Is your skin feeling tight, rough or even flaky? Dry skin can be a problem throughout the year, and especially in the northern winter, the skin's moisture balance can be disrupted. Fortunately, you can steer the skin in the right direction with just a few key products.
When caring for dry skin, it's important to invest in a regular routine that combines gentleness and moisturization.
Discover how you can restore the skin's moisture balance and find the best products for dry skin care!
What causes the skin to dry out?
Dry skin is often recognizable by a tight and rough feeling that is especially noticeable after cleansing. Skin that has lost moisture may be more prone to irritation, sensitivity and redness. Small dry lines also appear more easily when the skin needs moisture.
Skin can be dry for many reasons, and it doesn't always depend on age or skin condition. Weather conditions often trigger symptoms in skin prone to dryness, as the face is directly exposed to the outdoor air throughout the year. In winter, dry and cold air takes away the skin's natural moisture, but in summer, the sun's UV radiation can also dry out the skin.
Skin dryness often also stems from hereditary factors and aging. Certain skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, also tend to make the skin more prone to drying.
Skincare routines also play a major role in maintaining moisture balance. For example, overly cleansing products can be too effective and weaken the skin's own protection and natural moisture, leaving the skin exposed to drying out.
What products and ingredients help dry skin?
It's important to note that dry skin needs special care, as its own protective layer is not as strong as normal or oily skin. This is why skin reacts more sensitively to environmental challenges — whether it's too harsh cleansing or temperature changes.
The skin's own protective barrier takes care of moisture balance, elasticity and wellbeing, and if it weakens, it often shows up as dryness.
For dry skin care, it's worth choosing products that contain both moisturizing, softening and moisture-locking ingredients.
As a rule of thumb, dry skin benefits from skincare products that contain:
- Moisture-binding ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, panthenol and glycerin.
- Softening and protective ingredients. For example, ceramides prevent skin drying.
- Ingredients that prevent moisture evaporation. For example, oat and jojoba oil and many other plant oils are excellent ingredients for softening the skin.
Further reading into the world of ingredients: Retinol is the hero ingredient of skincare
An easy five-step routine for dry skin care
Not just any cleanser will do: gentle cleansing starts the skincare routine
Cleansing is one of the most important steps in skincare, as a too harsh cleanser can disrupt the skin's moisture balance.
The best cleansers for dry skin are oil-based cleansers, balms and milky cleansers.
Especially for made-up skin, we recommend double cleansing: an oil-based cleanser removes makeup gently and thoroughly, and a water-based cleanser such as a cleansing milk finishes the cleansing.
Best cleansers for dry skin:
NOBE Oat Wonder Silky Cleansing Oil
NOBE Oat Wonder Gentle Cleansing Cream
Hwarang' Bellflower Cleansing Balm
Kiku-Masamune Sake Skin Care Cleansing Gel
Toner, essence water or treatment liquid contains important water moisture
You may have heard that toner is a "cleansing finisher" used with a cotton pad? Now is a good time to file that idea away in the archive of outdated tips!
A quality toner, or in the Korean way an essence water or treatment liquid, is in fact an essential moisturizing product. Its job is to soften the skin and give it water moisture. As a result, skin tightness eases immediately and the following skincare products absorb better.
Tip: A face mist is also a handy way to moisturize and refresh the skin throughout the day, for example if the skin feels tight while working at the computer.
Product recommendations for dry skin:
NOBE Forest Elixir Microbiome Strengthening Toner
Kiku-Masamune Sake High Moist Skin Care Lotion
Serums for dry skin are the superheroes of skincare
A moisturizing serum is an excellent choice for dry skin care, as it contains active ingredients in a concentrated form. For example, hyaluronic acid, centella and peptides are excellent ingredients in serums for dry skin.
A serum is particularly useful in winter and when the skin clearly needs more moisture, or when the skin shows signs of aging.
The best serums for dry skin feel lightweight but are super moisturizing. Use morning or evening right after toner, before moisturizer.
Best serums for dry skin:
Hada Labo Concentrated Water Serum Lock-in-Moist
Kiku-Masamune Sake Skin Care Essence
NOBE Cooling Care Soothing Serum
A moisturizing face cream is one of dry skin's best friends
A nourishing face cream is like a protective blanket that keeps skin elastic and moisturized.
If the skin tends to be dry especially in winter, it's worth switching to a richer cream. An effective night cream also helps restore the skin's moisture balance during beauty sleep!
Best moisturizers for dry skin:
Hada Labo Special Repair Treatment Night Cream
NOBE Oat Wonder Calming Moisturizer
Hwarang' Bellflower Moisturizing Barrier Cream
Face oil seals in moisture
The final step in the dry skin care routine is a face oil, which acts like a seal preventing moisture from evaporating from the skin. Face oil also softens and nourishes the skin with fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins among other things.
Using face oil is easy: mix a couple of drops into your moisturizer or serum, or pat directly onto the skin. Use morning or evening — works under makeup too!
Best face oils for dry skin:
NOBE Oat Wonder Nourishing Face Oil
Scandy Glazed God/dess Radiant Face Oil
You might also be interested in: Korean skincare awakens luminous and moisturized skin: create an easy K-beauty routine!