The Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin

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A step-by-step guide to a skincare routine for dry skin.

Few things are uncomfortable than dry skin, whether on your face, body, or both. Your skin may be dull, flaky, irritated, tight, and itchy. Fortunately, you can improve the condition of your skin with the proper skincare practices.

Table of Contents

Causes of dry skin

Dry skin is typically not a significant problem. Hot or cold weather, low humidity in the atmosphere, and soaking in hot water are likely culprits for this condition. This is great because you can quickly get rid of it.

Other causes include:

The environment, such as cold/hot weather and air conditioning systems.
Genetics
An unbalanced skin pH
Certain skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and atopic dermatitis
A damaged skin barrier
Hard water
Type 2 diabetes
Hypothyroidism
The use of harsh chemicals on your skin
Washing your skin excessively
Vitamin B deficiency

The best skincare routines for dry skin

You can have dry skin on your face and body and dry acne-prone skin. So, there is a routine suitable for you if you have either one of those conditions.

Best skincare routine for dry skin on the face

A deliberate and consistent skincare routine for dry skin can help reduce dryness. Good skincare habits like using sunscreen regularly, limiting the time you wash your face, and constantly moisturizing your face can dramatically affect your skin.

1. Use a gentle cleanser.

A strong foundation for dry skin is washing your face with a mild, hydrating, and preferably fragrance-free cleanser that will not strip your skin of the little remaining oil. Avoid using too much of your cleanser and building a thick lather because that will further strip your skin. Look for cleansers that have suitable emollients in them.

My two favorite cleansers for dry skin are the Rovectin Skin Essentials Conditioning Cleanser and the First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser.

2. Don’t be afraid to use a toner or an essence.

People tend to shy away from toners because, for a long time, they have been believed to be drying for your skin because of the high levels of alcohol in them. With dry skin, you want to take advantage of every opportunity to hydrate your skin.

The perfect toner should be alcohol-free, hydrating, and have replenishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Essences are a “non-essential but beneficial” step in your skincare regimen. If you don’t want to use a toner, it is entirely acceptable to use an essence. They allow products to penetrate deeper, producing more significant results for your skin.

The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild, Oat Hydrating Toner, is so soothing for dry skin, and as for the essence, I’d pick the COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence for dry skin.

3. Use a targeted treatment for your dryness.

This is when you can add a potent, targeted treatment to help with your dryness. Hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and urea are great to look out for in your targeted treatments.

You can read the post about hydrating serums to choose the most suitable product for dry skin.

But if I had to choose one, I would only go with the CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Serum because it is filled with ceramides and will help plump your skin and give good nutrients to your skin’s barrier.

4. Moisturize

Moisturizing is important because it seals in all the goodness from the previous steps. It is essential to choose a thick moisturizer for your dry skin.

Make sure that the moisturizer you choose is non-comedogenic (does not clog pores) because that can lead to other skin conditions like acne or congestion.

Use Kiehl’s Ultra Face Cream for mildly dry and super dry skin, Aquaphor Healing Ointment, because the cream will leave no room for water loss on your face.

5. Use sunscreen

Protecting your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays can save your skin from so much damage. The Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Glow SPF 50 is one sunscreen I always recommend for all skin types.

6. Use a night moisturizer.

This step is only applicable at nighttime. In place of your sunscreen, use a nice and thick moisturizer filled with ceramides and niacinamide, and those ingredients will help repair and nourish your skin barrier.

My two favorite night moisturizers are the Differin Restorative Night Moisturizer and Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque.

Best skincare routine for dry acne-prone skin

Dry acne-prone skin is typically caused by your skin being excessively dry. When your skin is too dry, it sends a wrong message to your oil glands which causes them to increase sebum production. This leads to a build-up of oil and dead skin in your pores, leading to acne.

The beauty of this is that if you treat the dryness in your skin, the acne may go away.

The only downside is that you must be careful not to use pore-clogging products.

As a general rule of thumb:

Instead of the typical skincare routine for dry skin, use a treatment that can fight acne but is not too drying. It should contain niacinamide preferably (instead of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide). The niacinamide will be able to control the sebum levels in your skin and bring back the balance. Many people, including myself, swear by The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% because it works great for oily acne-prone skin.
Avoid too heavy products, so you don’t clog your pores.
Do not over-cleanse your skin.
Try to use oil-free products.

Best skincare routine for dry skin on the body

Unlike the face, the skin on your body for the average person is a little more resistant. Chemical exfoliating of the body can be an excellent addition to your body care routine.

1. Cleanse

Mild cleansing soaps or body washes are pretty soothing for your body. Make sure you spend only a little time cleansing your body because it can be too drying for your skin. Glycerin bars are also very gentle and moisturizing.

My favorite cleansers are the Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance-Free Body Wash which has colloidal oatmeal that is so soothing for dry skin. This cleanser is gentle and free of harsh chemicals.

2. Hydrate your skin

Always make sure that you hydrate your skin while it is still damp. I generally apply a moisturizer to my skin while in the bathroom because the air is still moist and will not dry out my skin.

Look for ingredients in your moisturizing lotions such as:

Shea butter
Ceramides
Aloe vera
Hyaluronic acid
Glycerin

These ingredients will nourish and soothe your skin and help with dryness.

The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Body Gel Cream and the Cerave Moisturizing Cream are filled with fabulous dry skin ingredients.

3. Exfoliate from time to time.

Lactic acid is one of the more gentle alpha hydroxy acids. A lotion from AmLactin has 10% lactic acid and is a perfect moisturizing cream that exfoliates your skin.

Exfoliating your dead skin cell will allow for better penetration of your products that will help hydrate your skin even deeper, resulting in soft and moist skin.

Avoid using sugar scrubs and dry bruising, especially if you have a darker skin tone, as they can be pretty harsh for your skin if not done correctly.

Here are a few extra tips to help manage dry skin

You can do a few more things that reduce your chances of dehydrated skin; that are easy to implement. It is always good to weigh all the possible causes of your skin’s dryness.

Stop using too hot water when taking a bath or a shower. Boiling water can damage your skin cells, further drying your skin.
Eat a balanced diet. I could write a book on the importance of eating a balanced diet. It has so many benefits for your health, including your skin. Take your B vitamins because they are essential to your skin’s health.
Avoid using very harsh products on your skin, and don’t over-exfoliate. They strip your skin of its natural oils and can cause severe irritation.
Use fragrance-free and essential oil-free products to avoid sensitizing and irritating your skin.

In conclusion

Less is more when it comes to skincare; sometimes, we do too much to our skin. Now and then, give your skin a break and do a basic routine; your skin will thank you one day. If you take care of your skin, it will take care of you.

Sunscreen is vital, so don’t forget to use it.

Your dry skin can be managed if you follow the proper steps and practice the right habits.

If you have been trying to treat your dry skin and it’s not getting any better, visit your doctor for an accurate diagnosis to find the perfect solution for your problem.