What Causes Dry Skin? 

Dry skin, also known as xerosis, or xeroderma, visits us all at least once or twice in our lifetimes. This is because dry skin has many causes and they tend to be through everyday activities: washing our hands, blow drying our hair, cold weather and even sitting in air conditioning! Dry skin also doesn’t just affect just our faces, our hands, feet, elbows and more, are all susceptible to xerosis. 

According to the American Skin Association, “simple causes of lipids depletion include harsh soap, itchy clothing, long and hot showers or baths. An important environmental factor is represented by the exposure to hot or cold weather with low humidity levels. Xerosis often worsens in the winter, when several factors contribute to skin dryness: low temperature and low humidity associated to very hot and drying heating, cause a decreased amounts of water in the stratum corneum. During summer, constant exposure to air conditioning may produce similar effects.”

The Long-Term Effects of Dry Skin

Whether it be through pre-existing skin issues, dry air, chilly weather, steamy showers, or any other skin-harshing environmental factor, dry skin is a bummer on glowing complexion goals. Dry skin is not only uncomfortable, but it can cause long term dermatological complications like eczema. Eczema is a skin condition that causes dry, itchy, cracked and inflamed red skin.

Long-term dry skin can also cause irritation and infection. According to The Mayo Clinic, “dry skin may crack, allowing bacteria to enter, causing infections.

These complications are most likely to occur when your skin's normal protective mechanisms are severely compromised. For example, severely dry skin can cause deep cracks or fissures, which can open and bleed, providing an avenue for invading bacteria.”

Coconut Oil for Dry Skin 

Though infection and long-term effects are uncommon results of dry skin, dry skin is mostly harmless and mostly just plain annoying and it doesn’t look great. The first step to combatting dry skin is through moisturizing. One of the best ways to moisturize is with coconut oil. 

You always hear about the versatility and multi-use abilities of coconut oil — but did you know the acids found in it are actually deeply hydrating, antibacterial and antifungal? The major ingredients in this miracle oil that produce the hydrating and cleansing effect are lauric acid, vitamin E and myristic acid.

Vitamin E is coconut oil's powerhouse for hydration. Vitamin E fights off free radicals on the skin, which are a result of daily environmental stressors like unprotected sun exposure and air pollution. In fighting off free radicals, vitamin E helps protect the skin from damage.

Additionally, vitamin E has moisturizing benefits, and helps to "strengthen skin barrier function," cosmetic chemist Ginger King says. "Vitamin E is also a natural anti-inflammatory, so it can be soothing and help calm the skin," she says. "It's also good for hydrating skin, and serves as a moderately effective natural barrier to the sun."

Conscious Coconut Oil is USDA organic certified, Fair Trade certified, hand pressed, small batch, virgin and cold pressed! Plus, our oil has 4 times the antioxidants of others because of our process. To move forward with the fight against dry skin, your skin deserves only the best.