Amazing Skin
Our skin is possibly one of the most amazing parts of our bodies. It protects us from harsh environments and infections, helps us to feel and experience our surroundings and helps keep us warm, or cools us down, whenever we need it.
Natural defence
It's also the largest organ of the human body and needs to be maintained to help us lead healthy, full lives. If neglected, skin can become easily damaged and dry – and not only looks bad, but loses its ability to work properly.
Hang on to your liquids
Our skin is naturally very good at protecting us. It's shielded by a strong, hard layer called the stratum corneum, which is held together by oily, waxy substances like fatty acids and cholesterol, called lipids. Together, these help our skin to keep moisture in, and the harsh environment out.
However, washing with soap can draw these lipids out and with them the skin’s ability to hydrate itself, eventually causing the cells to stiffen and dry out.
Beat the dry skin cycle
Now unable to hold moisture in as effectively, the skin's natural exfoliation process – shedding dead cells – is disturbed, and flakes of skin begin to form.
Eventually, the skin becomes drier and cracks, driving the damage deeper into the living epidermis. Weaker cells can form in place of healthy ones, resulting in poorer quality skin.
So how can you reverse the damage and make skin that's as dry as a lizard's look as smooth and healthy as a peach? The answer is simple.
The magic of moisturiser
Using a moisturising lotion softens the stiff, dry cells of damaged skin. Lotions, such as Dove contain humectants – substances like glycerine and sorbitol that act like 'water magnets', locking moisture back into the skin.
Also present in moisturising lotions are lipids and occlusives such as petroleum jelly, that help form a protective layer.
Over time, using a lotion can help repair the damage done to skin by washing with soap – leaving you with great-looking healthy skin once again.
