation works better than harsh body scrubs. Ingredients like urea exfoliating cream help remove dead skin cells while hydrating.
Salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and PHA work together to remove dead skin cells from the body and face. The best part? This cleanser is safe for skin that is easily irritated.
Naturium the Smoother Glycollic Acid Body Wash with Exfoliating Properties, 500ml
Naturium
The Smoother Glycollic Acid Exfoliating Body Wash costs £19. It costs £15.
This body wash has a strong mix of AHAs that cleanses and exfoliates the skin, leaving it smooth and soft.
6. Find the Right Ingredients
Last but not least, it’s important to check the ingredients when you buy body lotions and creams. Dr. Druelle says, “For dry to very dry skin on the legs, I recommend focusing on ingredients that both hydrate and protect.” “Urea is a strong humectant that also helps get rid of dead skin cells, making the legs feel soft and deeply moisturised for days.”
hydrating protective ingredients are essential for very dry skin. Look for urea humectant ingredient to improve skin softness hydration.
Dr. Druelle says that ceramides are great at rebuilding the skin barrier from the inside out, and glycerin can give your skin a lot of moisture. You can also look for squalane, which makes a protective layer on the skin’s surface that makes it feel better right away. “Also, it’s a good choice for dry shins.”
ceramides repair barrier, glycerin deep hydration, and squalane protective layer help soothe dry winter shins.
Dr. Druelle suggests the brand’s ceramide body cream for deep hydration. It has a mix of ceramides, squalane, and glycerin that helps calm very dry skin.
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