Having dry skin can be difficult. Not all products are suitable for dry skin and some of them might make your delicate dry skin even drier. If you do not follow a proper dry skin care routine your skin might become flaky, itchy, or eventually crack and bleed.
If you never had dry skin in your life before and suddenly you notice that your skin started to feel itchy and dry this can indicate certain diseases, so make sure that you consult with a dermatologist if this condition becomes worse. Last but not least, do not forget to drink enough water – at least half of a gallon a day!
Based on dermatologists’ advice we gathered all important tips and recommendations that can help to normalize and properly hydrate your dry skin.
Make sure that you wash your skin properly
First of all, make sure that you do not overwash your skin. Usually, you should wash your skin two times a day, in the morning and in the evening before bed. Also, make sure that you use lukewarm water when you wash your skin and never wash your skin with hot water because hot water irritates and dries your skin even more. Use a creamy and non-foaming facial cleanser. Make sure that your cleanser is gentle, contains hyaluronic acid or other humectants such as urea, aloe vera gel, and others. A great example could be La Roche-Posay Hydrating Gentle Cleanser. After washing your face do not rub it with a harsh towel, instead, gently tap and leave your skin damp.
Know how to exfoliate the dry skin
Exfoliation of dry skin can be challenging. Dry skin still needs exfoliation to keep that smooth and hydrated skin feeling. Also, it is important to mention that properly exfoliated skin absorbs ingredients a lot quicker. By exfoliating the skin you are not only helping active ingredients to penetrate into your skin, but exfoliation also prevents breakouts. Harsh chemical or physical exfoliants can damage the skin and irritate it. The best exfoliants for dry skin are enzyme exfoliants, it gently removes dead skin cells and does not over-dry or irritate your delicate facial skin. A great enzyme exfoliant available on the market definitely would be Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel.
Don’t forget to use a toner
Toner is the most underrated skin care product. But a lot of dermatologists and cosmetologists claim that a good face toner can boost your skin care game. A toner normalizes the pH level of the skin and helps to absorbs all the necessary active ingredients in moisturizers and serums. Also, toners that contain humectants help to hydrate the skin and lock the moisture into the skin. But don’t forget to check the ingredient list because toner needs to be suitable for dry skin. It means there should be no alcohol, fragrance, SLS, or harmful parabens. A great example would be a Bioderma Hydrabio Tonic. If you have extremely dehydrated skin that is painful to touch, don’t use cotton pads to apply the toner. Instead, use your fingers and gently tap the product. Your skin and our mother nature will thank you for this.
Related: The List of Top-Rated Korean Toners for Dry Skin
Good moisturizer and serum is essential
Moisturizer and serum have their purpose in the skin care routine. Also, it is very important to use it together, especially to use a moisturizer after you apply a serum. If you decided that you are not using a serum today, make sure that you apply a moisturizer after you washed your skin and it is still a little bit damp. The purpose of a moisturizer is to keep moisture inside your skin. Moisturizers also trap and locks in active ingredients and moisture from the serum inside your skin, this way you can achieve a lot better skin care results.
To choose a suitable moisturizer and serum for dry skin, you need to know which active ingredients need to be in the products.
Look for these active ingredients in the moisturizers and serums:
- Ceramides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Aloe vera
- Urea
- Lactic acid
- Glycerin
- Allantoin
- Rosehip oil
- Squalene
Our top products definitely would be a Bioderma Hydrabio Facial Serum and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Sensitive Skin Face Moisturizer.
Never skip SPF
Last but not least, never forget SPF protection, SPF 50 would be the best. Sun is very damaging, especially for dry skin. No matter how expensive and professional your skin care routine is, the sun can ruin all of your hard work and effort. Also, we recommend choosing mineral sunscreens because there are less harmful to you and the environment. La Roche-Posay has a great mineral, broad-spectrum, SPF 50 sunscreen.
Joan S. Wilson is a lifelong makeup and skincare enthusiast. She used to work as a makeup artist for 5 years. Joan is always curious and wants to learn more when it comes to makeup and skincare. She tries her best to make other people’s skin health better. This is why Joan is so passionate about writing articles on beauty topics. She always looks for products that are high-quality, dermatologist-tested, and does that it says on the label. In every article, she shares her knowledge to make your life healthier and happier!