How To Get Rid Of Ashy Dark Skin

If you have dry skin like us, then you know about one of our biggest pain points. Dry skin.

Dry skin is not only irritating, but makes our skin look ashy.

Ashy skin is not cool. It’s basically dead skin cells just sitting there.

So how do you get rid of ashy dark skin? Lucky for you, you are reading this.

In the following article, we teach you everything you need to know to prevent and get rid of ashy skin.

Onto the show!

What Is Ashy Black Skin?

Ashy black skin is just dry flaky skin on your outer layer that is more visible for people of color.

It can make your skin look chalky, dusty, or even paler white. Additionally it feels rough and you can see tiny bumps. It can even be on your knees and elbows where you can see fine cracked lines. 

The feeling of dry ashy skin is tight and painful at times.

Since men with darker skin have more thick skin they are more likely to have ashy skin due to more skin cells on your top layer.

What Is Drying Out My Skin?

In general, lack of moisture will cause your skin to dry out. However, here are a few other causes for ashy black skin.

Hot Showers

While good and super relaxing, hot water and showering for long periods of time dries out your skin. The high temperature can also strip your skin of natural oils coming from your sebaceous glands.

Certain Fabrics

Cotton, wool, and polyester are types of fabrics that wick away moisture from your skin. The texture of these fabrics can irritate your skin. 

It’s better to wear softer or blended fabrics to keep moisture from being taken away.

Dry Weather

Cold Dry Winter Weather

Cold or harsh weather has lower humidity and temperature. This climate has less moisture in the air, so your skin tends to dry up faster without additional hydration.

Medical Conditions Or Medications

Some medications for psoriasis, eczema, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism can dry out your skin and make it ashy. Consider alternatives to avoid these side effects, if you have a skin condition.

How Do I Get Rid Of My Ashy Skin?

Drink More Water

An obvious fix for dehydration is drinking more water. 

Therefore you want to drink plenty of water each day. We recommend you drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses everyday. You may even need to drink more than this based on your body type and activity level.

Exfoliate Regularly

All of the dead skin cells sitting on top of your skin is not making you less ashy. 

Get rid of ashy dark skin by adding exfoliators to your skin care routine two to three times a week. If you have overly dry or sensitive skin, you can use gentle exfoliants one to two times a week. 

Exfoliators will also help you prevent acne when your body overproduces oil to compensate for the dryness.

Try a Facial Cleansing Brush

Having a dry ashy face is something you want to avoid at all costs. Otherwise you may be at risk of ashy people jokes. 

To save yourself, you can use a facial cleansing brush

These motorized devices are used to exfoliate and wash your face at the same time. Incorporating this into your skin care routine will eliminate your ashy or dry flaky skin.

Try this facial cleansing brush: Vanity Planet’s Raedia Cleansing Brush

Change Your Bathing Routine

If you are experiencing ashy knees or ashy arms then you want to consider taking a shower with cool or lukewarm water.

Also, your body wash, shampoo, conditioners can contain rough chemicals, so consider swapping them out for gentler products.

Moisturize Regularly

One essential home remedy for black men’s ashy skin is moisturizer.

You should moisturize your skin right after getting out of the shower or bath before you spend time in harsh cold weather.

There are many different types of moisturizers, but try to find skin care products that have emollients. Emollients  and oils like coconut oil will be the best at handling dry and ashy skin. 

Men with black skin should avoid lotions as they do not lock in any moisture.

Use a Humidifier

Humidifier For Ashy Skin

Leaving the heat on constantly in addition to the low humidity can dry out your skin in the winter. 

A humidifier is a great solution to stop being ashy in the winter months by putting moisture back in the air. The additional air moisture will provide your skin with natural hydration.

Try this humidifier for dry skin: Venta LW45 Original Airwasher

Read More:

Product Reviews:

How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Ashy Skin?

After you start taking care of your skin properly using our recommended methods, you should see improvement in your skin in one to two weeks. Sometimes results are seen much faster depending on the changes you make. 

Based on our experience, applying rich moisturizers and utilizing a humidifier are the best solutions for how to stop being ashy during the winter.

Fact Checked by our Director of Dermatology We know that understanding how your skin and hair work can seem scary, so my team and I devote our time to thoroughly researching every single topic and product we write about. We hope you find our reviews helpful and informative.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*