What You Know About Dry Skin and Wrinkles Just Scratches the Surface

For years, you’ve heard that people with dry skin get more wrinkles than people with oily skin — and that the solution is simply to moisturize more often.

Hydration is important. But there’s another key step that often gets overlooked:

Exfoliation.

It may sound counterintuitive to exfoliate dry skin, but understanding how wrinkles form makes the logic clear.

The outermost layer of skin is mainly composed of dead cells bound together by lipids that act as a sort of glue. Dry skin has more dead cells and less moisture, so naturally, it will look and feel tighter, duller, drier. Here’s where it gets interesting. The thicker layer of dead, dry skin cells makes wrinkles and lines appear more visible.

Dry skin typically has:

• More visible surface buildup
• Less water content
• A rougher texture

Imagine there is a layer of frost on your windshield and you trace a line in the frost with your fingertip. Write your name in it if you like. You can see it from across the street. But scrape the frost off, and the lines disappear.

The concept is similar with the dead skin cells. That’s not to say that you can simply erase wrinkles by exfoliating the outer layers of dead skin. But removing the layers to reveal fresh new cells below diminishes the appearance of lines by reducing their depth.

Researchers at the University of Southampton and the University of Cape Town in South Africa, working with colleagues at the University of Stanford in the USA, applied a biomechanical perspective to understanding what causes wrinkles. 

Dr. Georges Limbert, Associate Professor in Mathematical Modelling in Biophysics at Southampton's Centre for Advanced Tribology and the Biomechanics and lead author of the study notes, "Besides its critical physiological functions as a biochemical barrier, this very thin layer [the stratum corneum] plays a key role in determining the characteristics of skin micro-wrinkles, even in younger people."

"As relative humidity drops, this outer layer -- the stratum corneum -- becomes dryer and stiffer," Dr. Limbert continues. "When this happens, the micro-wrinkles at the surface of the skin, induced by facial muscle actions like smiling, become much deeper, larger and, therefore, more visible. This can happen in a matter of a few hours, so the immediate answer -- and one we all know -- is to keep our skin hydrated in order to minimize the creation of micro-wrinkles.”

But guess what gets in the way of effective hydration? Dead skin cells. Getting rid of them clears the way for hydrating ingredients to reach into the skin, along with cell regulators like vitamin A and peptides that stimulate the production of collagen and elastin fibers. It’s important to note that as we age, skin’s natural cell turnover slows creating even more buildup, so aiding cell turnover becomes even more critical.

Alpha-hydroxy acids dissolve the “glue” that binds dead skin cells to slough them away.

Glycolic Acid  is the best known and the fastest acting because its small molecular size means it is absorbed quickly by the skin.

• Smaller molecular size
• Works quickly at the surface
• Ideal for improving the look of rough texture

Mandelic Acid is a gentler AHA that is absorbed more slowly by the skin but has the added advantage of being a melanin inhibitor, so it helps to reduce excess pigmentation. Those two characteristics make it an especially good choice for dark skin tones prone to hyperpigmentation.

• Larger molecular size
• Penetrates more gradually
• Known for being gentler
• Helps promote a more even-looking skin tone

Vitamin A (Retinoid) speeds cellular turnover to bring new healthy skin to the surface. It also spurs collagen synthesis and inhibits the expression of the enzyme that breaks down collagen. It’s powerful antioxidant properties combat the signs of UV-induced skin aging, such as wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity and pigmentation.

• Encourage surface cell renewal
• Improve the appearance of fine lines
• Support firmer-looking skin
• Promote a more even-looking complexion

Cleansing Milk

A creamy, hydrating cleanser that leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed. Can be paired with Buffing Grains for added smoothing.

Skin Nourishing Toner

An antioxidant-rich, alcohol-free formula for the most delicate skin. Featuring Mandelic Acid and botanical extracts to gently refine and condition the skin.