For these of you who’ve dry pores and skin, utilizing a heavy, wealthy, and thick moisturizer looks like the apparent alternative to supply much-needed moisture. However what if you’re utilizing what feels like moisturizer, but your pores and skin continues to be dry, flaky, and even itchy? The rationale for this can be that you’re utilizing a poorly formulated moisturizer.
Discovering the appropriate moisturizer to hydrate dry pores and skin lies within the components used within the components – ones that truly restore what causes dry pores and skin. There have been many breakthroughs within the science of moisture retention and all of it comes right down to selecting the best components.
Let’s check out what causes dry pores and skin, the components to search for, which of them to keep away from, and the way to decide on one of the best moisturizer for dry pores and skin.
What Causes Dry Pores and skin and How Does a Good Moisturizer Assist?
The very first thing it is best to know is that dry skin is different than dehydrated skin in that it lacks oil—not water. Because the pores and skin depends on oil to retain moisture, missing it means you’ve gotten a compromised skin barrier. Translation? Your pores and skin begins to exhibit all of the unfavorable traits of dry pores and skin you’re already conversant in, together with texture points and superior indicators of getting older. Dry pores and skin may act extra delicate because of the disruption in your pores and skin barrier. When wholesome, this barrier acts as a defend to maintain irritants out.
It’s pretty straightforward to inform in case you have dry pores and skin based mostly on the way it seems and feels. Typically talking, dry pores and skin can have a tough texture, minimal breakout exercise, small-to-medium pore dimension, and elevated sensitivity and redness. Usually, individuals who have dry pores and skin wrestle with a boring complexion, which is why I like to recommend utilizing energizing merchandise to spice up circulation (such because the Energy Boosting Toner).
By discovering moisturizer, you cannot solely nourish the pores and skin, but additionally type a protecting layer on the pores and skin’s floor, stopping moisture loss and exterior irritants from penetrating. They will additionally assist soothe irritation and itchiness related to tight, dry pores and skin.
In case you’re nonetheless uncertain of whether or not or not you’ve gotten dry pores and skin, I encourage you to take the Skin Type Quiz. It’s the best method to study your pores and skin kind. Simply reply a number of easy questions, and it provides you with an correct outcome, together with customized product suggestions.
What’s a broken lipid barrier?
Your pores and skin has a moisture barrier made from pure lipids that preserve moisture within the pores and skin and irritants out. When this barrier is broken, it creates tiny, invisible cracks within the pores and skin that permit moisture to flee (inflicting dry, flaky pores and skin) and irritants to enter extra simply (making even delicate pores and skin merchandise trigger a stinging, irritating sensation).
To restore dry, flaky pores and skin, search for the next soothing, barrier-repairing components when selecting a moisturizer.
Finest Skincare Elements that Assist Restore Dry Pores and skin
Plant Oils
Bear in mind how I stated dry pores and skin lacks oil? A simple method to give it what it wants is to make use of skincare merchandise that include sure plant oils. Personally, I like jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, and borage seed oil. They’re stuffed with fatty acids that may assist help and restore the lipids within the moisture barrier. Different nice choices embody:
- Bois De Rose Oil
- Carrot Oil
- Night Primrose Oil
- Cranberry Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Soybean Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Candy Almond Oil
- Canola Oil
- Sesame Seed Oil
Ceramides
Ceramides are lipids that play a big position in supporting the moisture barrier. They act as a pores and skin protectant and moisturizer, which is why you’ll usually discover them in restorative merchandise formulated for delicate pores and skin varieties.
You will discover ceramides within the Pure Radiance Creme Masque. I formulated this masks with a mix of moisturizing plant oils to go away dry pores and skin easy, supple, and cozy.
Linoleic/Linolenic Acids
These important fatty acids are key parts of the pores and skin’s pure barrier, serving to to strengthen the pores and skin’s protecting barrier, enhance hydration, cut back irritation, and make pores and skin softer and smoother total.
Squalane
This ingredient is improbable for retaining pores and skin moisturized, because it not solely mimics the pure oils that our pores and skin produces, but additionally is a light-weight method to enhance hydration. It absorbs rapidly, is non-comedogenic, and supplies extra antioxidant properties as effectively.
Linoleic Acid
This omega-6 fatty acid acts as a constructing block for the lipids that type the pores and skin’s protecting layer, stopping moisture loss and defending from irritants.
Tocopheryl Linoleate
A type of vitamin E, that is significantly useful not solely in offering a lift of hydration, but additionally defending the pores and skin from environmental aggressors and soothing dry, irritated pores and skin.
Phytosterols
Basically, these assist restore and preserve the pores and skin’s barrier by mimicking the pores and skin’s pure lipids, locking in hydration, and decreasing irritation, retaining pores and skin balanced.
Shea Butter
This ingredient is a botanical extract that acts as an emollient, that means it softens the pores and skin and seals in moisture. It’s barrier-repairing and skin-protecting, and it’s thought of protected for delicate pores and skin varieties because it’s identified to appease irritation.
You will discover shea butter in a number of Renée Rouleau moisturizers.
These components will appropriate each the dearth of oil and lack of hydration deep inside your pores and skin and truly restore the pores and skin’s lipid moisture barrier to make your pores and skin moist, supple, and easy. It’s a indisputable fact that hydrated pores and skin is wholesome pores and skin, so begin taking a look at your ingredient labels to search out the right moisturizer on your dry, flaky pores and skin.
Different Elements that Restore Your Pores and skin Barrier
There are numerous extra barrier-repair components, however the ones listed above are a few of the extra frequent moisturizing brokers and those I like to make use of within the Renée Rouleau product line.
Finest Total Moisturizer for Dry, Flaky Pores and skin
In terms of dry pores and skin, there may be one celebrity moisturizer that come to thoughts.
For dry, delicate and getting older pores and skin in want of intense hydration and steady barrier well being upkeep there’s nothing higher than Skin Recovery Balm. This components creates a protecting moisture-locking seal that stays put all evening lengthy. Powered by our proprietary Barrier5 know-how, this moisturizer restores pores and skin from deep inside, utilizing 5 strategies of barrier restore to maintain pores and skin wanting wholesome and extra radiant.
Finest Moisturizer for Oily Pores and skin
For these of you with delicate, breakout-prone pores and skin, it’s finest to hunt out light-weight, oil-free moisturizers, like Skin Recovery Lotion. This moisturizer makes use of water-binding hydrators like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to handle all signs of a compromised barrier, together with dehydration, flaking, and redness brought on by harsh zits remedies.
In case you solely expertise the occasional breakout however are on the lookout for hydration and anti-aging outcomes, Sheer Moisture Lotion is the right alternative. Utilizing time-released antioxidants and niacinamide, this high-performance lotion provides brightening advantages, distinctive hydration, and leaves pores and skin feeling plump, with out clogging pores.
Utilizing a Pores and skin Oil for Dry Pores and skin
In case you choose utilizing a pores and skin oil on your dry, flaky pores and skin, that’s completely wonderful. Because the Head of New Product Improvement at Renée Rouleau Pores and skin Care, I’m completely happy to share that now we have one thing particular within the works… Keep tuned!
Skincare Elements to Keep away from if Your Pores and skin is Dry
It’s simply as vital to know which components to keep away from when caring for dry pores and skin. Listed below are a number of I recommend staying away from…
Drying Alcohols
In case you’re a daily reader of my weblog, you realize I dislike drying alcohol components, like SD Alcohol 40, Denatured Alcohol, Ethanol, and Isopropyl Alcohol. These are discovered in lots of skincare merchandise, however I can’t stand to see them in toners. That’s as a result of toners are supposed to hydrate the pores and skin, and these components can strip moisture and trigger extra dryness. It doesn’t make a lot sense, does it? That’s why all Renée Rouleau toners are alcohol-free!
The one exception to this rule is zits spot remedies. Typically, these drying components could be helpful for drying out blemish-causing micro organism. Since dry pores and skin varieties have minimal breakout exercise within the first place, I’d suggest avoiding them.
Sulfates
Sulfates are used as cleaning brokers, which is why they’re generally present in cleansers. Just like the aforementioned alcohols, sulfates can strip an excessive amount of moisture from the pores and skin, inflicting dryness. That’s why I like to recommend avoiding skincare merchandise that checklist components like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate on their labels.
Remember to keep away from any product that leaves your pores and skin feeling tight. Have a look at your cleansers and ensure to keep away from the components Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, as these solely additional harm the pores and skin’s barrier. In case you’re utilizing the mistaken cleanser, you’re immediately stripping moisture out of the pores and skin, which is the worst factor you are able to do for dry pores and skin.
All Renée Rouleau cleansers are sulfate-free so you’ll be able to relaxation assured they received’t strip moisture out of your pores and skin!
Moisturizers Don’t Have To Be Greasy!
Surprisingly, a moisturizer for dry pores and skin doesn’t have to be greasy, oily and even thick. If in case you have used any of the Renée Rouleau moisturizers, it’s possible you’ll discover that those for dry pores and skin aren’t actually that heavy.
A lot of my purchasers suppose they want one thing with a greasier texture, however that is merely not the answer. What’s vital is that it’s loaded with a mix of barrier-repairing components that, with continued use, will assist the pores and skin retain its moisture. This can alleviate any tightness and flakiness resulting from dryness, as a substitute leaving pores and skin moist, supple, and completely hydrated.
Additionally, be aware that humectant components like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, sorbitol, urea, and sodium PCA all assist to draw water from the dermis into the dermis, which is an effective factor, however these alone won’t remedy dry pores and skin.
Don’t Overlook to Exfoliate
In terms of dry, flaky pores and skin, exfoliation is essential and is part of a skincare routine that shouldn’t be missed. Dry pores and skin usually accumulates lifeless pores and skin cells, inflicting that flaky texture that so many people expertise. Eradicating this buildup will depart your pores and skin visibly brighter and smoother, permitting hydrating serums and moisturizers to penetrate extra successfully.

Movie star Esthetician & Skincare Skilled
As an esthetician skilled in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare knowledgeable has created a real-world resolution — merchandise which are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and appear its finest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “essentially the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”