Skincare Routine for Dry Skin in 2023

 

LAST UPDATED: DEC 21, 2022 / By Nura / DrySkin

Dry skin is one of the most common skin conditions. It can be caused by many things like lack of hydration, environment changes, dehydration, hormonal changes in the body, or it can be due to aging process. Dry skin typically manifests with fine lines, wrinkles and rough texture and for severe cases it can get really deep and painful. This can be seen when the skin shrinks, peels and start forming cracks around it. Cracks can allow bacteria or germs to enter the body system which then lead to a skin infection.

Skin Routine

A well-defined skin care dry skin routine can help you combat dryness as well as reduce signs of aging by keeping your complexion healthy and hydrated. A dry skin skin care routine should focus on a couple of essential goals and the major one is hydration. You need to replenish your natural oils and moisture barrier to avoid dehydration and make sure that your skin is not stripped of its natural oils. A strong skin barrier that function properly will reduce trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) thus improve skin hydration. A moist and healthy skin then will give a soft and supple complexion.

The key is to find the right combination of products that work well with your skin type, as well as having a consistent daily dry skin skincare regimen. The products not need to be expensive, affordable skin care routine for dry skin is enough to rejuvenate your dull and dry skin to its original condition again. A complete hydrating skin care routine should include a daily face wash, moisturizer, serum, facial mist and sunscreen.

There are 5 important steps for skincare dry skin user:

+ Cleanse

+ Treatment

+ Hydrate

+ Moisturize

+ SPF Protection

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Cleanse

For the first step of dry skin face care, a hydrating cleanser will help get rid of built-up impurities, dirt, oil, and make-up; allow it to breathe more easily. It will also help cleanse the pores which in return can reduce the possibility of acne breakout. Cleanse your skin with gentle yet effective ingredients that will leave you with noticeably radiant and healthy skin. Avoid using foaming cleanser as they can strip out natural sebum from your facial skin. Below we list two skin care products dry skin that suitable to cleanse out impurities and at the same time would not strip out moisture from the skin.

+ Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

A non-foaming cleanser that will not cause dryness or tightness to the skin. Formulated with glycerine, niacinamide and B5; this cleanser can help in restoring damaged skin cells, and keeps your skin nourished and moisturized for up to 48 hours.

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+ CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

This cleanser contains 3 essential ceramides that help hydrate and moisturize your skin at a deeper level. And at the same time, it helps removes excess dirt, sebum and makeup residue without stripping skin of its natural oil. CeraVe cleanser contain non-comedogenic formula that won’t clog your skin pores.

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Treatment

Commonly, dry skin will come with related skin concern such as fine lines and wrinkles. All these concerns can be treats by improving collagen production and also improve skin barrier strength. Squalane, ceramides, plant oils and extracts; and Vitamin C really helps in lock-in the moisture to provide continuous hydration to the skin. For youth below 25s, this dry skin care routine step is optional and you can skip it.

Dry skin products for face treatment include:

+ Clarins Double Serum

This serum is formulated as an aging treatment serum that use synergy of two types of liquids, water soluble (hydric) and oil soluble (lipidic) ingredients. It contains 21 plant extracts and turmeric that rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which will provide protection against free radicals and improve redness concern on the skin.

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Hydrate

For dry skin user, extra boost of hydration is needed especially when living in a low humidity environment such as dry climate or winter season. Face oil and facial mist can be used to continuously maintain moisture level on the skin particularly when you have daily activities outdoors. You can formulate home-made face oil by combining carrier oil, nourishing oil and essential oil together. Ingredients such as plum oil and camellia oil that rich in omega 3 and 6 can help nourishes and soothes the skin.

+ Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist Toner

This toner is designed for people that have dehydrated skin or skin that is feeling dull and lacklustre. It packed with rich antioxidant properties and also contains Vitamin C complex, Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides that help protect the skin from free radicals and stimulate collagen production that leads to firmness to the skin.

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Moisturizing

For people with dry skin, hydrating skin care routine is the most important. The ingredients that are typically found in moisturizing products include hyaluronic acid, glycerine and oils such as coconut oil or olive oil. Hyaluronic acid is excellent for dry skin because it helps in retaining moisture within the skin without clogging pores. In addition, these products often contain ingredients like aloe vera gel and chamomile extract which can soothe and hydrate the skin. Linoleic acid is effective in strengthening skin barrier and at the same time moisturized the skin.

Moisturizing can be done by massaging the cream into the face using circular and short motions, with under eye area be given specific focus since it is the thinnest skin for the facial part. Thinned skin area tends to have first sign of aging, such as fine lines and dark shadows. It is recommended to apply moisturizer for night routine as when you sleep, your skin goes through its skin renewal process. Moisturizer can provide extra boost of hydration and nourish the skin while you are sleeping.

+ Eminence Organics Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer

This lightweight texture moisturizer contains organic mangosteen and ribose that help in boosting collagen and elastin production. It is suitable to be use for all skin type and has SPF30 sunscreen that help protect the skin against UVa and UVb ray.

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+ Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

This moisturizer has the capability to strengthen skin’s moisture barrier by 34% in 4 hours, and provide 8 hours of continuous hydration. It is suitable to be use for dry skin to very dry skin, sensitive skin and normal skin type. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion contains three essential ingredients to help repair the skin; sunflower seed cake, barley extract and cucumber fruit extract.

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Sunscreen

For those who love being in the sun, please be careful with your personal care routine. Certain products can make you more susceptible to sunburns and other skin ailments like dryness or irritation. This is why it is important to have a basic knowledge in skincare products and skin routine. Below we list down ingredients that might not be suitable if you need to expose yourself to sunlight for quite period of time.

+ Retinol and Vitamin C – Both of these ingredient’s efficacy can be reduced after exposed to the sun and make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.

+ AHAs – Continuous usage of AHAs might burn your skin after exposed to the sun since most exfoliator will strip out natural sebum from the skin.

A good sunscreen helps protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, while keeping your skin complexion without bringing oiliness and not clogging skin pores.

When you apply sunscreen regularly and before going outside in the sun, you can slow down the effect of UV ray to your skin and avoid getting too much damage. It should be applied at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun, so that it has time to soak in the skin and helps protects or filter the UV ray.

+ Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector with Broad Spectrum SPF30

Contain broad spectrum SPF30 that will protect the skin from UVa and UVb ray, and at the same time it will provide 24 hours of hydration using its key ingredients, Hydrating Complex. On top of that, it have 19 shades of color that suitable for all skin tones and can be worn as foundation too.

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Extras

After you done with five skin care routine steps for dry skin above, here are few extras factors that might assist you during the first 6 months of treatment period.

It is advisable to stay in the shade for the first 6 to 7 months because UV ray might get harsh to your skin, and these periods is needed to repair and heal your skin barrier. Head outdoors before 11am and after 5pm when the sun is not at its peak and a hat plus sunglasses can be a good added layer of protection.

Try to use cold waters when showers as warm or hot water can strip natural oils off your skin that lead to more dryness. And it is essential to stick to your skin routine, morning and night for at least 6 months the get a positive change on your skin.

Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated by increase humidity around your surrounding by using humidifier or trees.

+ Eye Cream for Dry Skin

• Skin under eye is the thinnest compared to other facial part. It is recommended to use eye cream for this part and not moisturizer or serum. A lightweight cream with nourishing ingredients such as vitamin B and shea butter can help restore and retain moisture to the skin.

+ Overnight Mask for Dry Skin

• Overnight mask can be used as a last step at the end of night routine, in order to lock-in all the powerful ingredients from previous step such as serum and moisturizer.

+ Dry Skin with Acne / Skin care for Dry Sensitive Skin

• Lack of exfoliation can make a dry skin, especially dehydrated skin breakout with acne. Include exfoliation in your routine, once a week and it is advisable to use heavy moisturizer 2 to 3 days before the exfoliation day to provide enough moisture to the skin.
• Avoid oil-based product that normally come in lotion texture especially for dry and sensitive skin user. Use a water-based product which commonly come in gel texture.
• Choose wise ingredients for cleanser and exfoliator and you might want to be careful when using ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl

FAQs

+ Is vitamin c good for dry skin?

Vitamin C can be beneficial for dry skin because it is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from environmental stressors, such as pollution and UV radiation, which can lead to dryness and other signs of skin damage. It can also help boosting synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as collagen and maintaining the health of skin, which can improve skin elasticity and hydration. Vitamin C is also known to have skin-brightening effects, which can be beneficial for dry skin since dry skin complexion normally will turn it into dull look.

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+ What causes extremely dry skin?

Some ingredients that should be avoided when you want to take care of your dry skin are alcohol, fragrance, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and retinols.

These ingredients will either dry out the skin even more or irritate it. Alcohol is a drying agent which means it can act like a sponge and leech the moisture right out of your skin. If that wasn’t bad enough, alcohol can also interfere with the natural balance of your own oils and actually make your skin drier than before. Fragrance can also irritate sensitive skin which means you should avoid it at all costs if you want to take care of your dry skin. Salicylic acid is an ingredient that helps control acne and acne-causing bacteria but should be avoided if you have dry skin because it can cause irritation. Benzoyl peroxide is great for someone who has oily or acne-prone skin but for people who have dry patches on their face might not work well.

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+ What food to avoid if you have dry skin?

The following foods should be avoided if your skin is dry:

a) Alcohol, which causes dehydration and can dry out skin.

b) Salty foods can make the cells in the skin swell, which may lead to puffiness and increased likelihood of developing wrinkles.

c) Sugar, as sugar feeds bad bacteria on healthy skin, so consuming sugar will affect how even the healthiest diet will work for you.

d) Refined carbohydrates like white breads, pastas and other refined grains are devoid of nutrients for good skin.

e) Foods high in vitamin A help with cell turnover rate which keeps the surface layer of your skin hydrated. This includes a lot fruits and vegetables such as carrots or apricots or sweet potatoes.

f) Coffee is great for energy but it dries out your body by stripping off water through urine every time you drink it so you want to avoid that one if you have dry skin. 

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+ Is toner good for dry skin?

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a toner that is suited for your skin type. Toners with alcohol or other drying agents should be avoided because they can worsen dry patches and cause dehydration, which only worsens the problem. Toners containing nourishing ingredients like shea butter and aloe-vera are best for dry skin as they provide hydration and nourishment.

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+ Can you use toner daily for dry skin?

If you have dry skin and are using toner as part of your daily routine, then you may need to consider using it less frequently and using additional skincare products with humectants in them. This will help to keep your skin moisturized and prevent your skin from getting too dry.

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+ Is serum or facial oil better for dry skin?

Serum are lightweight, fast-absorbing and formulated with a high concentration of active ingredient, target specific concerns like wrinkles, acne scars and dry patches. Facial oils are heavier than serums and are not as concentrated. They are best used at night because they are best used for hydration and nourishment purpose to the skin.

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+ Which type of sunscreen is best for dry skin?

When it comes to choosing the perfect formula, it is important to take into account that not all formulas are made for dry skin. Some formulas contain ingredients that will further dry out your skin and make you look older. Our advice is to use a hybrid moisturizer with SPF since it is formulated to be hydrating and nourishing, and at the same time contain SPF to protect your skin against excessive exposure towards UVA and UVB ray.

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+ What is the most moisturizing ingredient for skin?

Most of the ingredients that are used in moisturizers are glycerin, collagen, shea-butter, petrolatum and hyaluronic acid. Glycerin is a humectant that attracts water from the atmosphere to the skin and can have any one of three different molecular structures. Hyaluronic acid is a water-binding molecule in the form of long chains of sugar molecules wound around each other. It forms a gel when mixed with water and holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. Shea-butter is a fatty lipid that has emollient properties which keep skin soft, supple & hydrated by forming an even layer on top of it. Petrolatum or petroleum jelly is made from mineral oils which slow down evaporation of natural skin oils so that they don’t dehydrate as quickly.

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Takeaway

A dry skin can be the result of stripping your skin of its natural oils and not providing it with hydration. A comprehensive skin care routine for dry skin can help to renew and hydrate your skin giving it a healthy complexion. In order to have healthy, glowing skin, one should avoid harsh chemicals and extractives in skincare formulas too.

A good alternative would be using oils such as jojoba or avocado oil that can hydrate the complexion while delivering vitamins A, D3, B3, B5 and E – potent antioxidants that make for healthy-looking skin.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]