Soaps that soothe dry skin

The skin isn’t dry but remains stretched. The weather isn’t cold but there is a persistent feeling of irritation. It might be sweet spring for everything else but certainly not for the skin which feels dry due to dehydration as the weather changes from winter to scorching summer.

“It is irritable for the skin to go through this change every three months. Therefore moisturising soaps have gained popularity over time,” says Aakriti Kochar, beauty and make up expert at Oriflame India. She says there is a common perception that one of the easiest ways to deal with this irritation is to go for a moisturising soap.

When it comes to choosing a moisturising soap, there is a huge variety available in the market. This makes way for more confusion since each skin type has a particular requirement. “While a moisturising soap provides comfort to the dry skin, it is quite hydrating for normal to combination skin types,” adds Kochar.

The most common ingredient in a moisturising soap is glycerine. It has properties to retain artificial moisture in the skin. Kochar says, “While cocoa or shea butter is a good ingredient for dry skin, an aloe vera works well for combination or normal skin and tea tree is coming up quite well for oily skin.” One must look for the presence of
these ingredients in moisturising soaps.

“Honey, oatmeal and milk (important for brightening and radiance) are few other ingredients that can be present in moisturising soaps too,” says Dr Blossom Kochhar, chairperson of Blossom Group of Companies. The expert says that an over indulgence in moisturising soaps is not bad but lays stress on consumption of water to ensure a hydrated skin in changing weather.

As per experts, synthetic elements combined with natural moisturising ingredients are effective and last four times more. “Since people in India are not in a habit of using body wash, they should go for moisturising soaps,” says Dr Kochhar.

Both the experts, however, stress on a healthy lifestyle and Dr Kochhar suggests layering during the changing season. She says, “After applying moisturiser, one should spray a hydrolat (water collected when plants are stem distilled) such as rose water and then go for another layer of moisturiser,” so that the moisture is locked in the skin!