Paula Moriarty
Professional Skincare Consultant, Kenvue
A professional skincare consultant advises on products specifically formulated for the management of very dry, itchy and eczema-prone skin, including highly effective oat-based formulas.
Dry, itchy and eczema-prone skin can affect any age group and can be made even worse by extreme weather conditions, highly polluted areas and chemical irritants.
Chronic dry skin impacts wellbeing
According to Paula Moriarty, Professional Skincare Consultant with Kenvue, dry skin is typically caused by a lack of sebum, the natural oil that helps our skin to retain moisture. “When the skin doesn’t produce enough sebum, the outer layer loses water and becomes dry, tight, itchy and sometimes flaky,” she explains. “This can be extremely difficult to manage.” Although often not a sign of anything serious, chronic dry skin can affect a person’s sleep, confidence and quality of life. Finding the right products is essential for effective skin management.
Products to help manage dry skin
According to Moriarty, managing very dry skin is all about consistency, using gentle, effective products, which could be moisturisers, lotions, creams, ointments or soap substitutes. Products are typically tailored to the three main dry skin types: normal to dry skin; dry and tight skin; and very dry, itchy and eczema-prone skin.
Look for gentle, fragrance-free
products and avoid irritants
and detergents.
Eczema is an extremely common dry skin condition, which results in flare-ups of red and itchy skin, alongside periods of remission. “Emollients aren’t just moisturisers; they’re specially formulated to treat dry, eczema-prone skin by deeply hydrating and restoring the skin barrier and should be applied generously several times a day.” Look for gentle, fragrance-free products and avoid irritants and detergents. Products with ceramides are extremely beneficial for restoring the skin’s natural lipid composition, Moriarty recommends.
Oat-based moisturisers
Aveeno’s range of skin care products is specially formulated for very dry and eczema-prone skin, using oats as their key ingredient, a natural remedy rooted in traditional holistic medicine. Moriarty explains: “Oats help remove impurities, calm itching and protect the skin, restoring the natural pH while preserving skin barrier function.”
She adds: “Aveeno skin relief moisturising lotion with shea butter hydrates for up to 72 hours, using a unique triple oat complex to support the skin barrier.” For those with more severe skin complaints, Aveeno Dermexa isavailable exclusively in pharmacies, which helps to restore skin ceramides and offers deep and lasting relief. Don’t suffer in silence when there are products on the market designed specifically for very dry, itchy and eczema-prone skin.
