The Best Skincare Products for Dry Skin

Dr. Downie says to look for an unscented cleanser with a formula that cleans and keeps skin balanced. Dry complexions need all the moisture they can get, so she's a fan of Sente's Daily Soothing Cleanser because it washes away dirt, oil, and grime without stripping skin. 

Go with a hydrating serum, ideally one hyaluronic acid in it. The humectant sucks in moisture from the air to moisturize and smooth extremely dry skin. Dimethicone, a hydrating silicone, is another ingredient to look out for. On top of hydrating skin, SkinMedica's serum also has anti-aging benefits, thanks to peptides and vitamin C. 

Another serum option is SkinFix's Barrier + Lipid-Boost Jelly. It's an uber-hydrating formula with a mix of lipids and sodium hyaluronate. These ingredients attract moisture, pull it in, and restore hydration. SkinFix's unique serum is like a glass of water for the skin: It goes on smooth and dries down quick. 

"Traditionally, a lot of eye creams deliberately provoked a bit of inflammation to create a small amount of swelling that temporarily smoothed out fine lines in the area," explains Dr. Howe. Instead, use a cream that's formulated with hyaluronic acid like SkinBetter's Interfuse Intensive Treatment. This gentle ingredient draws moisture to skin, which will hydrate the eye area and make it appear more smooth and plump. 

A thick, rich moisturizer? Dry skin loves to see it. "You should use a moisturizer that delivers the fatty lipids our skin needs to seal up fissures and cracks between skin cells," Dr. Howe explains. "The specific ingredients to look for are ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids." This SkinCeuticals cream is packed with lipids, which are key for strengthening the skin barrier and locking in moisture. 

A ton of gold standard anti-aging ingredients like vitamin C and retinol can irritate dry skin. A peptide-rich product is a gentle, yet effective alternative. "These protein fragments stimulate our skin to produce collagen, while also acting as humectants that retain moisture in the skin," Dr. Howe says. 

Streamline your routine with a peptide-infused moisturizer like this one from Drunk Elephant. It hydrates skin while simultaneously tackling fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 

If your skin can tolerate it, Dr. Downie says that a retinol serum can be extremely effective on fine lines and wrinkles. The all-star ingredient works by accelerating skin cell turnover. Alastin's serum also contains a nourishing lipid that hydrates skin, and lowers the risk of retinol-induced inflammation and irritation. 

When you have an extra 15 minutes, Dr. Howe recommends a hydrating mask like SK-II's cult classic treatment. "It’s an intensely hydrating treatment that delivers deep and lasting moisturization," he says. "It’s the best thing outside of an office treatment like Dermasweep (which painlessly shoots hyluronic acid into the dermis, the inner layer of the two main layers of skin.) 

Sunscreen is arguably the most important step in any skincare routine. Along with preventing signs of photoaging, it's the best way to avoid skin cancer. EltaMD's award-winning gel-based formula is a mineral-chemical blend that shields skin from UV/UVA rays and moisturizes.