At Home Skin Care: Dry Skin

Dry skin doesn’t only happen in winter, nor just to women of a certain age. It’s a fairly common condition. Skin that’s scaly, flaky, feels tight or looks dull often indicates that hydration is lacking, that the barrier function of the outmost layer of the skin, the epidermis, isn’t working well to maintain moisture. This outward skin structure is also referred to as the “acid mantle”, and it works to protect us from harmful microbial activity and atmospheric toxins. Chemicals and surfectants (soaps) destroy the health and integrity of this acid mantle. Other agents that exacerbate dry skin are caffeine, alcohol, wind, and indoor heating.

The first tip is to use cream, oil or balm cleansers instead of soapy ones. If you want to do simple oil cleansing at home, for dry skin I recommend using jojoba, avocado, sweet almond and apricot kernel oils. But please, look carefully and buy only certified organic, unrefined, cold-pressed oils, the healthy trinity of quality in carrier oils. Chemically derived, heated and refined oils possess little to no therapeutic or nutritive substance. They’re often adulterated, oxidized and rancid.

To oil cleanse, simply massage (on unwashed face) a teaspoon or so of oil onto skincare n in upward strokes. Wipe away with a very warm water-soaked cloth. The oil cleanser dissolves and lifts coagulated sebum and dirt from your face. Follow with a genuine hydrosol, and a facial serum or face balm.

I mentioned hydrosols above, and they are something I consider essential in delivering hydration to the skin. Real hydrosols are distilled from fresh plants (leaves and flowers, usually, although sometimes seeds, resins or roots) harvested at their peak, which varies, depending upon parts of the plant used. No alcohol or preservatives, essential oil or “extracts” should be added in. A well distilled hydrosol has captured the cellular, healing impress of the plant. Why would you want to run interference with that?

Tender Flower hydrosols, as a reference, are artisanally distilled in small batches, from plants grown in the Biodynamic gardens or from the “wild” on my property, with a few exceptions: calendula grown locally for me, and elderflower from another friend’s farm. Some of the hydrosols are co-distillations, Rose & Elderflower, for example. In much the same concept as eating seasonal foods, moving through the seasons with hydrosols, from spring cleavers, to summer calendula to autumn roots of burdock can give your skin a healthy diet. For dry skin in particular, I recommend hydrosols of elderflower, violet, calendula, rose, nettles, peony or marshmallow.

Hydrosols are applied after cleansing the face and before application of facial oils & serums, moisturizing lotions and balms. Balms in particular are my favorite for dry skin, as in the Renew face balm, especially in winter. They form an occlusive barrier, keeping moisture in, chafing wind, out. As the weather warms, lighter facial oil blends or serums applied after hydrosol spritzing suffice .

Exfoliation of dead skin cells that collect on the surface will help to allow moisture to penetrate. However, exfoliation should be a gentle, non-invasive treatment. No “scrubs “ made with grainy bits, or peels. Instead, I like to hand grind (either in the mocaljete or small coffee grinder) dried leaves and flowers from the garden to make a powder. Roses, comfrey, lemon balm, calendula, marshmallow, rosehips, elderberries and violets are wonderful. A smidge of gentle French pink clay can be added. Then, with dry hands, a small amount is mixed with hydrosol or water drizzled in. Gently pat on face, then rinse.

Humectant honey-based masks can be made, using plant powder, organic honey (I prefer raw, local, single apiary source honey) and a bit of aloe vera pressed juice or hydrosol. Simply mix ingredients in a small bowl to a thick paste consistency, apply by pressing into skin. Leave on the skin 5-15 minutes and keep the mask moist by spritzing with hydrosol, purified water or an herbal infusion ( tea). Honey masks leave dry skin feeling plump, bright and refreshed.

Perhaps my favorite dry skin treatment is possible only during fresh plant season. I gather fresh leaves and flowers, purée them, add them to a small amount of organic, unrefined, cold pressed sesame oil in a 60 plants/40 oil ratio and gently heat the mixture in a Bain Marie. The concoction is messy to apply, so I have a length of organic cotton gauze ready, dipped in warm water to cover my face with after dabbing on the poultice.

Lastly, as well as limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, eat plenty of juicy fruits, seeds, nuts, avocados and drink plenty of water. Drink herbal teas that assist the skin functions. Burdock root, in moderation, can clear toxins that block vital forces in the life zone of the skin, the dermis. I mention moderation, because it’s powerful enough to draw toxins out to the skinks surface. Tempering this effect within dandelion flowers, leaves or roots is an option, as the dandelion channels the toxins release through the urinary rather than the integumentary system.

Marshmallow root lubricates the internal tissues and helps the skin to maintain hydration from the inside. Both of these roots, if dried, need to be chopped into small pieces, and slowly simmered for 15- 20 minutes. This is called a decoction. Nettles leaves are indispensable for helping skin structure and delivering minerals and vitamins. The leaves are prepared by placing a handful into a teapot or mason jar, pouring boiling water over, and letting steep at last four hours, preferably overnight. This is called an infusion, a more concentrated version of tea. Drink nettles in the morning or early afternoon, though: you won’t need caffeine as nettles is a real energy boost.

And here I’ll finish mentioning a Tender Flower product, the Marshmallow/Rosehips & Wild Rose Elixir. This yummy potion cools the inflammatory activity that in part causes dry skin. It also contains the moistening marshmallow, and specific nutrients from the rosehips and roses.