A tight feeling after washing your face, rough texture, fine flaking – these are the signals dry skin sends when it lacks lipids and water. Dry skin is not just a passing discomfort: it results from a damaged lipid barrier that lets water escape from the epidermis faster than the body can replace it. The good news is that with the right hydration and a consistent routine, skin quickly regains its comfort and elasticity. In this article, we explain how to recognise dry skin, what causes it, and which products and active ingredients genuinely support its recovery.

How to recognise dry skin?

Dry skin has characteristic symptoms that are easy to spot yourself – just observe your skin right after cleansing and throughout the day.

Dry skin – a feeling of tightness

One of the most common symptoms is a feeling of tightness, especially noticeable after washing the face with tap water or a cleanser that is too harsh. The skin then loses its natural hydrolipidic film and, with it, its ability to retain water.

Flaking skin

Another symptom is visible flaking – small, dry flakes of skin appearing especially on the cheeks, around the nose and on the forehead. Flaking tends to worsen in colder months and when the air in heated rooms is very dry.

Rough, dry skin and visible flakes

Dry skin loses its smoothness – it feels rough and coarse to the touch, and small, dry flakes show through make-up. This is the result of a disrupted shedding process, which does not run properly when the skin lacks water and lipids.

What causes very dry skin?

Very dry skin is usually the result of several overlapping factors. Some of them may be genetic – it is a skin type we are born with, linked, among other things, to lower sebaceous gland activity and a deficiency of natural moisturising factors (NMF) in the epidermis [1,2]. In people with this skin type, the hydrolipidic barrier may be less effective and more vulnerable to external factors, which promotes excessive transepidermal water loss (TEWL) [2,3].

Other factors can intensify dryness: age (over the years the skin produces fewer lipids and less hyaluronic acid), hormonal imbalances, certain skin conditions (e.g. atopic dermatitis, psoriasis), as well as frequent contact with water and detergents.

What causes skin to dry out occasionally?

Even normal skin can periodically become dry and dehydrated. The most common causes are: low temperatures and wind in winter, dry air from air conditioning and central heating, long hot baths, too frequent or too intensive exfoliation, UV radiation, as well as lack of sleep, stress and insufficient fluid intake. In such situations, stepping up your hydrating routine is usually enough to restore the skin’s comfort.

What helps dry skin? Which products and ingredients to choose?

Effective care for dry skin rests on three pillars: gentle cleansing, intensive hydration and rebuilding the lipid barrier. Look for products with ingredients of proven efficacy: hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights (binds water in the epidermis and reduces TEWL) [4,5], ceramides (rebuild the intercellular “cement” of the stratum corneum) [6,7], urea and glycerin (natural moisturising factors, NMF), and thermal water, which soothes and calms weakened, irritated skin [8].

Caring for dry skin on the face

Start your routine with cleansing that does not further disrupt the protective barrier – a gentle Hydrain Creamy Cleansing Gel for dry skin works well, cleansing without a feeling of tightness. Next, reach for the Hydrain Moisturizing Physiotoner with hyaluronic acid and trehalose – in consumer tests, 93% of participants confirmed their skin was intensely hydrated after use, and 97% said the product did not cause tightness or dryness.

The next step is the Hydrain Hydrating Serum for Face, Neck and Décolletage with a hyaluronic acid complex, ceramides and trehalose – an instrumental study showed an 87% increase in skin hydration just 2 hours after application, with the hydrating effect lasting up to 72 hours. For daytime, the Hydrain Ultra-hydrating Cream-Gel is a good choice (80% increase in hydration after 24 hours) or, for more demanding skin, the Hydrain Deep Moisturising Cream, which in an instrumental study increased skin hydration after just a single application. In the evening, support regeneration with the Hydrain Night Cream – after 4 weeks of use in a clinical study, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was reduced by 27%. The delicate eye area, where the skin is thinnest, deserves extra care with the Hydrain Under-Eye Cream – in tests, 100% of participants confirmed intense hydration of the area after a month of use.

How to care for dry skin on the body?

The skin on the body, especially around the elbows, knees and shins, may be even more prone to dryness and roughness than facial skin. This is where the Hydrain Ultra-hydrating Body Butter comes in – in a questionnaire study, 100% of participants confirmed after two weeks of use that their skin was hydrated for a long time and in good condition, and that the driest areas (elbows, heels) became less prone to cracking and roughness. It is also worth using Dermedic Thermal Water – in a clinical study involving 100 people, its regular use (in the form of baths) combined with skincare products reduced dry skin symptoms on the SRRC scale by 80% and itching on the VAS scale by 77%.

How to restore dry skin step by step?

Restoring dry skin is a process that requires consistency, but the first results – greater comfort and softer skin – are usually visible within a few days.

• Gentle cleansing – morning and evening, with a soap-free and alcohol-free product and lukewarm (not hot) water.
• Toning – a physiotoner restores the skin’s proper pH and prepares it for the next steps.
• Hydration – a serum with hyaluronic acid replenishes water in the epidermis.
• Rebuilding the lipid barrier – a cream with moisturising and emollient ingredients locks water into the skin and protects it from loss.
• Daytime protection – a cream with SPF protects the weakened barrier from further drying caused by UV radiation.
• Overnight regeneration – the richer formula of a night cream supports the skin’s natural renewal processes during sleep.

Assess the results after 2–4 weeks of regular use – this is the time the skin needs to rebuild its protective barrier and complete a full epidermal renewal cycle.

Dry skin vs dehydrated skin

Dry skin and dehydrated skin are two different concepts, although they are often confused. Dry skin is a skin type. It can result from individual, including genetic, predispositions, but also from external factors or age-related changes. It is associated, among other things, with impaired epidermal barrier function, an abnormal lipid composition of the stratum corneum and a reduced ability of the skin to retain water. Dehydration, on the other hand, means reduced water content in the stratum corneum and may be temporary. It can affect any skin type, including oily and combination skin. Telling these two conditions apart is important, because they also require different care.

FAQ – frequently asked questions about dry skin

Is dry skin a disease or just a skin type?

Dry skin in itself is a skin type, not a disease – it is a genetically determined trait associated with lower sebaceous gland activity. However, if dryness is accompanied by severe itching, redness, cracked skin or changes that persist despite intensive moisturising, it is worth consulting a dermatologist – it may be a symptom of atopic dermatitis or another skin condition.

How can diet and supplements support dry skin?

The condition of your skin depends not only on external care, but also on what happens “on the inside” – your diet and daily habits. A diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. from oily sea fish and flaxseed oil) and adequate hydration support the proper function of the skin’s lipid barrier [10], although, according to research, simply drinking more water has a limited effect on skin hydration in people who are already well hydrated [9]. Well-chosen skincare, a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle all matter for the condition of your skin – they are two complementary pillars, not alternatives.

What to do when dry skin itches?

Itching that accompanies dry skin may be linked to impaired epidermal barrier function. First of all, wash less often, avoid long hot baths and irritating products, and moisturise the skin intensively with products containing urea, allantoin and thermal water, which soothe irritation and reduce the feeling of itchiness. If the itching is severe, recurring or accompanied by skin inflammation, consult a dermatologist.

References