Having a good and hydrating nighttime skincare routine for dry skin is a must if you want to get rid of that tight feeling, flaky skin lacking elasticity, and dull-looking skin. If you want to get rid of all that and get your plump and hydrated skin back then try out this hydrating skincare routine and tell me after a few months of following it how it worked.
In this post we are going to talk about what is dry skin as well as a hydrating nighttime skincare routine for dry skin composed of multiple steps, going from double cleansing your skin to locking in all the moisture with an oil.
Disclaimer: Please take this as entertainment, educational and informational content and not as medical information and advice. This post contains affiliate links. For full disclosure please check here.
What is dry skin?
Dry skin is actually skin lacking its natural oils. You can also have dehydrated skin, which is skin lacking water but we will treat that issue in another post.
People with dry skin usually struggle to maintain a proper skin hydration level throughout the day. They with this skin type feel their skin tight, dry, flaky, lacking elasticity and most of the time the skin looks dull. Also, if your skin is dry you might see quicker fine lines than people with oily skin, which means you have to ensure that proper amount of hydration all the time. You can easily aggravate your dry skin if you use harsh or drying ingredients that is why it is best to follow a skincare routine specifically customized for your skin.
It is important to say that in the wintertime people are more prone to getting dry skin. This happens because of the heating devices which take all the humidity from the air. That way, they are making the air dry and thus your skin gets even drier.
If you are not sure about your skin type, I recommend you first read this post about how to determine your skin type.
It’s very important to keep in mind that if your dry skin is very severe, itchy, and extremely flaky you should see a dermatologist.
Nighttime skincare routine for dry skin
At night, your skin tries to repair itself so it’s the proper time to give it goodies, to help restore that elasticity and get rid of the dull-looking skin. One important thing to mention right at the beginning, please make sure that you are doing all the steps not only on your face but on your neck and chest area also, as they can also show signs of aging or lack of hydration. You can find below the nighttime skincare routine I propose if you have dry, flaky skin:
1. First Cleanse – Balm/Oil Cleanse
The first step in every skincare routine is to properly cleanse your face. In order to melt up your make-up, the sunscreen that you applied during the day, all the dirt, and grime, I suggest using a balm/oil cleanser. The one that I am recommending is from Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm.
The main ingredient in this balm is sweet almond oil, an oil-rich in fatty acids, which makes this balm extremely emollient. You can use other balms or cleansing oils, but if you have dry skin make sure they are high in oleic acid. You take some product and apply it to your dry face while massaging gently. After you massaged for 30 to 60 seconds, you emulsify it (wet your hands and massage your face for a few seconds – the oil will emulsify, becoming a milky white texture) and then you can rinse it off. You can find in this post why you should oil cleanse your skin as a first cleanse and how to do it properly.
2. Second Cleanse – Water-Based Cleanse
The second step of this nighttime skincare routine is another cleansing, this time with a gel/milk cleanser that should not strip your skin. I don’t recommend foaming cleansers for dry skin because they usually contain a lot of sulfates which are very drying to your skin. What I personally like to use is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser or Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser.
They are both very hydrating, water-based cleansers that are recommended by a lot of dermatologists and people from the beauty industry. You have to massage the cleanser into your skin and then rinse it off with warm water. After your face is clean you can pat dry it with a clean towel.
Pro tip: Try to use a clean towel each time you cleanse your face. Towels usually gather bacteria and you want your face to be as clean as possible.
3. Toner (exfoliating toner)
I think everyone with dry skin needs AHAs in their life. AHAs come from Alpha Hydroxy Acids and are a group of ingredients that can help exfoliate the uppermost layers of the skin, making your skin look fresh and smooth.
In order to get rid of all that flakiness, dead skin and to help brighten the skin you should use a gentle exfoliating toner, with a low percentage of AHAs – preferably lactic acid, because it has a bigger molecule and it’s less sensitizing to the skin or a lower percentage of glycolic acid twice a week.
Make sure to not over-exfoliate, twice a week should be enough for most people in order to maintain healthy and glowy skin.
You can have an exfoliating toner or an exfoliating wash-off mask, whatever suits you best (please don’t use harsh scrubs on your face, as they will do more damage than good).
I recommend using Pixi Glow Tonic – which contains 5% glycolic acid, a gentle enough toner, which should not create any issues if you first start with it, or Clarins Lotion Tonique with Camomile (this is very soothing because of the camomile extract, hydrating and has a great scent to it – because of the fragrance though, I don’t recommend it for people with sensitive skin).
Pro tip: If you are new to acids, try using them only once a week for the first 4-6 weeks until your skin gets accustomed to them.
4. Serums – Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Hyaluronic acid (also known as HA) is one of the best ingredients to help prevent dryness due to its ability to draw moisture from the air. You need all that hydration back to the skin so I would suggest applying a serum high in hyaluronic acid like the Vichy Mineral 89.
This hyaluronic acid serum is lightweight, not sticky like some other serums with HA, and has the benefit of having Vichy mineral water in it, making it also good for people with sensitive skin.
Before using any hyaluronic acid products make sure your skin is damp as it will be more effective on damp skin. You can also spray some thermal spring water onto your face, like this one from La Roche Posay Eau Thermale, before you apply your serum so it will have water molecules from where to retain moisture and you’ll see the benefits of it the next day when your skin will be plump and hydrated.
Pro tip: You can layer the serum if you feel you need more hydration – do a two-layer serum step
5. Moisturizer
In order to protect your skin barrier, you want to follow up your routine with an occlusive moisturizer that locks all that hydration that you added into your skin. For this skincare routine, I go with Cerave Moisturizing Cream, a rich moisturizer that contains 3 essential ceramides, lipids that help your skin restore its barrier. This simple and affordable moisturizer is one of the most recommended moisturizers by dermatologists.
Note: I only use this moisturizing step if I am skipping the next one, which is a retinol moisturizer. You can have both in the beginning but after your skin is accustomed to retinol, I don’t see a point in having two moisturizers in the same routine unless your skin is very, very dry. So, I would use this moisturizer in the evenings when I don’t use retinol.
For other moisturizer options that are great for dry skin, you should check this post.
6. Retinol or another vitamin A derivative
If you have more mature skin, wrinkles, you are trying to promote cellular regrowth, or if you are trying to get rid of hyperpigmentation or acne you can also use a retinol cream or other Vitamin A derivative.
Vitamin A is the holy grail of skincare, so make sure that you are also trying to incorporate it into your skincare routine. Please make sure to not use retinol on the same day as you use your exfoliating acids if you are not used to it, it might over sensitize your skin.
If you are just starting with retinol or retinoids make sure you only use it once a week for the first few weeks. You can then get to twice per week safely.
Also, for the first few uses, I recommend using it after the moisturizer, this way the moisturizer will buff the potency so it will not sensitize your skin that much. If you have already used retinol for a long period of time you can use it before moisturizer. I personally recommend Paula’s Choice Barrier Repair moisturizer with retinol. It is part of the resist line, which I’ve found out to have amazing products that make my skin look so beautiful and glowy.
Pro tip: After you get accustomed to retinol, it is better to switch steps 5 and 6, using retinol first and then a moisturizer as it will penetrate the skin better. You should do this only after at least 2 months of using retinol twice per week.
7. Sleeping masks and oils
If your skin is very dry or flaky, it’s wintertime or you just need some more hydration then you can also use as a last step a sleeping mask or oil depending on your preference.
What I love to use almost every night to lock in all the hydration and goodies I added to my skin, is Paula’s Choice Moisture Renewal oil. The oil contains ceramides, very good in helping restore your skin barrier, as well as other oils high in both oleic and linoleic acid, making it great for all skin types.
In this post, I recommended a skincare routine for dry skin that I use personally. You should take your time, educate yourself, and read about the ingredients in each product. There are multiple sites online where you can look up the ingredients. You should definitely do this if you know that you are allergic to a certain ingredient.
Always patch test a product first before putting it on your face. That means, that you should take a small amount of the product and put it on the back of your hand, and let it sit for a few hours at least. If after 24 hours you don’t see any allergic reaction or irritation on the spot you used it, you are good to use that product.
If you are new to skincare do not take all these steps in the first run, it’s always important to add products one by one so that you can see if you have any irritation or reaction in the long run to a certain product. Also, having all these steps right from the start might sensitize your skin too much.
This post was all about what is dry skin, how you can prevent it, and a 7-step hydrating skincare routine for dry skin.
Leave a Reply