Best Skin-Care Routine For Dry Skin
Have Dry Skin? Here's a Hydrating Skin-Care Routine That's Easy to Follow
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When it comes to building a proper skin-care routine, narrowing down your skin type — is it normal? Oily? Dry? — is just the beginning. Not everyone has access to dermatologists or aestheticians, and as much as we love getting product recommendations and skin-care advice from pros with the proper credentials to give it, it's also worth noting that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to skin care. Achieving healthy skin means finding products made specifically for your skin type.
If you have dry skin, for example, that means it tends to lose moisture easily — creating rough, flaky patches year-round — and you want to look for formulas that help maintain a healthy skin barrier through long-lasting hydration. That means you should choose products that are gentle and moisturising but won't clog pores from all the extra emollience.
Of course, there are a ton of products out there made for all kinds of skin concerns, so if you're someone with dry skin trying to cut through all the noise, we're here to help. Read ahead for our simple guide to creating a skin-care routine for dry skin.
Step 1: Cleanse
If you have dry skin, you've probably experienced that too-tight-to-simple feeling immediately after washing your face. The fix? "Using a gentle cleanser that doesn't strip the skin is essential for all skin types, and is that much more important for dry skin types," aesthetician and brand founder Shani Darden previously told POPSUGAR. Our suggestion is the Holifrong Tashmoo Water Lily Nourishing Milky Wash ($38), which has a milky texture that gently cleans skin without drying it out.
The CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($11) is also gentle on skin while still being strong enough to remove dirt and makeup, and it features hyaluronic acid to help the skin maintain its moisture barrier.
The milky, ubergentle La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser ($12) simultaneously removes makeup and coddles dry, rough patches without stripping your skin of its natural oils.
Step 2: Treat
When it comes to choosing a serum for dry skin, you'll want to focus on hydration. Look for widely known moisturising ingredients (think: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, niacinamide, ceramides, to name a few) and choose a product with a high concentration of the stuff. The more moisture you put back into your complexion, the better. A budget-friendly option we love is the The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($7).
Think of the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum ($48) as refreshing glass of water for your skin. It has a soothing, vitamin-rich formula that attracts hydration to the skin while improving the appearance of dullness and uneven texture.
Just a few pumps of the Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum ($42) are enough to make your skin feel healthy, bouncy, and moisturised until the day's end.
Step 3: Moisturise
On top of your serums, layer on an equally hydrating moisturiser. Dry skin types can tolerate thicker, more emollient formulas, like the Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturising Cream ($65), which helps strengthen the natural moisture barrier of your skin against environmental stressors.
The Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Moisturiser ($68) is a soft and creamy formula made with a special ingredient that helps the skin trap water in order to stay soft and hydrated.
For an intensive treatment, try the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream ($36). It uses oatmeal to calm dry, irritated skin while employing ingredients like shea butter to moisturise and repair the skin barrier.
