Ways To Avoid Rough Skin
We all want skin that’s as smooth and buttery but, let’s face it, it isn’t always easy to get rid of rough skin, especially if you aren’t sure what’s causing your roughness or which skincare tools can help.
We know your time is valuable, and you likely don’t have space for a twelve-step skincare routine to banish roughness. That’s why we do what we do. Our ethos here at Journ is to simplify your skincare routine so you have more time for the things you love! Let’s take a closer look at what causes rough skin and a few simple ways you can avoid it.
What Causes Rough Skin?
One of the best ways to avoid rough skin is to figure out what’s causing it in the first place. Everyone’s skin is different, but here are a few reasons you may be experiencing that sandpaper-like skin.
Dryness
If your skin lacks the smooth, buttery feeling and instead feels rough or flaky, dryness may be the culprit. Dry skin can occur from a number of different conditions, including what type of skin you have. If your skin is naturally dry, sun exposure, winter weather, certain common skin conditions, or failing to moisturize regularly can accentuate the buildup of dead skin cells.
Skin dehydration may also be caused by other weather conditions, such as dry weather or extreme temperatures. Dryness also affects skin texture and can make it feel flaky, tight, and uncomfortable, in addition to feeling rough. This rough, bumpy skin can occur anywhere on your body, from your thighs and knees to your cheeks and elbows—that’s why proper moisturization all over is so important.
Harsh Ingredients
Using soaps, creams, lotions, or skincare products with harsh ingredients may be the cause of your rough skin as well. Unfortunately, not all skincare is made the same. Many products are made with harsh chemicals and ingredients that can lead to irritation, small bumps, discomfort, dry patches, and rough skin.
Instead, look for clean, gentle skincare products made with natural ingredients. Avoid using soaps with deodorants, drying alcohols, perfumes, fragrances, and other chemicals. These ingredients can alter the amount of oil your skin produces, leading to excessive dryness and rough patches of skin.
Sun Exposure
Another reason you may be experiencing rough, scaly skin involves the time you spend in the sun. If your skin is exposed to the sun for long periods of time without adequate protection, it may become rough or dry. In the short term, you’ll likely only experience sunburn. Sunburn can lead to rough skin and pain until it heals and even remains rough for some time afterward.
However, repeated sun damage can have more permanent effects on the appearance and texture of the skin. Your skin may appear to have a leather-like texture, have more wrinkles and cracks, or feel dry. What’s the best way to protect your skin from the sun? Lather up on that SPF for protection.
Soaking in Hot Water
While taking a hot bath or soaking in your hot tub are excellent forms of self-care, it’s not always the best for your skin. Spending too much time in hot water can actually dry out your skin, draining all the moisture from it and leading to rough texture and dry, itchy patches.
Don’t panic—this doesn’t mean you have to ditch your favorite self-care routine. But it does mean you may want to limit your time in the tub and be sure to moisturize everywhere when you get out (and we mean everywhere—from your upper arms to your heels).
Simple Steps To Avoid Rough Skin
Below are a few of our favorite simple steps to avoid rough skin.
Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a vital step in your skincare routine, and luckily, it doesn’t have to be complicated! When you exfoliate your skin, you help get rid of dead skin cells that can otherwise clog pores and lead to rough skin.
There are two main types of exfoliants to use on your skin. Mechanical exfoliation is when you use a handheld tool such as an exfoliation sponge or brush to get rid of dry skin and dead skin cells. This method is excellent for those with sensitive skin and dry skin as it’s gentle, and you can control how much force you use while exfoliating.
Chemical exfoliation uses skincare products with acids. These acids work to dissolve the dead skin cells, after which you can wash them off with water. While this is a popular way to exfoliate the skin, it’s important to note these ingredients can lead to irritation and discomfort and can disrupt the moisture barrier when overused. If you have sensitive skin, this method may lead to irritation or discomfort as well.
Your skin may not be too happy with the harsh ingredients in most chemical exfoliants. Instead, opt for natural ways to exfoliate your skin. You can use recycled coffee grounds, finely ground sugar, oatmeal, or baking soda as a mechanical exfoliant to get rid of dead skin cells and avoid rough skin!
While exfoliating, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First, start off with gentle movements. If you’re using a mechanical exfoliation method like dry brushing or using a face scrub, don’t be too aggressive. Use circular motions and use lukewarm water to rinse your skin off. Be careful not to exfoliate broken skin as this can make wounds or cuts worse and irritate acne and breakouts.
Moisturize
One of the keys to smooth skin is moisture. Whether you have oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, or a combination of the three, chances are that your skin loves feeling moisturized more than anything else. After you exfoliate your skin, it’s important to supplement with a hydrating moisturizer to help eliminate rough skin.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Consider Your Timing
When it comes to moisturizing, it’s all about timing. Apply your moisturizer right after you exfoliate or use your cleanser.
Your moisturizer helps create a barrier between the outside environment and your skin, trapping moisture inside your skin and keeping dryness out. However, if you let your skin dry too much before applying your moisturizer, you can actually end up trapping dryness in instead. To avoid this, be sure to apply moisturizer soon after you exfoliate or wash your face so you can trap moisture inside your skin.
Choose the Right Products
Make sure all your skincare products are moisturizing for extra hydration. If you do have more than a few products in your skincare routine, a great way to make sure your skin stays hydrated is to choose products that are moisturizing.
It’s also important to stay away from any drying products that have harsh chemicals or drying alcohols. Where can you find skincare products that help hydrate skin? There are tons of complicated-sounding products and ingredients out there, like lactic acid, steroid creams, and salicylic acid, but you may not need all that. You don’t have to look far.
Support Your Skin’s Health With Journ
Here at Journ, we believe in simplification and convenience. After all, you’re full-time workers, family members, parents, and adventurers. You have more important things to do than memorize a complicated skincare routine. Our color correctors are moisture-friendly and gentle on dry skin to help neutralize redness and dullness while hydrating skin.
Dew: This can be used to help neutralize skin redness while hydrating, soothing, and protecting skin. Plus, it color corrects to help reduce the appearance of redness from irritation or dryness over time.
Alpenglow: Our Alpenglow color corrector is suitable for any skin tone and anyone who would like to brighten dull and sallow skin. It color corrects to help even skin tone and minimize the appearance of wrinkles over time.
Other Tips for Rough Skin
In addition to using exfoliators and moisturizers to get rid of rough skin, there are a few extra tips that can help you avoid roughness. Here’s everything you need to know.
Bring on the SPF
Since sun exposure can lead to rough skin, one of the best ways to avoid this is to lather up on SPF. Aim to find a sunscreen that is packed with hydration for your skin. You should also look for non-comedogenic sunscreen. Comedogenic products can clog pores more easily, trapping oil, dirt, and dead skin cells in your pores and leading to breakouts. So, having a non-comedogenic sunscreen will help you avoid clogged pores and breakouts!
Add Your Own Humidity
If cold or dry weather is the cause of your rough skin, getting a humidifier may help. Humidifiers add moisture to dry air, helping you avoid dry and rough skin in the cold or dry months. Some humidifiers are small enough to sit on your desk, while others are large and sit on the floor. You can have a humidifier in your bedroom, throughout your home, or even bring one to your office.
Rough Skin Will Be No More
Rough skin can be frustrating to deal with and even more frustrating to get rid of. Luckily, with the right skin tips, exfoliating techniques, and moisturizing products, you’ll be able to avoid rough skin and enjoy the buttery soft texture you’re going for.
Sources:
Dry skin - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Staying Healthy 9 ways to banish dry skin | Health Harvard
Skin Protection from Sun Damage | Cleveland Clinic
How to safely exfoliate at home | AAD
The Importance of Moisturizing | UTMC
What Do "Comedogenic" and "Non-comedogenic" Mean? | Acne.org