Dry skin primarily needs a skincare routine that adds moisture and helps the skin retain it. That does not mean you need to use many products. A gentle cleanser, moisturizing products, and a face cream that suits your skin are a good foundation.
If you have dry skin, you can also adapt your routine with, for example, toner, essence, serum, and facial oil. What matters is not how many steps you use, but that the products complement each other and give the skin what it needs.
How do you know if you have dry skin?
Dry skin produces less sebum than the skin needs to stay soft and supple. When the skin has fewer of its natural lipids, it can have a harder time retaining moisture.
Common signs of dry skin are that it:
- feels tight, especially after cleansing
- may feel rough or flaky
- has dry patches
- easily feels dry again after you have washed your face
- may feel less soft and supple
How dry the skin feels can also change throughout the year. Many people, for example, experience more dryness during the winter when the air is colder and drier.
What is the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?
Dry skin and dehydrated skin are often used as if they mean the same thing, but there is a difference.
- Dry skin is a skin type characterized by lower production of sebum and skin oils.
- Dehydrated skin instead describes a condition where the skin lacks water.
This means that even oily and combination skin can be dehydrated.
The difference is relevant when choosing skincare. Dehydrated skin may primarily need more hydration, while dry skin often benefits from a combination of hydrating and emollient products that also help the skin retain moisture.
What does dry skin need in a skincare routine?
A good skincare routine for dry skin can be summarized in three things:
- Cleanse the skin gently so that it does not feel tight and dried out afterward.
- Add hydration with products and ingredients that help the skin retain water.
- Help the skin lock in moisture with, for example, face cream and, if needed, facial oil.
In addition to this, the morning routine ends with sun protection.
Toner, essence, and serum can be used to add more layers of hydration and care, but not every step is necessary. Start with a good foundation and build on it if the skin needs more.
Skincare routine for dry skin step by step
A routine for dry skin does not need to look exactly the same in the morning and evening.
| Step | Morning | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gentle cleansing or water | Cleansing, double cleansing if needed |
| 2 | Toner or essence | Toner or essence |
| 3 | Hydrating serum | Hydrating serum |
| 4 | Face cream | Face cream |
| 5 | Sun protection | Facial oil if needed |
This is a foundation to start from. If your skin needs more hydration, you can, for example, use both a toner and an essence or add other products that suit your skin.
Step 1: Cleanse dry skin gently
Face wash should remove what you do not want left on the skin without leaving the skin feeling tight afterward. For dry skin, it is therefore especially important to choose a cleanser that feels mild and comfortable.
In the morning, you do not necessarily need to cleanse in the same way as in the evening. Some people with dry skin prefer to simply rinse their face with water in the morning, while others are more comfortable with a mild face wash.
In the evening, the skin needs to be cleansed of, among other things, sunscreen, makeup, sebum, and dirt that has accumulated during the day. If you use makeup or sunscreen, double cleansing may be an option, where an oil-based cleanser is followed by a water-based one.
The most important thing is how the skin feels afterward. If your skin regularly feels very tight and dry immediately after cleansing, it may be worth reviewing both the product and how often you cleanse your skin.
Step 2: Build up hydration with toner and essence
After cleansing, you can begin adding hydration with a toner or essence.
For dry skin, this can be a good way to build up moisture in several thin layers instead of relying entirely on a rich face cream at the end of the routine.
A toner for dry skin may, for example, contain hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients. Avoid automatically choosing a toner based on the skin type on the label – look at the product’s function and ingredients.
Essence often serves a similar role but is usually used after toner. Its light texture allows you to add further hydration before serum and face cream.
You do not need to use both toner and essence. If one of the products gives your skin what it needs, that may be enough. If, on the other hand, your skin benefits from several thin layers of hydration, both can fit well into the same routine.
Step 3: Choose a hydrating serum
Serum is a good step when you want to give your routine a clearer focus on hydration.
For dry skin, you can look for serums with ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol. Serums may also contain ingredients focused on the skin barrier and other needs you want to combine with hydration.
However, a serum does not necessarily replace face cream.
Serums often have a lighter texture and can be good at delivering hydrating ingredients, while face cream helps complement the routine with emollient ingredients and reduce the feeling of dryness.
For dry skin, the combination is therefore often more relevant than simply adding several different serums.
Step 4: Face cream is especially important for dry skin
Face cream is one of the most important steps in a skincare routine for dry skin.
Earlier steps can add moisture and various caring ingredients, while face cream helps soften the skin and retain moisture.
Dry skin often appreciates a somewhat richer face cream with a combination of moisturizing, softening, and barrier-supporting ingredients. However, that does not mean that the richest cream is always the best. The product should still feel comfortable and work well with the rest of your routine.
In the morning, a slightly lighter cream can be practical under sunscreen and makeup. In the evening, you can choose a richer cream if your skin needs more.
You also do not need to have a separate day and night cream. If the same face cream works well both morning and evening, there is no reason to switch just because the time of day changes.
Step 5: Face oil if the skin needs more
If the skin still feels dry after serum and face cream, face oil can be an extra step.
Face oil mainly adds lipids and softens the skin. It can therefore be a good fit for dry skin that needs more than just light, moisturizing products.
However, it is good to distinguish between oil and hydration. A face oil does not necessarily replace toner, serum, or face cream, since these products serve other functions.
For many, oil therefore works best as a complement. It can, for example, be used after face cream in the evening or according to the instructions for the specific product. You do not need to use much. A few drops may be enough depending on the product and how dry the skin is.
Finish the morning routine with sunscreen
In the morning, you finish your skincare routine with sunscreen.
For dry skin, a moisturizing sunscreen can feel especially comfortable. There are many sunscreens with a lighter lotion or cream texture that can be combined with moisturizing skincare without feeling too heavy.
If your sunscreen is sufficiently moisturizing, you may also notice that you need less face cream underneath. During winter or when the skin feels extra dry, you may instead appreciate both face cream and a moisturizing sunscreen.
Sunscreen is applied as the last step in the skincare routine in the morning and before any makeup.
Good ingredients for dry skin
There is no single ingredient that solves all dryness. It is often more relevant to combine ingredients that hydrate with ingredients that soften the skin and support the skin barrier.
Some common ingredients to look out for are:
| Ingredient | Why is it used? |
|---|---|
| Glycerin | Helps attract and retain water in the skin |
| Hyaluronic acid | Binds water and is used to provide the skin with hydration |
| Ceramides | Lipids that occur naturally in the skin barrier and are used in barrier-supporting products |
| Squalane | Softens the skin and can reduce the feeling of dryness |
| Panthenol | Used for its moisturizing and caring properties |
You do not need to find a product that contains everything. Instead, the ingredients can be distributed across, for example, toner, serum, and face cream.
Hyaluronic acid for dry skin
Hyaluronic acid is a common hydrating ingredient that binds water and is found in everything from toners and essences to serums and face creams.
For dry skin, a serum with hyaluronic acid can be a good hydrating step, but it is often a good idea to follow up with a face cream. This way, you combine a hydrating serum with a product that also helps the skin retain moisture.
Ceramides for dry skin
Ceramides are lipids that occur naturally in the outermost layer of the skin and are an important part of the skin barrier.
Skincare products with ceramides are therefore particularly interesting for dry skin and are found in, among other things, serums and face creams.
Instead of seeing ceramides as a replacement for hydrating ingredients, they can be combined. A serum with hydrating ingredients together with a face cream with, for example, ceramides can give the routine several different functions.
Should dry skin be exfoliated?
Yes, dry skin can be exfoliated, but more is not automatically better.
Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells from the skin's surface and can contribute to a more even and softer feel. However, if the skin already feels dry, it is important not to make exfoliation the main focus of the routine.
How often you should exfoliate depends on the product, the concentration, and how the skin reacts. Therefore, follow the instructions for the exfoliating product you use and preferably start gently.
If the skin starts to feel tighter or more uncomfortable, it may be a sign that you need to reduce use and focus more on hydration and the skin barrier.
Common mistakes when the skin is dry
When the skin feels dry, the first impulse is often to add more products. Sometimes it is instead worth looking at whether something in the existing routine is contributing to the skin feeling drier.
You cleanse the skin too much
If the skin feels tight immediately after every cleanse, the cleanser may be too harsh or used more often than the skin needs.
In the morning, for some people with dry skin, water or a very mild cleanser may be enough.
You exfoliate too often
If the skin feels rough or flaky, it does not automatically mean that it needs more exfoliation. Too much exfoliation can instead make the skin feel even drier.
You use many active products at the same time
An advanced routine is not always a better routine. If you use several exfoliating products, retinol, or other active ingredients at the same time, it can be harder to understand what the skin is reacting to.
Instead, build up the routine gradually.
You only use hydrating serums
A serum can provide a lot of hydration, but dry skin often also needs a face cream that softens the skin and helps retain moisture.
Therefore, think of the routine as a combination of products rather than looking for a single serum that is supposed to do everything.
Does dry skin need a different routine in winter?
It may.
Cold weather outdoors and drier heated air indoors can make the skin feel drier during the winter months. A routine that works well in summer may therefore not provide enough hydration during winter.
You can, for example, adapt your routine by:
- choosing a richer face cream
- adding hydrating toner or essence
- using a hydrating serum
- supplementing with a face oil in the evening
- reviewing whether the cleanser feels too drying
In the summer, you can then go back to lighter textures if your skin no longer needs as much.
So it is better to adapt the routine to how the skin actually feels than to use exactly the same products all year round.
How simple can a routine for dry skin be?
You do not need to have a long routine just because your skin is dry.
A simple morning routine can be:
Gentle cleansing or water → face cream → sunscreen
A simple evening routine can be:
Cleansing → hydrating serum → face cream
If your skin feels good with that routine, you do not need to add more products.
If, on the other hand, you still experience dryness, you can gradually add, for example, toner, essence, another serum, or face oil. This also makes it easier to see what difference each new product actually makes.
Frequently asked questions about a skincare routine for dry skin
Which skincare is best for dry skin?
Dry skin generally does well with a gentle cleanser, hydrating products, and a face cream that helps the skin retain moisture. Ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, and panthenol are common in skincare for dry skin.
How often should you wash dry skin?
It depends on the skin and which products you use. In the evening, cleansing is important to remove, for example, sunscreen, makeup, and dirt. In the morning, some people with dry skin may prefer a gentle cleanser while others just rinse their face with water.
Which serum suits dry skin?
A hydrating serum with, for example, glycerin or hyaluronic acid can be a good fit for dry skin. The serum can then be followed by a face cream that helps lock in the moisture.
Is hyaluronic acid good for dry skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating ingredient that binds water and is often used in products for dry and dehydrated skin. For dry skin, it can advantageously be combined with a face cream that also contains emollient and barrier-supporting ingredients.
Is face oil good for dry skin?
Face oil can be a good complement for dry skin because the oil adds lipids and softens the skin. However, it does not necessarily replace hydrating products or face cream.
Should dry skin be exfoliated?
Dry skin can be exfoliated, but exfoliation does not need to be done often. How often depends on the product and the skin. Start gently, follow the product's instructions, and reduce use if the skin feels drier or uncomfortable.
Why is my skin dry even though I use face cream?
There may be several reasons. The cleanser may be too harsh, the skin may need more hydration before the face cream, or the cream may be too light for the skin's needs. Weather, season, and other products in the routine can also affect how dry the skin feels.
Can you have both dry and sensitive skin?
Yes. Dry skin describes the skin type, while sensitivity is about how the skin reacts. If the skin is both dry and sensitive, a simpler routine with gentle cleansing, hydration, and barrier-supporting products can be a good starting point.
