Dry Skin: My Attempt To Fight It

I normally have combination skin. It is oily on T-zone and normal on the cheeks during summer and normal on T-zone and dry on cheeks during winter. Usually I have quite a lot of dryness in winter, but with the arrival of spring my skin tend to go back to normal quite fast. However, this year it was a different story. During winter I had really dry and flaky skin. Sometimes it was red, sensitive and sore. In cases like this I use Avene Rich Moisturizer, but it did not help, so I had to find something else. Some products helped a bit, but were unable to improve the situation completely. Now it is August and I still have dryness - my skin is just refusing to be normal, like it used to be. Here I would like to tell about those remedies that I tried.

There are two products that are missing from the picture - Trilogy Rosehip Oil and Boots No7 Beautiful skin Cleansing Balm for very dry skin. I was thinking that oil would help, but I was wrong. It disappeared into my skin very quickly and had no results - my face was still very dry, flaky and tight. The cleansing balm did absolutely nothing and was horrible - the smell, the texture and the after feel - awful! Completely useless product!
Now, let's go back to my picture and see what we have here.

1. Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter.

I got this as a sample, when I was buying the cream and I must say it is very nice. It has a light foam and very delicious smell and at the same time it feels very gentle on the skin. It cleanses very well and doesn't leave skin dry or tight. Really nice.

2. Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask for Dry/Very Dry Skin

This one is interesting. You have to apply it on your face, wait for ten minutes and then wipe it off with cotton wool. It has very runny texture, so be careful - few times when I applied it on to my face it was just slowly dripping down. It doesn't dry like clay masks and it doesn't stay on - it actually sinks in to the skin. My skin was extremely dry and this was like a nice drink for my thirsty face. Sometimes I had some residue left after waiting for ten minutes, but sometimes I had nothing to wipe off.
It makes skin feeling alive and fresh. No sign of dryness at all. When you wipe it off it feels like butter - thick and very greasy, but my skin loved it and felt so much better. Highly recommend it.

3. Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Dry Skin Rescue

This one was wonderful as well. It is a thick balm with velvety feel, which applies easily on to the skin and makes all those flaky bits to disappear in an instant. However, this effect is only temporary - when you wash you face - it is dry again. So it is not really healing the skin, but it makes it look OK for the time being. Also it is a great as a base for the make up.

4. Clarins HydraQuench Rich Cream for Dry Skin or Cold Climates

This beauty is the star of the whole lot and the only thing that actually helped my skin. I am still using it and I must say - it is a beautiful product. It is available in a lotion form for normal skin and in a cream form for dry skin. As my skin was in such a horrible state I decided to go for Rich version.
It smells amazing! It is very rich so you only need a little bit and the whole jar will last for a very long time. My skin never felt so good. After applying this cream it feels smooth, supple, well moisturized and glowing. Now I occasionally have some dry bits, but they are not so noticeable like they used to be. My skin is not sensitive or sore, redness is gone and it feels very comfortable. Definitely 5 out of 5!


5. La Roche Posay Hydraphase Intense

This product also is available in rich and light versions, I have rich one. Honestly I was hugely disappointed. I heard a lot of good reviews about La Roche Posay products and I do like some of them, but this product didn't work for me. It was supposed to be suitable for people with sensitive skin, but after applying it I had a strong burning sensation, my face was red and I had to reapply it frequently during the day as dryness became visible and my skin was feeling tight. So this is a big no no for me. Sorry La Roche Posay...


Anyway, those were the products that I tried and the only ones that I am still using are the face mask, Clarins cream and cleanser. Other ones are just wasting away in my cupboard.
What about you? Anyone here is a dry skin sufferer? What works for you? Let me know, I'll be happy to know.


Love

Lace Butterfly