Hydration

It is all well and good spending a large amount of money on specific products and going through the rigours of a regular hair-removal routine, but all of this hard work can be for nothing if you don’t take care of your skin. When your skin dehydrates it can become dry and flaky[1]. Different hair removal methods can have an effect on your skin’s moisture, and it can be difficult to work out which one is the best for you. Have a look at the various methods below, and follow some of our top tips to maintaining smooth, hydrated skin.

Shaving can sometimes be detrimental to skin moisture, as the sharp blades have the potential to scrape off those oils that form a barrier on your skin. To make shaving easier and quicker and therefore make you remove as little of that barrier as possible, make sure that you use a good shaving cream or gel and shave in the direction of the hair growth. 

Depilatory Creams should be tested on a small patch of skin before use, as everybody’s skin will react slightly differently. These creams can actually moisturise your skin and some such as Veet for Sensitive Skin contain ingredients known for their moisturising properties, all whilst removing the hair!

Waxing can often be the best solution for people with very dry skin. This is because the wax can be tailored to ensure it doesn’t have any negative effects and the wax exfoliates your skin as it removes the old dead skin cells.

There are also simple steps you can follow to ensure that your skin stays hydrated:

Drink Lots of Water

It should be fairly self-explanatory that the more water that’s in your body, then the more hydrated your body – and your skin – will be. This, of course, starts with how much you actually drink, but there are other factors to take in to consideration, such as those following.

Shorten your Showers

It’s not the water that dehydrates, which would be a very strange relationship indeed! It is the heat of the water and the steam that breaks down the oily layer that protects your skin, making it less effective at keeping the moisture in. The longer and hotter the shower, the more of this layer will be removed, allowing your skin to become dry and itchy.

Stay Humid

Dry environments can cause the moisture of your skin to evaporate much more quickly, so it’s best to try and maintain a level of humidity in the air. This can easily be done with a humidifier and if you live in an especially dry environment it can be helpful to have one on whilst you sleep.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation can potentially help keep your skin moisturised, as it gets rid of all the dead skin cells and other dirt and grime that can build up. This enables your skin to keep this barrier able to keep the moisture where it needs to be and working perfectly.

Moisturise!

There are no shortages of products available for keeping skin moisturised, but as everyone’s skin is different it’s important to find the one for you. You know your skin better than anyone, so take a look what’s out there and find the product that helps keep your legs happy and healthy.

Even the gentlest of hair removal techniques can have an effect on your skin’s hydration.  Be aware of dry skin, and make sure you do all you can to look after it. Beautifully smooth skin takes more than just hair removal!



[1] http://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/your-visit/leaflets/med/Dermatology-Skin-Care.pdf