How to Treat Dry Facial Skin

Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD

Last Updated: September 4, 2024 Approved

If you have dry skin on your face, chances are you feel like you've already tried everything. Even after slathering your face with all manner of lotions, creams, and oils designed for extra-dry skin, it still looks dry and flaky. Treating dry facial skin is a multi-step process that involves changing the way you wash, exfoliate, moisturize and care for your skin every day. Following a dry skin-friendly routine will clear up your dry skin and help it look bright, healthy and vibrant once more.

Part 1

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Starting a Cleansing and Exfoliating Routine

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1
Try washing with water only. One of the biggest skin care mistakes you can make is washing your face with harsh cleansers. If your skin is dry, it's under-producing oils that protect your skin from flaking off. Harsh cleansers wash away the oils you do produce, making the problem worse. Instead of washing with soap of any kind, try washing with just plain water, especially when you're not wearing makeup.^{[1]
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- Warm, not hot water should be used, since hot water can be drying. Wet a washcloth with warm water and gently run it over your face. Then pat your face dry with a clean soft towel.
- Even cleansers that are labeled as having moisturizing properties probably contain ingredients that are drying. Look at the label and read the ingredients: if you see sulfates, any type of alcohol, or salicylic acid, don't use it on your face.
2
Consider the oil cleansing method. This is the best method for washing your face at night when plain water isn't going to cut it. The oil cleansing method removes makeup, dirt, sweat, and everything else without drying out your skin. It might sound counterintuitive to use oil to clean your skin, but adding oil actually attracts the oils that are there, acting as a gentle cleanser. You can tell your friends with acne to try it, too, since this method is healing for all skin types.
- Start by making an oil blend that suits your skin type. For very dry skin, jojoba oil, argan oil, and almond oil are all quite effective and nondrying. If you have oily spots, too, add some castor oil to your blend.
- Splash some warm water on your face, then use your fingers to rub the oil blend all over. This is an effective way to remove eye makeup, too, even the waterproof kind.
- Use a washcloth wet with warm water to gently remove the oil. Wipe it off using a circular motion, rinsing it out every so often. Continue until all the oil is gone.
- Repeat if you still have makeup on your face.
- Rinse your face with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
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3
Exfoliate your face a few times a week. Dry skin is actually a layer of dead skin cells that build up and begin to slough off. Removing this layer of dead, dry skin a few times a week reveals the fresh, healthy skin underneath. Try one of the following methods for exfoliating your skin:
- Use a scrub. You can make a scrub by mixing a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of ground oatmeal. Simply rub it over the dry spots in a circular motion, then rinse it off.
- If you have more buildup than a scrub can handle, try using glycolic acid or another alpha-hydroxy acid.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Mohiba Tareen, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} These acids are derived from fruit or sugar, and they exfoliate dead skin cells while strengthening the skin underneath.
- Don't scrub your skin with a brush or cloth or use a harsh body scrub. This damages and weakens the skin.

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Moisturizing Effectively

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Moisturize in the morning. The jury is out on whether it's a good idea to cover your face in cream at night. Some research seems to indicate that facial cell renewal happens at night, and if you cover your face with cream, it won't naturally renew itself with healthy cells. Moisturizing in the morning, however, is a great idea, since it protects your face from pollutants, dirt, dry air, hot air, and everything else you'll encounter throughout the day that could dry out your skin. After using a washcloth wet with warm water to cleanse your face, apply a moisturizer.^{[4]
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2
Avoid moisturizers that contain alcohol. With so many moisturizers to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out which one is best for your face. One easy way to distinguish the good from the bad is to check the ingredients for alcohol. This ingredient is drying, so there's no reason to use it on your face, especially when you have dry skin. If a moisturizer has a long list of ingredients containing lots of words ending in -ohol, avoid it.
- Look for a natural moisturizer made from a blend of oils and lanolin. These protect your skin and won't dry it out.
- Use a cream-based moisturizer for the best results.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Mohiba Tareen, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}
- On the days when your skin is really dry, try pure argan oil or coconut oil. Choose unrefined coconut oil, since that's better for your skin than refined coconut oil.
3
Do a deep moisturizing treatment. Once a week or so, treat your face to a deeply moisturizing mask that will help your skin feel renewed. Mix up a mask from natural ingredients, smooth it over your face, then rinse it off with warm water after 15 minutes. Try the following combinations:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) honey, and 1 smashed banana
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) honey, and 1 smashed avocado
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) honey, and 1 tablespoon milk
Bring a little container of coconut oil with you wherever you go. When you see a patch of flaky skin, apply a little oil to hydrate it and make your skin look smoother and healthier. You can also use coconut oil to treat dry, flaky lips.^{[6]
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Use a humidifier in your bedroom. If the air in your home is dry, it could be making your skin dry out, too. Set up a humidifier in your bedroom to keep your skin moist while you sleep. This is especially helpful during the winter when heating systems tend to make the air inside extremely dry.^{[7]
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Mayo Clinic
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.}

Part 3

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Keeping Your Skin Healthy

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The ingredients in your makeup may be contributing to your dry skin problem. If you can go without makeup, that would be best, but if you don't want to stop wearing it, consider switching to oil-based makeup that doesn't contain alcohol and other harsh ingredients. Look for makeup composed of ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, almond oil, beeswax, and other all-natural items that won't dry out your skin - in fact they'll nourish it.^{[9]
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2
Protect your face from the sun. The sun's rays can dry out your skin.^{[10]
X
Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} Once the healthy glow fades, the skin begins to flake and fall off. A certain amount of sun is a good thing, but it's important to protect yourself from getting burned. As someone with dry skin, however, you need to watch what ingredients your sunscreen contains. Alcohols and other chemicals can dry out your skin, so look for all-natural sunscreens.
- Consider wearing a hat instead of sunscreen, or doubling up and wearing both. It's the old-fashioned way to protect your face from the sun, and it works.^{[11]
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- After sun exposure, moisturize your skin right away with aloe and other rich moisturizers.
3
Be healthy from the inside out. The items you ingest have a big impact on the health of your skin. If you want your skin to look hydrated, healthy and glowing, adopt the following good habits. Not only will your facial skin look better, but your whole body will also feel healthier:
- Drink a lot of water. If you're dehydrated, it'll show up in your skin.
- Eat vitamin-rich foods, especially healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in fish, fish oil, avocados, and nuts.
- Don't smoke, drink too much alcohol or take drugs. Tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs have a big effect on your skin. They can dry it out and make it look older than your true age. Cut back on these products for healthier skin.

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Will aloe vera help treat dry facial skin?

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Yes, it should help.

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How do I remove a small patch of dry skin on my face?

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The best thing to do is be patient. That might be hard considering it is uncomfortable and tempting to peel it, but don’t. That can damage the healthier skin underneath and even cause infections. Rub coconut oil on the dry flaky skin and wait it out.

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How do I get rid of dry skin under my eyes?

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Using a good eye cream under your eyes would be ideal.

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Use the kind of scrubs with fine granules for sensitive skin.

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Don't scrub too hard, it may irritate the skin even more.

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You can tell if you're dehydrated if your pee is a darker yellow.

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Don't use too many skincare products on your face at once—this can cause excessive drying. Keep a simple skincare routine with just a few products, like a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
If you break out, try not to use strong acne treatments all over your face, as this can be very drying. Instead, just spot-treat the area where you're breaking out.
Don't wash your face too often. If you have very dry skin, it may be enough to wash your face once at night, instead of in the morning and at night.

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