As we age our skin get dryer, the upper layers of the skin ie the stratum corneum tends get to disrupted . The lipid barrier layer gets disrupted and the trans epidermal water loss increases leading to dry skin. In females, oestrogen hormone reduces with age and this makes the skin dry.
Avoid hot water showers.
Keep your showers short.
Do not use soap bars on the body as it could change the pH of the skin making it alkaline and dry. Use a soap free cleanser / shower gel instead.
Avoid frequent exfoliation.
After your shower, just pat your skin dry and apply a moisturiser on a slightly damp skin. This traps the moisture within and keeps the skin hydrated for a longer period.

Different types of moisturisers :

Humectants absorb water from the environment as well as water from the body and swell up and hydrate the skin. Hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, panthenol and urea some of the examples of humectants.

Occlusives : They form a barrier on the skin and protect the skin apart from moisturising. e.g. : Petrolatum, Mineral oil, bees wax

Emollients: They form a sort of the layer of moisture on the skin. e.g jojoba, dimethicone, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol

You can also take vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acid supplements, fish oil , mackerels, pumpkin seeds , flax seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds to hydrate your skin from within.

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