What lotion is good for dry skin on face

Keep your skin hydrated and nourished with the best moisturizers for dry skin

If the thought of dryness, itchiness, tightness, flakey skin, irritation and rough patches makes you anxious, you have dry skin. As it is exactly how your skin feels all the time, it needs proper care right away. Ask us what’s one of the best ways to do that and we’d say using a moisturizer that’s specifically meant for your skin.

While every skin needs to be moisturised daily, dry and extremely dry skin just cannot do without it. No matter what serums and essences you incorporate in your skin care routine, nothing can replace a rich, nourishing moisturizer and honestly, nothing ideally should. An intensely hydrating moisturizer is like food for dry skin, which is essential for its health and youthfulness. And picking one that’s right for your skin is where it all begins.

How to choose the best moisturizer for dry skin?

A great moisturizer for dry skin usually has a milk or cream-based texture that’s highly nourishing (unlike gel or water-based ones meant for oily and acne-prone skin). But, they do not feel uncomfortable on the skin and are non-sticky and quick-absorbing. Look for hydrating ingredients such as moisture-attracting and hydrating humectants (hyaluronic acid, urea, glycerin), moisturising occlusives (lanolin, petrolatum, argan oil, jojoba oil) and nourishing and skin smoothing emollients (coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, palm oil, essential fatty acids).

Additionally, you can also look for other essential ingredients like barrier-repairing ceramides, vitamins C and E, aloe vera and honey. For instance, Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume (Buy for Rs 1,357 on Amazon) is one of the best dry skin moisturisers in the market. Rich in ceramides, The Face Shop Rice & Ceramide Moisturizing Emulsion (Buy for Rs 820 on Amazon) works amazingly well if you have a compromised skin barrier.

If you have extremely dry and sensitive skin, ensure that your moisturizer is not formulated with harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances and dyes or alcohol as they can further worsen your skin’s condition.

Guide on choosing the best moisturizer for every skin type.

How to use a moisturizer for dry skin?

You should always use a moisturizer on a cleansed face, both in the morning and for the night skin care routine. After you’ve washed your face with a face wash, apply the toner and all the serums that you usually do. Then scoop out a sufficient amount of the moisturizer on your palm and apply it generously all over your face and neck.

Gently massage in circular motions until it is fully absorbed and follow it up with a sunscreen (for the morning skin care routine).

Take a pick from some of the best moisturizers for dry skin

(Main Image Courtesy: Shvets Production/Pexels ; Featured Image Courtesy: Polina Kovaleva/Pexels)

1 /10

Providing deep and intense moisturisation to treat roughness, dryness and flakiness is what the Minimalist Marula Oil 05% Moisurizer does. While the marula oil content softens, nourishes and revitalises the skin, hydrators like hyaluronic acid, saccharide isomerate and glycerin leaves the skin feeling moisturised. It also contains vitamins E and F that repair the skin’s disturbed lipid barrier. It does not have any essential oils in its make, is fragrance free and non-comedogenic as well.

Rating: 4.4/5

Image: Courtesy Minimalist

2 /10

Designed to provide immediate and long-lasting relief from extreme dryness, the Cetaphil moisturising cream replenishes even the driest skin. It’s a rich fragrance-free moisturizer that contains vitamin E and sweet almond oil leaving the skin feeling soft, hydrated and nourished. It also has a unique HELO System (humectant, emollients, lipids, occlusive) that helps bind water to the skin to prevent moisture loss. It’s a non-greasy formulation that gets absorbed immediately into the skin without clogging pores.

Rating: 4.5/5

Image: Courtesy Cetaphil

3 /10

The CoCo Nourishing Cold Cream by Mamaearth is one of the best moisturizers for dry skin in winter. It is brewed with the goodness of vitamin E and coffee to nourish your skin deeply. It also contains emollients like almond oil and coconut oil to keep your skin feeling buttery soft with moisture sealed in properly. It’s an absolutely lightweight formulation that gets absorbed instantly without leaving any stickiness or heaviness behind.

Rating: 4.4/5

Image: Courtesy Mamaearth

4 /10

Say goodbye to dry and flaky skin with this cream-based aloe vera moisturizer for dry skin that boosts your skin’s health with its nourishing ingredients. A 100 percent vegan product, it has a light texture that gets absorbed into your skin easily, leaving it feeling hydrated, soft and supple. It is formulated without any harsh toxins and is ideal for normal, dry, very dry and sensitive skin.

Rating: 4.3/5

Image: Courtesy Plum

5 /10

Concocted with jasmine, licorice, rosehip oil, hibiscus and cocoa butter, the Restore Skin Brightening & Repairing Balm by RAS Luxury Oils does more than just giving you a hydrated skin. With a salve-like texture, this face moisturizer repairs and strengthens the skin’s barrier and fights pigmentation. It heals and soothes rough, inflamed dry skin whilst providing long-lasting hydration and can also be used as a night cream. To top it off, this moisturizer for dry skin also helps in reviving dull skin leaving it with a glowy finish.

Rating: 4.6/5

Image: Courtesy RAS Luxury Oils

6 /10

Ideal for irritated, dry and extremely dry skin and recognised by the National Eczema Association, the Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baum is one of the best moisturizers for dry skin. It is an ultra-nourishing moisturizer that provides comfort to the skin instantly, strengthens it durably and can be used on both face and body by babies, kids and adults alike. It has a non-sticky formula that seeps deep into your skin easily.

Rating: 4.5/5

Image: Courtesy Bioderma

7 /10

The Rice & Ceramide Moisturizing Emulsion by The Face Shop is a good moisturizer for dry skin that treats rough patches and maintains the skin barrier due to the presence of ceramides. Whereas, the rice extracts reduces the appearance of freckles, dark spots and hyperpigmentation thereby, improving the skin’s texture. It’s a lightweight formulation that helps the skin retain moisture and provides a radiant and bright complexion.

Rating: 4.4/5

Image: Courtesy The Face Shop

8 /10

This face moisturizer for dry skin by The Derma Co is a highly nourishing and hydrating cream that’s formulated with lactic acid, argan oil and vitamin E. It quite literally nurtures flaky skin and calms and fortifies dry and sensitive skin with its quick-absorbing, non-greasy formula. In fact, it is also suitable for people with normal and combination skin types.

Rating: 4.3/5

Image: Courtesy The Derma Co

9 /10

Lending you with a soft and supple skin while restoring its natural pH balance is the Fixderma Moisturizing Cream that has a rich yet non-greasy formula. Its key ingredients include allantoin, urea, lactic acid, aloe vera extract and almond oil to provide intensive moisturisation and lubrication to the skin. It also helps rid the skin of extreme dryness and flakiness.

Rating: 5/5

Image: Courtesy Fixderma

10 /10

The PhysioLift Day Smoothing Cream is a rich formulation that’s designed with a patented combination of ingredients that help in visibly reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It also plumps the skin for a firmer and a younger look while providing antioxidant protection that aids in fighting free radicals. It also has the Avène Thermal Spring Water and hyaluronic acid as some of its key components. It has a pearlescent creamy texture that leaves your dry skin feeling supple, smooth and lustrous.

Rating: 4/5

Image: Courtesy Avène

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: Is moisturising good for dry skin?

Answer: No matter what your skin type is, moisturising is an essential and unskippable part of a skin care routine, especially for dry and very dry skin.

Question: Is coconut oil good for dry skin?

Answer: Yes, coconut oil is great for dry skin as it is an emollient that’s known to have moisturising properties. Additionally, it also helps in repairing the damaged skin barrier while promoting healing owing to its antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties.

Question: How many times should I moisturise my dry skin every day?

Answer: It is recommended to moisturise your skin twice every day. Use it post cleansing during your morning and night time skin care routines.

Question: What is the best natural moisturiser for dry skin?

Answer: Some of the best natural moisturisers for dry skin include coconut oil, aloe vera, honey, almond oil, sunflower seed oil and avocado oil.

Divya Arora

With an academic background in Public Relations, Divya has a flair for writing about topics spanning genres like lifestyle, beauty, fashion, travel, FnB, tech and entertainment. She fancies everything that's a wholesome blend of contemporary finery and timelessness. Quirky earrings and tees are her weakness. When not creating content, you will find her devouring food, snuggling in with a book and a cup-a-chai, admiring skies or revisiting Hogwarts.

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