You ask, we answer! This question comes from our Atopalm Facebook page, and is the third installment in our Featured Question series. (Read our other Featured Questions for more great info.) If you have a skin care question, be sure to leave a comment here, or Like our Facebook page to ask there. Your question could be featured in a future post!

Today’s question is from Nichole. She says, “No matter how much I exfoliate and moisturize, my skin looks horrid when I put foundation on. How can I fix that?” She goes on to explain, “It’s always flaky and seems like makeup makes lines and crevasses stand out no matter what I do.”

What Nichole describes is something we’ve all dealt with on differing levels. But, for those with dry skin, it can be more difficult to achieve a smooth complexion. But, don’t lose hope! I know how to banish flaky skin, and I’m going to share all my tips with you.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
The best thing you can do for your skin, no matter what your skin type, is to stay hydrated. However, this rule applies doubly to dry, flaky skin! Drink water. No, seriously, drink water. You’ve heard it 1,000 times but it’s SO important that you need to hear it again!

Aside from basic water drinking, eating lots of fruits and veggies will keep skin hydrated, supple, and smooth. Plus, all those great vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will help your body (and your skin!) stay healthy. I promise you that if you up your water and vegetable intake, you’ll notice a drastic change in the smoothness of your skin. I dare you to prove me wrong!

One last note: just like water, fruits, and veggies will help your skin, junk food will make it less healthy. Now, I’m not saying that chips will make your skin flaky, but they certainly won’t help anything!

Revamp Your Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a great habit and an important part of every skin care regimen. Whether you exfoliate your skin daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, it is a must for every skin type, from acne skin to mature skin.

However, did you know that scrubs aren’t the only way to exfoliate? Now, you won’t find a bigger fan of skin care scrubs than yours truly. I love a good scrub! But, I also know that they aren’t the best choice for all skin types.

One of my favorite non-scrub exfoliators contains nothing but natural acids for exfoliation – glycolic acid, malic acid, lactic acid, etc. Using acid on your skin may sound scary, but these acids are actually very gentle and beneficial! Plus, acids are actually often better for sensitive skin since there is no rubbing or scraping involved.

The beauty of an acid-based exfoliation treatment is that it covers all of your face evenly, and that it actually loosens dead skin cells by dissolving the bond between the dead cells and the healthy cells. Once these cells are loosened, you are able to sweep away the dead cells with water or your face wash.

With a scrub, you’re relying on physical beads to break the dead cells away, which can be rough on your skin and might not be completely efficient, leaving many rough spots behind. Lastly, scrubs aren’t known to thoroughly reduce the appearance of pore size, while acid-based products have been said to help pores appear smaller.

Go Powderless
Beauty powers help set liquid foundation, keep shine at bay, and – let’s be honest – are just plain fun. Is there any beauty product more iconic than the pressed powder mirror? However, powders can be your nemesis when it comes to keeping your skin looking smooth.

You know that fabric that manages to enhance every lump and bump on your body? Face powders do the same thing to your dry skin patches. Rather than accentuate flakiness, consider using a BB Cream on its own, and spot-treating with a skin care mattifier if you’re worried about shine.

Mattifiers use various skin care ingredients to prevent and/or absorb oil, while giving a powder-like finish. Applied to problem areas like the T-zone, a mattifier will give you lasting protection from shine without accentuating dry skin.

A BB Cream will further help keep skin looking smooth and hydrated by moisturizing while concealing skin flaws with lightweight pigment. Atopalm’s BB Cream especially helps to prevent the appearance of flakiness by hydrating with MLE, a scientifically-proven ingredient that mimics the skin’s natural lipid layer. Plus, its finish is so natural-looking that you won’t even miss your powder!

To Nichole and everyone else who is struggling with skin flaking, I hope these tips help you to achieve the smooth, flawless-looking complexion you crave!