Grooming -- 3 days ago
Words: Alex Woodhall
Flaky skin is a grooming ordeal of nightmarish proportions. Between the irritable dryness, sensitivity and free falling flakes homing in on every black t-shirt you own, it can do serious damage to your confidence. Whilst winter is the chief culprit for drying out skin like an overcooked chicken, some of us are unfortunate enough to have to deal with the issue perpetually, regardless of seasonal dictate.
To find out how to tackle this frustratingly stubborn issue once and for all, I spoke to the gurus at Gentleman’s Journal cosigned spa, Face Place, who have tended to the skin of famous faces for the last 40 years, on what they recommend.
What causes dry, flaky skin?
“For dry, flaky skin we first think about the potential causes. Think through the current skin care you are using:
– Is it perfumed? A lot of mens products are highly perfumed and this can cause irritation.
– Are you using an overly strong facial wash? This will be stripping away the natural oils from your skin.
– Are you exfoliating too much? This also will unbalance your skin.
– Are you getting enough sleep? This is when your skin has time to repair, heal and calm: not getting enough can be detrimental.
– Think about your diet too. Dairy, spicy foods, alcohol can all trigger sensitivity and dryness.”
…says Rowan Hall-Farrise, head facialist, at the Rosewood London location.
How do I rectify it?
Hall-Farrise recommends you take the following steps:
“Use a gentle cleanser. We like a cleansing milk with a face cloth to cleanse without stripping natural lipids, this is a great starting point to rebalance your skin.
Don’t scrub, we recommend you use an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) exfoliant to remove all dead skin cells and resurface, but gently without damaging the skin.
If you have identified your skin is naturally dry, introduce a hydrating serum to really absorb deeply into your skin.
With your moisturiser we like a gel/cream texture to hydrate but not overload the skin, watch out for highly perfumed products again here.
Remember, don’t necessarily look at men’s products.
If you can we recommend having a results focused facial with a professional therapist to deep cleanse, calm and hydrate your skin.
We offer free skincare consultations on Wednesday’s & Thursday’s during the day at Rosewood London.”
Products we recommend:
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
