Short answer: In a dry climate, low humidity is part of every season, often with strong sun and indoor air that is heated or cooled. Dry air can leave skin feeling tight, rough or flaky. Steady habits help: gentle cleansing with lukewarm water, a moisturizer your skin is comfortable with, care for your lips, hands and body, and daily Broad Spectrum sunscreen used according to its label. In particularly dry indoor environments, a humidifier may help too. Let the condition of your skin, rather than the calendar, guide what you change.
Dry air asks for consistency more than for anything exotic.
What dry air does to skin
The outer layer of your skin slows the water inside it from escaping into the air. Water leaves exposed skin faster when the air holds little moisture, and your face, hands and lips are exposed all day. What Is the Skin Barrier? explains what that outer layer does.
It is not seasonal. In cooler, wetter places, dry air is mainly a winter concern. In a dry climate it can be there in every month.
Indoor air adds to it. Heating lowers the humidity of indoor air, and air conditioning removes moisture from the air as it cools it. Either way, the air indoors can be dry too.
Signs your skin is feeling it
- Tightness after washing that lingers.
- Flaking or rough patches that moisturizer does not settle.
- Products stinging that never used to.
- Chapped lips, rough hands, itchy shins.
These are common patterns rather than a diagnosis. Dehydrated Skin vs Dry Skin covers two things people often confuse. Skin that stays cracked, sore or itchy despite a sensible routine, or changes in a way you cannot account for, is worth showing to a dermatologist.
Cleanse gently
Long washes and hot water take more of the skin’s natural oils with them.
Lukewarm water. At the sink and in the shower, and keep showers short.
Eye makeup first. If you wear eye makeup, remove it with a dedicated eye makeup remover before you cleanse your face, and go to bed with a completely clean face.
A soft sponge and light pressure. Victoria’s preferred tool for facial cleansing is a professional facial sponge, used gently with an appropriate cleanser. Clean fingertips are acceptable, though she prefers a sponge for more thorough cleansing.
Pat dry. Press a towel against the skin; do not rub.
Judge the cleanser by how you feel afterward. If your face feels tight long after washing, the cleanser is worth reconsidering, whether or not it foams. Why Your Cleanser Matters More Than You Think goes further.
Keep the routine steady
A sensible order is to cleanse, use an appropriate toner or mist, then a serum, then a moisturizer, each according to the product’s directions, plus daytime sun protection. Apply moisturizer after cleansing or bathing and any appropriate preceding steps, following the product’s directions, with clean fingertips.
Choose by comfort. Some people in dry climates find a richer formulation more comfortable; others do well with a lighter one. Suitability depends on the complete formulation and your own skin, not on how thick it looks.
Layer, do not mix. Apply each product individually, in sequence, rather than blending products together first.
Do not forget the edges. Lips, hands, shins and feet often dry out before the face does, so give the body attention after a shower too.
Sun is part of the climate
Strong UV exposure can be a year-round concern in sunny, dry climates, and UV exposure also increases with altitude. Reflected UV from surfaces such as water and sand can add to overall exposure, making sun protection particularly important during activities such as boating or spending extended time at the beach. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen belongs in the routine all year. SPF 30 or higher is the usual dermatology recommendation. Follow the label for how much to apply and when to reapply. Applying more does not replace reapplying, and too little can reduce protection. Pair sunscreen with shade, hats and clothing. Do You Need Sunscreen Every Day? explains the reasons.
Flaking is not a reason to scrub
Dry weather is not a reason to exfoliate more often. How often suits you depends on your age, your skin’s condition, the method and how your skin responds. If skin becomes unusually dry or irritated, pause non-prescription exfoliating products or treatments and allow the skin to settle before reconsidering the frequency or intensity. Do not exfoliate cracked, irritated or sore skin. Winter Skin: What to Change When It Gets Cold covers the same dryness from the winter side.
Victoria’s approach
Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator. She draws on her professional experience at Younger You Clinique when evaluating skincare products and their performance. Victoria prefers to respond to the environment your skin is experiencing. Cold winter climates can increase dryness, but very dry climates may create similar concerns at other times of year, so the condition of your skin, rather than the calendar, should guide any adjustment.
For dry air, Victoria’s examples from the Esenté range are Hydro Mist, Red Volcanic Seaweed Complex and Matrix Repair Crème, and each plays a different role. Hydro Mist and Matrix Repair Crème help support skin hydration. Red Volcanic Seaweed Complex provides beneficial ingredients and is an occlusive formulation that helps retain moisture. Follow each product’s directions: Hydro Mist can be used after cleansing before other skincare products and makeup, after makeup to help set it, and throughout the day as desired; Red Volcanic Seaweed Complex is dispensed by pump; and Matrix Repair Crème comes in a jar, so take it out with a clean cosmetic spatula. These are examples from a broader range, and the right choice depends on your skin, your preferences and your budget. Esenté works with boutique manufacturers to develop and select formulations that meet the brand’s ingredient, performance and quality criteria. If dry air has your skin feeling tight and you are not sure what to change, ask through the Ask Victoria page.
Frequently asked questions
Cleanse gently with lukewarm water, pat dry and keep a steady routine, each product used according to its directions. Look after lips, hands and body, use Broad Spectrum sunscreen daily as its label directs, and consider a humidifier if indoor air is particularly dry.
Some people find a richer formulation more comfortable and others do not. Suitability depends on the complete formulation and your own skin rather than texture, so judge by how your skin feels through the day.
Heating lowers indoor humidity, and air conditioning removes moisture from the air as it cools it, so your skin may feel dry even on days you spend mostly inside.
In particularly dry indoor environments, a humidifier may help increase the moisture in the air. Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning directions, and keep up your skincare alongside it.
No. Dry weather is not a reason to exfoliate more often, and skin that is cracked, irritated or sore should not be exfoliated. If flaking comes with irritation, pause non-prescription exfoliating products or treatments and allow the skin to settle before reconsidering the frequency or intensity.
About the author. Victoria Nash, founder of Esenté Skincare, has been a licensed aesthetician since 2003. She also owns and operates Younger You Clinique and is an experienced skincare educator.
Reviewed by Victoria Nash, licensed aesthetician, founder of Esenté Skincare and owner of Younger You Clinique. This article is educational and is not medical advice. Ask your dermatologist or licensed skincare professional about products appropriate for your own skin and medical history.
