Above: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
When taking care of your skin, it is important to make sure that your skin does not dry out. Dry skin tends to be undernourished and tight; if dry skin is not dealt with right away, it may start to become redder, itchier, and more inflamed. Dry skin tends to show its age more easily, too; lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging are more pronounced when your skin is dry. Naturally, dry skin is more prominent for those with a dry skin type, but you should still be vigilant even if you have an oily skin type; your skin might be accustomed to pumping out a lot of oil, but if conditions change (i.e. the weather, the humidity, the products you use), you could experience dryness as well.
So, if you do suffer from dry skin regularly, what is the best thing you can do? In addition to having a daily skin care routine, you should be looking for all-natural products that are designed to nourish your skin and keep it moisturized all day long. You can do so by looking at the ingredients list and searching for natural ingredients that can effectively handle dry skin. If you don’t know what these ingredients are, we will share them with you. Continue reading to learn 10 of the best natural ingredients to nourish dry skin and eliminate signs of aging. These all-stars should be a part of your skin care routine, whether they are in the products you use or even the DIY home remedies you put on your skin.
1. Vegetable Glycerin
Though vegetable glycerin has a watery texture, it isn’t made of water. Vegetable glycerin is a compound made from sugar alcohols. The reason why vegetable glycerin can moisturize dry skin is that it is a humectant. As a humectant, vegetable glycerin draws moisture to your skin so that it can become softer, dewier, and more hydrated.
“But [my dry skin] did really clear up since I’ve been using it consistently so I don't see it anymore so that's great. Also, it smells really good so that's a plus. My skin also feels a lot more hydrated…”
2. Vitamin E Oil
Beauty oils like Vitamin E oil cannot moisturize your skin because they do not contain any water, but you should still use them because they can nourish your skin with fatty acids. Many beauty oils are also humectants that soften your skin and help seal in moisture. What makes Vitamin E oil special is its status as a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is considered an anti-aging ingredient because of its ability to eliminate free radicals, which are capable of damaging your skin and causing fine lines and wrinkles to appear. Thus, using Vitamin E oil on your skin to mitigate dryness can have the added benefit of preserving a more youthful complexion.
3. Almond Oil
Like Vitamin E oil, almond oil can nourish your skin with fatty acids and keep your skin youthful and glowing through antioxidants such as Vitamin E. What separates almond oil from Vitamin E oil is that almond oil is a good source of Vitamin A, which has anti-aging properties. You may have heard of Vitamin A as ”retinol,“ commonly used in the beauty care industry. With almond oil, now you have access to an anti-aging natural ingredient at home and you can use it to fade the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Carrot Seed Oil
As mentioned above, Vitamin A has anti-aging properties. The reason why is that Vitamin A increases cell turnover, which helps get rid of the dry, aged skin cells on the surface of your skin so that the youthful, more supple cells can come to the surface. A good source of Vitamin A (as well as fatty acids, for that matter) is carrot seed oil, and using this oil on your skin is great for eliminating skin dryness and early signs of aging. It is no wonder then that carrot seed oil is a premier ingredient found in our Carrot Seed Face Lotion, a staple in our dry skin care routine.
5. Evening Primrose
Due to the antioxidants and fatty acids commonly found in beauty oils, they are generally considered to be anti-inflammatory. Dry skin can show up by itself or it can be a symptom of a much larger skin issue such as inflammation. When your skin is inflamed, you might experience dryness as well as itchiness, swelling, and redness. To keep your skin healthy and nourished, it is a good idea to use beauty oils like evening primrose oil on your skin. Evening primrose oil is even featured in our namesake Evening Primrose Facial Serum, and countless people have used it to provide their skin with a lot of nourishment.
6. Wheat Germ
Yet another amazing source of Vitamin E and fatty acids is wheat germ oil. Similar to the other beauty oils on the list, wheat germ oil can alleviate skin dryness and minimize signs of aging. Wheat germ oil may be difficult to find and use on your skin, so if you’re looking for a natural product with wheat germ oil in it, try our Sweet Almond & Wheatgerm Facial Serum, which many people use to keep their skin healthy, nourished, and youthful.
Dry skin is a bother, but there are plenty of DIY remedies that can help you nourish dry skin at home. Watch the video below to learn one DIY home remedy from Sheetal herself. Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!
7. Vetiver
If you want to nourish dry skin with a time-tested natural ingredient, look no further than vetiver. Vetiver is a plant that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda to moisturize dry skin and firm up your skin. Due to its antibacterial properties, vetiver has also been thought to curb acne. Vetiver naturally grows in India so if you aren’t able to find the vetiver plant nearby, we invite you to try our Root of Vetiver Facial Cleanser, which is made from vetiver essential oil.
8. Sandalwood
A lot of us love the aroma of sandalwood, but this natural ingredient is capable of doing more than just making you smell good. Sandalwood is another ingredient treasured in Ayurveda for its skin-nourishing, skin-balancing properties. This means that not only can the smell of sandalwood calm you down and destress, but applying it on your skin can also calm your skin down and minimize inflammation. Even better, sandalwood can be used by all skin types so if you use a sandalwood-based product on your skin (such as our Sandalwood Facial Serum), you shouldn’t experience any problems whatsoever and your skin may start to look more nourished and young-looking.
9. Rosewater
Rosewater is a fantastic ingredient for dry skin, but you should be careful to not overuse it. Too much rosewater can leave your skin drier than it was originally. That’s because rosewater is an astringent; it has the ability to absorb excess oiliness on your skin, close open pores, and firm up your skin. When you use the right amount of rosewater, you can expect your skin to look not just soft and supple, but also more youthful and glowing. Rosewater is a bit of a hassle to use by itself so we highly suggest using any of Apsara Skin Care’s facial toners, all of which contain rosewater.
10. Aloe Vera
Of course, when we talk about dry skin and moisturizing, we can’t forget about aloe vera! The reason why aloe vera is included in so many lotions and body creams nowadays (including Apsara’s facial lotions) because it has been used for thousands of years to alleviate dry skin, especially in Ayurveda. Aloe vera is mostly made of water, and it can penetrate the deeper layers of your skin so that it becomes softer and more supple. Plus, aloe vera contains nutrients such as auxins and gibberellins (two plant hormones) that can rejuvenate your skin so that premature lines and wrinkles look far less noticeable.
For more advice for your dry or aged skin, fill out this form to hear from us soon.
Go natural. It is good karma!
1 comment
For dull and acne skin please with white spots and
Sun burn and some frakles near by eyes, I am using
Some of your products lie jojoba, roop serum,rose hip and citrus
But nothing seems to help, but having more black patches on my
Forehead and skin is getting dark, I need help, thanks
Ravneet