Your Go-To Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

Dry skin can be a challenge. It often does not feel right – too flaky, too tight, too resistant to any hydration. It can make putting on and wearing makeup a chore yet leave you feeling as if without makeup, your face is full of cracks. Technically speaking, it is full of cracks. Dry skin develops small cracks in the very top layer of the skin.

But you do not just have to live with dry, unhealthy, uncomfortable skin. With the correct skin care routine for dry skin, you can rehydrate and restore skin, giving it a healthy glow with and without makeup. Here’s what you need to know about building a skin care routine for dry skin.

Know What Not to Use

Just as important as knowing what kinds of products are best for your skin is knowing what products not to use. After all, you can encounter many skincare products over time – you pick out the ones you see and like in stores or online, yes.

Still, you also get them as gifts or promotions, pick them up in hotels and spas, and maybe even inherit products that a friend or a family member has but does not want. It is entirely possible that some of the products you have are not actually right for your skin. Exfoliants are a good place to start.

Yes, you may feel instinctive that you should exfoliate flaky skin – it will get rid of those flakes – but the truth is that exfoliating is the wrong way to treat skin that is already dehydrated and cracked. Those scrubs with harsh materials and chemicals are too much for your skin. If you absolutely must exfoliate, you should use a very light exfoliant.

Still, in many cases, you are better off skipping it entirely until you have reestablished hydration in your skin. Foaming cleansers are another product that is best avoided right now. Foams disrupt the outer skin layer, and when you have dry skin, you have enough disruption going on. Give these a pass, at least for now, and give another type of cleanser a try.

What Type of Cleanser Is Best?

If your skin is dry and irritated, look for a cleanser that’s both non-foaming and fragrance-free since the chemicals used to make the perfumed fragrances in some cleansers can aggravate existing irritation, leaving you feeling sore and itchy. Hyaluronic acid is a good ingredient to look for in cleansers. Do not let the word acid scare you – hyaluronic acid is moisturizing, so it will give your skin the hydration that you have been looking for.

A very simple non-foaming hyaluronic acid cleanser will move built-up dirt and makeup in your skin without aggravating your skin further. Glycerin and niacinamide are two other ingredients that can provide a lot of moisture and a soothing feeling for your skin. If you like a little bit more than just the basics, look for cleansers that contain ingredients like cucumber extract, rose water, and colloidal oatmeal.

Ceramides can also be useful – these are fat molecules that hold in moisture and promote your skin’s proper function. They are a natural moisturizer and a defense against dehydration, so if you already have dry skin, you probably need more of them. You can also look for a milk-based cleanser. These are some of the gentlest cleansers, and they can clean your skin without stripping out the natural oils that your skin already has. Plus, they can provide a much-needed hydration boost.

Which Moisturizer Is Best?

As with cleansers, glycerin and hyaluronic acid are two ingredients to look for in a hydrating, revitalizing moisturizer. When you see them, you will know that you are getting a lot of hydration in your daily application. Petrolatum is another good choice, although you may be more likely to find it in body moisturizers than face moisturizers. However, if the concentration is light enough on your face to feel comfortable and not heavy, you can use it instead of a moisturizer designated for your face.

Meadowfoam seed oil is great for moisturization without leaving an unpleasant greasy residue behind. If you want moisture without the left-behind grease, this is the ingredient to look for. Chia seed oil is full of healthy fats, so if that top layer of skin is full of cracks, chia seed oil can help restore a healthy barrier. You may see oat husk in your moisturizer’s ingredients list, and while that sounds scratchy, the truth is that oat husk improves water absorption – increasing your skin’s ability to take in hydration.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

You are not off the hook when it comes to applying sunscreen when you have dry skin. As a matter of fact, the last thing you want is too much sun – it will leech any hydration that you have managed to get right out of your skin. If anything, it is more important for you than for most people to apply sunscreen every single morning. However, unless you are looking to go out to the beach or spend a long period of time in the sun, you probably do not want to apply full-strength sunscreen.

Instead, look for a combination of sunscreen plus moisturizer to keep the hydration train running. Mineral sunscreens should prevent burns without irritation, and if you already have skin inflammation, look for feverfew in the ingredients. If you are going to be outside and hot all day and are afraid to wear makeup because of the potential for melting, a combination of sunscreen/moisturizer/tint can give you a more polished look.

If you are looking for legendary skincare manufactured and sold by people who truly understand skin and how it works, you will appreciate Ciel Spa. Explore and shop products that help build the perfect skin care routine for dry skin.