Soft touch: smooth and sooth your skin

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Get your body ready for summer and banish dry skin forever with the latest range of skin smoothers and soothers. Dry skin is the most common skin complaint in people as they get older. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to keep your skin soft and smooth.

1. Bathe or shower with a bath oil as this will replace the oil lost from your skin’s surface during washing. To nourish the skin and prevent moisture evaporation, try an aromatherapeutic product such as Clarins’s Body Treatment Oil, which contains hazelnut oil to revitalise the skin and plant extracts to stimulate the circulation.
2. Many soaps are more damaging to the skin’s lipid barrier than foaming cleansers, so go for a gentle body wash like Natio’s Spa Pep-Up Body Cleanser, which contains bala and ginkgo biloba to purify the skin, along with peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass and basil essential oils to revive the senses.
3. Remove dry skin cells by dry-brushing your body with a natural bristle brush before showering. If your skin is sensitive, reach for a gentle shower scrub like Aveda’s Smoothing Body Polish, which contains aloe extracts to soothe the skin.
4. A rich moisturiser is the finishing touch for soft, supple skin. Lush options include Shiseido’s Advanced Essential Energy Ultimate Nourishing Body Cream, Garnier’s Body Cocoon Ultra Nourishing Moisture Lotion for Extra-Dry Skin and A’kin’s Lavender & Geranium Body Moist.

Dry skin over matter
Dr Cynthia Weinstein recommends always using an effective moisturiser after bathing. Some of the latest formulations contain high concentrations of occlusives, which work to trap in moisture and keep the skin hydrated for longer periods of time. For a really luxurious and pampering treat try Ericson Laboratoire No-Stress Relaxing Nutritive Cream, $99, which contains nutrient-rich avocado and kukui oils. “Skin Care” by Dr Cynthia Weinstein is published by Mandarin.

Diet watch
“If you have chronic dry skin you may have to look at your diet”, says Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at UCLA Dr Howard Murad. He suggests boosting your consumption of lecithin (which comprises the cell membrane and is found in spinach, eggs and soy) as well as increasing your intake of essential fatty acids (these make up the skin’s lipid barrier). Flaxseed and evening primrose oil are both good sources of these fatty acids, as are oily fish such as salmon and mackerel.

Shopping list

• Aveda Smoothing Body Polish, $49.95
• Shiseido Advanced Essential Energy Ultimate Nourishing Body Cream, $82
• Natio Spa Pep-Up Body Cleanser, $9.95
• A’kin Lavender & Geranium Body Moist, $20
• Garnier Body Cocoon Ultra Nourishing Moisture Lotion for Extra-Dry Skin, $8.99
• Clarins Body Treatment Oil, $66

Words: Nikki Goldstein. Photography: Steven Chee. Hair & make-up: Chris King.