Dry skin is particularly sensitive and requires gentle, targeted care. How can you look after this delicate skin type? Follow our guide. 

Dry skin knows no season. To prevent redness and tightness in winter, and peeling skin and itching in summer, you must be careful to use the right skincare routine. Whether you have oily, combination, sensitive, dry or normal skin... you must pamper it—there’s no question that you shouldn’t let it suffer because of external factors! 

How to know and recognize dry skin?

If you have dry skin, you’ve probably always had it. However, you may not really pay attention to the condition of your skin until a problem develops. To prevent this and determine your skin type, here is what you need to know to recognize dry skin: 

1. A feeling of tightness or discomfort after cleansing your face or body.

2. Itching, redness or irritation that appear easily are also indicators of dry skin.

3. Your skin may look dull or feel rough when you don’t apply any skincare products.

4. Wrinkles and fine lines are particularly visible, even at a young age. 

5. Your skin may peel or flake easily (in both summer and winter).

6. Your skin may be more sensitive to changes in the weather, especially when it is cold and dry.

7. Your skin may be more prone to imperfections, and they may appear more quickly and easily.

If your skin has most of these symptoms, there is a 90% chance that it is indeed dry. In this case, if you haven’t already, it is important to establish a suitable skincare routine—for both your face and body! 

Telling the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin 

It is a common mistake to consider dehydrated skin as dry or dry skin as simply dehydrated. However, there is a real difference, and you should no longer make this mistake! Combination, oily and normal skin can also become dehydrated, while dry skin is a skin type that cannot change during your lifetime. 

One good way to tell the difference is to see how your skin reacts to moisturising products. If your skin remains dry and rough despite the use of rich, nourishing moisturisers, it is very likely that you have dry skin. On the other hand, if your skin responds well to moisturisers and regains its elasticity and radiance, it is simply dehydrated.

The characteristics of dehydrated skin 

Dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water in the skin. It can be caused by environmental factors such as dry and windy weather, or by an unbalanced lifestyle such as excessive alcohol or coffee consumption and generally poor hydration. Signs of dehydrated skin include a rough skin texture, fine lines, dull skin and a tired appearance. Generally, simply balancing your water intake is enough to get things back on track. It is recommended to drink up to 2L of water a day to properly nourish your body (and therefore your skin). A moisturising beauty routine can ideally complement this habit, with the application of a hyaluronic acid serum (ultra-moisturising and anti-ageing) and a rich cream. 

The skincare routine to establish when you have dry skin  

Now that you have diagnosed your skin as dry, you will need to establish a gentle routine suited to this skin type, which is particularly sensitive to external aggressors.

What skincare products should you add to your routine?

To prevent dryness, discomfort, redness and tightness of the skin barrier, add suitable products to your routine for both your body and face. 

A gentle facial cleanser,without harsh products, for a gentle yet thorough cleansing of the skin. A gel, foam or cleansing balm is particularly suited to dry and sensitive skin. In terms of active ingredients, choose natural formulas containing moisturising and nourishing agents such as sweet almond oil or shea butter. 

A facial toner or floral water. To balance the skin’s pH and reduce the irritating effects of dry skin, floral water or a toner (preferably a natural formula) can work wonders. Damask rose floral water, which is gentle, soothing and moisturising, is perfect for maintaining the hydrolipidic film of dry skin.    

A lip balm. It is the great forgotten product in skincare routines, yet lip balm has so much to offer! Essential for dry skin, it is ideally applied at night before bed to act as a mask on the delicate skin of the lips.                                                 

Choose a rich moisturising product for the face and body. Although it should be avoided by oily skin (like all products containing oils), a rich moisturiser is highly recommended for dry and sensitive skin. Choose it as a moisturising cream or nourishing oil, depending on your preferred texture. Although a cream has a gentler and more soothing texture, an oil can be particularly soothing and encourage a facial and body massage that will do you no harm. Furthermore, for the face, always use it with a serum (preferably with hyaluronic acid) for double effectiveness and to combat dehydration. 

Apply sun protection. This is the new rallying cry in the health and beauty world. Sun protection should be applied daily, in summer and winter! Even under a grey sky, the sun’s UV/UVB rays can damage the skin, especially when it is sensitive, as dry skin is.

Take a mask break once a week. This is essential for dry and sensitive skin and is highly recommended for all skin types. Whether purifying, moisturising, detoxifying or nourishing, a mask is a pampering step in your beauty routine. Treat yourself to 20 minutes of relaxation once a week while it works. Dry skin loves sheet masks soaked in moisturising active ingredients that deeply nourish and boost the skin’s protective barrier.

What should you avoid at all costs when you have dry skin? 

It is easy to be tempted to try all kinds of trends you see emerging on social media when you have problematic skin, as dry skin can. Avoid them! Your skin deserves respect, and before applying all kinds of products or routines that seem “cool,” you must know (without fail) what is or is not suitable for it. In general, your skin will be happy with a simple routine, as long as it is suitable. 

Dry skin must avoid products containing alcohol or other harsh agents such as retinol, BHAs and AHAs. Repeated peels, whether mechanical or chemical, should also be avoided, unless they are gentle and used no more than once a month. When washing dry skin, lukewarm water is preferable to hot water, which will further weaken the sensitive dermis. In terms of lifestyle, it is also ideal to avoid smoking and alcohol consumption to allow your skin to absorb hydration optimally.