3-Step Simple Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

Although I am a personal development blogger by profession, I am in no way a mental health professional. See my disclaimer for more info.

Tired of your skin feeling dry and flaky? This post will give you the perfect simple skin care routine for dry skin!

Are you tired of your skin feeling dry and cracked?

I get it — me, too! In 2020, I hardly knew anything about skin care, so about halfway through the day, I would look in the mirror and notice that my face was dry and flaky. It was NOT pretty at all. So, I learned about skincare and made a skin care routine. Now, I have a simple, consistent routine that keeps my skin nice and smooth all day!

And you can, too! In this post, you’ll learn all about how to keep your skin from feeling dry, flaky, and irritated. All it takes is 3 simple products. Keep reading to learn more!

This post is all about simple skin care routine for dry skin.

Why should you have a skin care routine?

Being consistent with your skin care is important because it allows your skin to thrive.

When you use the same products on a daily basis, your skin gets used to those products and will develop a sense of loyalty to them.

You will be less likely to break out from products that you use for years because you use them so much.

In comparison, if you constantly switch products like moisturizers and cleansers, your skin might suffer because it has no idea what’s going on!

That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you’re staying consistent with your skin care routine.

Simple Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin:

Cleanser

The first product in your skin care routine should be a cleanser.

A cleanser is basically a fancy name for a face wash.

You use a cleanser to get rid of any dirt or grim that builds up on your face throughout the day or night.

How often should you use a cleanser?

You should cleanse your face every morning and night. This helps to make sure your face is nice and clean after a long day or night.

If you’re looking for a good cleanser, here are some of my recommendations:

How to use a cleanser:

Start by wetting your face with some lukewarm water. This is not hot and not cold, but just in the middle.

Make sure your face is wet enough so that the cleanser can really do its job.

Once your face is sufficiently wet, apply about one squirt of face wash to your palm.

I’m telling you; one is more than enough!

There’s no need to go crazy with your cleanser.

With that squirt of face wash in your palm, make sure there’s some water on your hand also.

You’re going to start a process called emulsification, where you quickly rub your hands together in a circular motion with the cleanser and water.

This basically helps to activate the ingredients that are in the product and make them do what they’re meant to do.

Once you emulsify your face wash, go ahead and start cleansing your face!

Start in small, circular motions at the bottom of your face, then work toward your forehead.

Make sure you wash your nose, neck, hairline, and eyelids. These are some spots that people tend to forget to wash!

There’s really no set time that you need to wash your face.

Once you feel that you have washed every spot, you can rinse your face with, once again, lukewarm water.

Finally, pat your face dry with a towel or some paper towels.

Notice I said *pat* your face dry.

You don’t want to rub your face because that can cause dryness and irritation!

I prefer paper towels because they carry less germs (but they are admittedly more wasteful, so to each is their own).

Boom; you’re done with the first step. That wasn’t too and, was it?

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Moisturizer

The next product in your routine should be a good moisturizer.

What is a moisturizer?

A moisturizer, or facial lotion, is a cream or lotion that you apply to your face to prevent it from getting dry and flaky throughout the day or night.

Some moisturizers are thicker than others. They can come in cream or lotion format.

Based on your skin type, climate, and the current season, you may have to find a different moisturizer.

For dry skin, moisturizers are a MUST!

If you don’t keep your skin moisturized, it will cry for moisture and you’ll definitely see that in how your skin feels (and looks).

You need to pick a lotion that will keep your skin moisturized all day.

This moisturizer should be full of hydrating oils and other healthy ingredients for your skin.

Check out some of my favorite moisturizers for dry skin:

How to use a moisturizer:

When you apply a face lotion, you need to be very gentle!

You don’t want to cause stress on your skin because that can cause wrinkles.

1 pump of moisturizer should do the trick.

Once again, emulsify it in your hands for a few seconds, then start applying it to your face in small circular motions and gradually move toward your forehead.

The key here is to be gentle and try not to rub downward; this can cause more wrinkles at an early age.

Once you’re done applying your face lotion, wait a bit for it to dry before moving onto the next (and last!) product.

Sunscreen

Last but CERTAINLY not least: sunscreen.

This should always be the last step of your skin care routine.

You might think, “Why should I wear sunscreen if I’m not going to the beach?”

You need to wear sunscreen everyday, even if you’re not going to be exposed directly to the sun.

The sun shines through your windows, and even that small bit of sunshine can hurt your face.

So, that’s why it’s important to apply a high-quality sunscreen on a daily basis.

You don’t want skin cancer, do you?

What is sunscreen?

A sunscreen is a product that you apply to your face to prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from being absorbed into your skin.

An important thing to remember when choosing a sunscreen is that the higher the SPF, the better.

An SPF is a sun protection factor, and basically determines how effective a sunscreen is at blocking the sun’s UV rays.

You typically want to look for a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher.

It may be hard to find ones with a 50 or 60 SPF, but those are the best!

Here are some sunscreens I’ve heard great things about:

Sunscreen Reminders

What are the different kinds of sunscreens?

I know, I know; more information.

But it’s important!

There are 2 kinds of sunscreens: mineral and chemical sunscreens.

Mineral sunscreens are thicker, but more effective because they reflect the sun’s UV rays.

Chemical sunscreens are less thick, but also less effective because they absorb the sun’s UV rays.

For more information on mineral and chemical sunscreens, check out this informative article.

what is a white cast?

Another important thing to keep in mind when choosing a sunscreen is a white cast.

This is basically a white residue that’s left after you apply a sunscreen.

You’re more likely to see a white cast on your skin if A) the sunscreen isn’t tinted or B) your skin is more pigmented (AKA you’re a person of color).

To deal with this, you can try to get a tinted sunscreen, wait for the product to settle in, or try a chemical sunscreen instead of a mineral sunscreen.

Wait before applying sunscreen

You need to wait before your moisturizer dries before you apply your sunscreen.

That’s because if you don’t, the sunscreen won’t work as effectively.

Plus, it will mix in with your face lotion instead of sit on top of it. Everything should be layered!

THINK: What kinds of products do you use in your skincare routine right now? Tell me in the comments!

Skin Care Tips

I can’t let you go without giving you some advice!

Here are some of the BEST skin care tips I’ve learned over the last 4+ years.

I’ve applied these tips to my skin care routine and they’ve made such a big difference in my skin.

Try them out!

When the colder seasons (fall and winter) come around, switch to a thicker, richer moisturizer (like the CeraVe cream mentioned in this post)
Wait for your moisturizer to dry before applying sunscreen
Pat in your moisturizer
Emulsify your products (ALL of them)
Don’t rush the process (remember, if a product isn’t working yet, that’s probably because your skin is still getting used to it)
If a product is burning, that DOES NOT mean it’s working; you need to get rid of it
Try Korean skincare; it’s usually better for your skin than American skincare
Don’t drag your products downward; instead, push them upward (this reduces wrinkles later on)
Leave *some* water on your face before applying moisturizer to lock in that hydration
Use lukewarm water to wash your face
Try not to get cleanser in your eyes; it can cause a swollen eyelid (NOT very pretty)
Opt for unscented products when you can (fragranced products can cause breakouts and irritation)
Apply your products in layers (wait for each product to dry before applying the next — especially with acne products, ointments, retinols, and sunscreens)

Optional Skin Care Products

We’ve now covered the three essential skin care products for dry skin.

But, if you have a special circumstance like acne or you’re a bit older, you might need to add a few more products to your daily skin care routine.

Here are some products you can consider adding to your routine.

Retinol

A retinol is an anti-aging product.

It reduces the effects of aging, like wrinkles and overall poor skin quality.

Usually, you don’t need a retinol until you’re in your mid-20s.

So, if you’re already using one and you’re only a teenager, I suggest that you ask yourself why the heck you’re using an anti-aging product at 16 years old (haha).

Learn more about retinol here.

Acne Product

If you have acne, you might want to add a product to your routine that helps treat your acne.

Whether it’s an over-the-counter (OTC) product or something you get from a local drug store, it’s definitely worth adding to your daily skin care routine.

CeraVe and Cetaphil have some of the best and effective, yet affordable acne products.

So, if you’re looking for some products to help reduce your acne for a low cost, I’d check out their products.

I also know that Curology has some excellent skin care plans created by certified dermatologists (doctors who specialize in skin care).

You go to their website, take a quick and easy quiz about your specific skin care, and you’ll be matched with a dermatologist who will create a special skin care routine just for you.

You can also check out these highly recommended products to treat your acne:

Exfoliator

Lastly, to get rid of dead skin and make your skin smoother, you can exfoliate on a weekly basis.

It’s important that you don’t exfoliate too often (or too rough) because you could eventually damage your skin.

There are 2 types of exfoliators: chemical and physical.

A chemical exfoliator is something like an exfoliating serum or peeling solution.

Here’s an chemical exfoliator you should try out: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant

A physical exfoliator is something like a face scrub.

Here’s a good physical exfoliator for dry skin: SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub

Find which works better for you!

Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

Let’s recap.

In this post, we talked about the best, simple (yet effective!) skin care routine for people with dry skin. Here are some of my favorite products:

With this simple and effective routine, you should start to see a change in your skin in a matter of weeks!

Please remember to take time to take care of yourself!

If you’re interested in self care activities, check out this post: 7 Fulfilling Free Self Care Activities for Your Next Self Care Sunday

In the midst of chaos, don’t forget to smile,

DeMarcus – your self care buddy

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This post was all about skin care routine for dry skin.

3-Step Simple Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

Why should you have a skin care routine?

Simple Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin: