Is Dry Skin Keeping You Down? These four Japanese Skincare products may be the solution to your dry skin need.  

If you live in a dry, cold or low-humidity climate, you’re more likely to experience dry skin.  Dry skin (xerosis) is often trigger by environment and lifestyle, but it also can be due to genetics as well. Dry skin can feel uncomfortable and may seem like a concern that won’t go away no matter how much moisturizer you apply. However, once you get to the root cause, dry skin can be a thing in the past. 

So, how do you know if you have dry skin?

Dry skin can feel tight throughout the day and you may notice your skin being flaky, especially when you apply makeup.  You can also test your skin at home and here’s two simple skin test you can do at home to determine if you have dry skin. 

Bare Face Test:

Cleanse your face thoroughly and gently pat dry.  Do not add any additional skincare products during this time.  Wait 30 minutes (this allows your skin to return back to its natural state), then evaluate your skin.  Smile in the mirror and ask yourself:

• Does my skin feel tight?
• Do I see fine lines around the corners of my eyes and mouth?
• Do you see slight flaking, scaling or peeling?
• Does your skin feel and look rough?

If the answer is yes, your skin is likely dry.

Blotting Paper Test

We love the botting paper method when checking for proper oil production (check out our favorite blotting paper from Kyoto).  It can be a great way to determine if you have oily or dry skin types.  First start with cleansing the face and gently pat to dry.  Next, wait 30 minutes to allow your skin to go back to its natural state.  Using a single sheet of blotting paper, gentle pat the blotting paper on your t-zone and then in different areas of your face.  Now examine the blotting paper by answering the following questions:

• Is there a lot of oil visible on the paper or a small amount?

If the sheet picks up a small amount (meaning oil absorption is not that visible on the blotting paper) then you probably have dry skin.  

How to resolve dry skin?

As mentioned above, dry skin can be caused by a number of things from environmental factors such as weather and heat to lifestyle activities such as diet and overdoing skincare or over exposure to water.  If it’s overfeeding your skin or live in a colder and dryer climate, try a minimal skincare routine while incorporate ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acids.  If your skin is over exposed to water, limit your baths to 10 minutes or less and keep the water warm versus hot.  We also find that drinking the recommended amount of water is also helpful to keep our skin hydrated all year long and incorporating a well-balanced diet. 

Here’s a few products that may help with dry skin:

Cow brand beauty soap (blue)

This facial and body soap bar is formulated with milk, milk fat, and squalene to help your skin become supple, smooth, and gain a youthful glow.  We like to lather it up into a nice foam before using because the foam protects your skin from harsh rubbing meaning it’s gentler on the skin. 

HADA LABO Gokujyun Lotion

Japan's No. 1 selling lotion (aka toner).  It is an effective humectant moisturizing toner formulated with three types of Hyaluronic acids to provide deep-acting hydration to give your skin the elastic and mochi finish. 

Minon Moist Charge Milk

This moisturizer will help seal in all the hydrating ingredients from your previous step.  It is lightweight yet highly moisturizing.  It’s formulated with 9 essential amino acids that seeps into the stratum corneum to protect your skin barrier and prevent moisture loss. 

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence is a light texture sunscreen with SPF50 and PA++++.  This hydrating essence Japanese sunscreen is infused with Hyaluronic Acid and Royal Jelly Extract that absorbs quickly without leaving any white cast or sticky feeling. 

Extra step: Exfoliation

Exfoliating your skin can help remove the flaking.  We recommend a gentle exfoliator such as a Konjac Sponge or a gentle peeling gel like Cure Aqua Gel or Santa Marche Green Tea Peeling. 

Let us know what has worked for you and if you’ve tried any of these Japanese Beauty products to help with dry skin.

Happy Glowings!