If You Have Dry Skin, You May Want To Run Through Your Skincare Routine Quicker

Those that suffer from dry skin know that it's an ongoing battle. There are many causes of dry and dehydrated skin, such as low humidity in the air, using harsh soaps, and over-cleansing. Your genetics and age can also come into play with how much sebum your face produces. If your face feels tight, rough, or scaly, you're probably lacking in natural oils.

Dry skin is not only irritating, but it also makes it harder to apply makeup. Foundation and concealer won't cover up flaky patches, and will only look worse over dry skin. Exfoliating with a gentle scrub will help get rid of dead skin cells. However, over-exfoliating can make your face drier.

Treating dry skin isn't as simple as applying moisturizer; it's best to tackle your parched face with a step-by-step beauty regimen. According to Healthline, the most optimal routine for dry skin is to first use a hydrating cleanser, then an alcohol-free toner, followed by a serum and a hydrating moisturizer. Lastly, protect your face with sunscreen. These steps seem simple enough, but one added element to your routine will give you the ultimate glowing skin.

If you have dry skin, you won't want to wait too long after you've showered or washed your face to start your skincare routine. As soon as the water evaporates from your face, it takes away your skin's natural oils and you end up with parched skin. So what can you do aside from moisturizing while in the shower? The American Academy of Dermatology Association suggests toweling off and then immediately starting your skincare regimen before your skin completely dries. Applying toner on slightly damp skin is optimal, followed by a serum and moisturizer that will lock in all the hydration.

Of course, the ingredients in your products are an important key to keeping your face dewy. Look for hydrating moisturizers with glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which draw water from the air and deposit it onto your skin, per Insider. Petrolatum, cetyl alcohol, and lanolin also provide a barrier to lock in moisture.

While treating dry skin is all about keeping it hydrated, surprisingly, too much water can actually have an adverse effect.

Long, steamy showers feel great on dry skin but they can actually be making your condition worse. It seems to make sense that the longer you stand under the water, the more your skin will absorb the moisture. However, all that water, along with your soaps and body washes, is stripping your skin of its natural oils. Good Housekeeping recommends keeping your shower time to under 10 minutes and using warm, tepid water. Avoid harsh soaps and use body cleansers or oils that are designed to moisturize the skin.

A surprising culprit that may be contributing to your dry skin is your running water. If it contains too many minerals, such as calcium or magnesium carbonates, your water will be "hard" (via Westlake Dermatology). Hard water dries out the skin due to its high mineral content. It's also unable to completely dissolve soaps, which end up remaining on the skin and drying it out. While a long-term solution is to install a water-softening system in your home, using a gentle cleanser will rinse off more easily than a harsher soap, while also moisturizing your skin.

Just remember, when washing dry skin, time is of the essence.