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Skin problems can appear at any age. And when we get older, they can even accumulate: wrinkles, sagging skin, more sensitive, more irritated and drier skin. This is surely the lot that has fallen to you. But this is not inevitable since solutions exist to relieve dry and very dry skin. This is what we will see today by answering the question: what to do to take care of your dry skin after 40? First of all, we will see causes responsible for dry skin after your forties. Then we will see solutions to make the skin less dry at 40. 

Causes of dry skin at 40

Dry skin is marked by the weakening of the skin's protective barrier (also called the hydrolipidic film) which is composed of a fatty substance and an aqueous substance. This hydrolipidic film acts as a skin barrier in order to be able to maintain the balance of the skin and thus prevent it from drying out. In other words, dry skin will lack sebum and water. The effects are that the skin is fragile, sensitive and irritated. Commonly, a dull complexion and feelings of discomfort and / or tightness are also signs of dry skin. In rarer cases, the appearance of the skin may be scaly, rough, or red.

But because of this, what causes dry skin at 40?

As you will have deduced, your age and the formation of dry skin are of course closely linked. Indeed, when we age, the skin naturally loses its hydrolipidic film and therefore it becomes drier. This at the same time encourages worsening of wrinkles and sagging skin.

So why does the skin gradually lose its hydrolipidic film? This is partly assignable to low levels of estrogen hormones in the body and therefore during the pre-menopause period. These latter also called “female hormones” are present in the dermis and play a crucial role in the maintenance of suppleness, hydration and skin firmness. As soon as their level is reduced, the skin loses its structure and hydration. As a result, the skin becomes dry at 40.

Personalized aggravating elements can at the same time disturb the skin's balance and cause drier skin after 40 :

• Climatic conditions (pollution, cold, temperature variations, humidity, wind, sun, etc.).
• Cosmetic products and in particular the know which attack and weaken the protective skin film. As a result, the skin will lose its water and dry out.
• Lifestyle : cigarettes, coffee, stress, diet, sleep, alcohol and medication. 

What to do to take care of your dry skin after 40?

To prevent or relieve dry skin at age 40, first, we have to rebuild the hydrolipidic film of the skin to be able to help it carry out its role of barrier and thus slow down the dryness of the skin. To this end, you will first have to nourish your skin with fatty components containing unsaturated fatty acids. In this way, the hydrolipidic film will be restored. Then, it must be hydrated with compounds derived from water. It will also be necessary adopt a good skin routine with good products and to have a good way of life to preserve healthy skin.

Dry skin at 40: effective cosmetics 

1 - How to wash your dry skin gently?

Adopt mild soaps with neutral pH suitable for the skin of the body and face. These are developed to avoid irritating, stripping or drying out sensitive and dry skin. They are formulated from non-drying and non-stripping ingredients.

We recommend you Goat's milk soap from Savonnerie du Regagnas suitable for dry skin after 40 years

The reasons to buy it?

Certified organic, its formula is free from allergens and petrochemical compounds (toxic to the skin).
20% of the total of its ingredients is goat's milk renowned for being extremely gentle on dry or very dry skin.
May be suitable for body and face skin
Cold saponified, it contains only natural ingredients that are non-stripping and non-drying for the skin.

View product

2 - Dry skin after 40 years: which creams to use?

As stated previously, dry skin needs fat and water. To appease his craving for fat, you will need to adopt a cream that contains lipids, in other words with nourishing active ingredients to be able to restore the hydrolipidic film. The nourishing components that you will find in creams are vegetable oils or vegetable butters. To satisfy its demand for hydration, you will need to adopt a cream formulated with water-derived agents such as, for example, hydrosol, aloe vera or even hyaluronic acid.

To explain more simply : the formulation of your cream (s), treatments or serums must approach the skin's natural protective film with an aqueous principle which will satisfy the lack of hydration and a fatty principle which will satisfy the need for fat.

Always pay attention choose a cream with natural active ingredients to take care of your dry skin after 40 years. Indeed, a large number of cosmetic creams are formulated on the basis of harmful, irritating, drying and petrochemical substances such as, among others, sulphates, silicones, parabens, quats, preservatives or synthetic fragrances. What is more, it presents dangerous health risks, they may weaken your skin and dry out even more. In order to make it easier for you to choose a good product, we suggest the application INCIbeauty that transparently examines your products and lets you know if the product is healthy or not.

As for dry skin of the face at 40 : All of the advice previously mentioned applies of course the same for the skin of the face. The best way to prevent your skin from drying out is to apply a moisturizing cream or serum in the morning (to prevent the oily effect on your skin) coupled with the use of a nourishing cream in the evening after your toilet. Assuming you use an anti-aging treatment or cream, determine if it is rather hydrating (formulated with agents derived from water: hydrolate, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid) or rather nourishing (contains fatty agents such as oils or butters). Depending on the result, adopt a cream that can meet the missing need.

3 - Oils and butters for very dry skin at 40 years old

The fat of the skin will, among other things, prevent the evaporation of water. It therefore operates as a skin protection barrier. For this reason, it is essential to feed it effectively with fatty substances.

Products formulated with natural, raw and pure ingredients will be the best allies to nourish and repair your dry or very dry skin at 40. These are oils and butters. You will have to use them as a mask on the skin and leave them like that, without having to rinse them. The epidermis will naturally drink the substance and feed on all its benefits. Best natural oils to nourish dry skin are: coconut, wheat germ, argan, sweet almond, avocado, borage and nigella. As for vegetable butters, the beurre de karité will be the best one you can find to nourish very dry skin after 40 years. Indeed, it is very rich in saturated fatty acids, which will allow it to deeply nourish the skin and repair the hydrolipidic film.

Comments : You also have the possibility of mixing your oil or your butter with aloe vera gel having moisturizing properties.

Which skin routine to avoid skin dryness?

In a way to avoid having too dry skin at 40, it is essential to adopt a good skin routine. Basic but effective, the following tips will help you hydrate, nourish and restore the protective film of your dry skin:

• Scrub and cleanse your skin with cold or lukewarm water every day, and twice a day with a mild soap or moisturizing milk.
• Note that water used for external use does not hydrate! Conversely, it dries up the skin. Thereby, avoid washing your face with water, and prefer a lotion or a mild milk. Regarding the body, dry yourself systematically when you get out of the shower. And apply a moisturizer or nourishing cream when you are totally dry.
• Never forget to remove your makeup before going to sleep so that the pores of the skin can breathe. For that, prefer the use of a cleansing milk, a vegetable oil such as sweet almond or a special lotion for dry skin.
• Use a moisturizing day cream and / or moisturizing serum every morning.
• Employ a nourishing cream in the evening.
• Weekly, make a nourishing mask from vegetable oil.
• Hydrate your eye contour with an product intended for this purpose.

A good lifestyle to avoid dry skin after 40 years

In order to take care of the dry skin after 40 years, it is fundamental to have a good lifestyle. Indeed, healthy, problem-free skin is often linked to a healthy body. As a result, bad lifestyle habits, deficiencies or an internal disorder will inevitably have repercussions on the condition of your skin. Various main principles must then be observed to take care of your dry skin:

1 - Be careful with your diet

• Eat healthy and balanced food. It is better to avoid foods containing saturated fats and refined sugars responsible for the production of free radicals and toxins in the body. Conversely, choose foods that contain good fats (vegetable fats). Indeed, lipids are necessary to avoid dry skin at age 40.
• Try to eat foods rich in antioxidants regularly that prevent premature aging of the body. We recommend the consumption of red fruits which are among the foods that contain the most antioxidants and therefore fight effectively against free radicals and the decline of the skin at 40 years.
• Eat foods rich in vitamins, trace elements and proteins (preferably of plant origin because they are much better for health) which contribute to the good balance of the skin.

2 - The hygiene of life to avoid the dryness of the skin

• Drink daily and at least 1,5l of water per day to sufficiently hydrate your dry skin after 40 years.
• Try to avoid cigarettes as much as possible which is involved in the degradation of the condition of the epidermis. The toxic products degrade several constituents of the dermis and therefore block the irrigation of the skin tissues. .
• Make sure you protect your skin from the sun's UV rays wearing a hat, cap and using clothing Specific sunscreen for the face, certified organic and with the maximum of natural ingredients if you can. This is because sunscreens are full of chemicals that can also damage your skin.
• A good sleep is important for the body to recover and regenerate. Theoretically, you should sleep 8 hours a night and a minimum of six hours.