In this article:
How moisturisers help dry skin
Best moisturising skin care ingredients for dry skin
Avoid these moisturiser ingredients if you have dry skin
The best Paula’s Choice Skincare moisturisers for dry skin
Daytime moisturisers for dry skin
Nighttime moisturisers for dry skin
Intensive solutions for very dry skin
For those out there with dry skin that can feel tight or appear flaky, you know to reach for moisturiser when your skin’s parched. But not all moisturisers are created equal and some that claim to renew dry skin might actually make it worse.
So how do you know which moisturiser to choose to make sure you’re getting the skin-drenching hydration you need? We’re here to let you know why a good moisturiser matters for dry skin – and how to find one.
How moisturisers help dry skin
The first step in finding the best face cream for dry skin is knowing how moisturiser helps dry skin. This skin type isn’t a temporary or seasonal condition (like dehydrated skin can be), rather it’s skin that produces less sebum (oil) than normal or oily skin. You can learn more about this in our guide to dry, flaky skin.
Dry skin is also more likely to experience trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) than other skin types (1). TEWL, or the evaporation of moisture from skin to the surrounding environment, can result in a compromised skin barrier, leading to even more moisture deficiencies. You can even experience targeted areas of dryness, including around the eyes and on lips. Moisturisers help combat TEWL and restore ceramides (lipids that make up most of skin’s surface) and fatty acids to more normal levels for softer, more comfortable-feeling and more supple skin (2).
Best moisturising skin care ingredients for dry skin
Moisturisers for dry skin are only as good as the ingredients in them. It’s crucial to select the best hydrating skin care ingredients to get the biggest bang for your buck when seeking out your ideal face cream.
These ingredients fall into three rough categories: occlusives, emollients and humectants. Occlusives create a protective barrier above skin’s surface, shielding it from moisture loss. Emollients, wax-like lubricants, have a softening and soothing effect on skin and humectants draw water into skin and help keep moisture levels balanced.
Here are some specific examples of some key moisture-boosting ingredients to keep an eye out for:
- Hyaluronic acid: capable of holding up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, this humectant is an excellent restoring and hydrating ingredient for all skin types.
- Ceramides: as touched on above, these long chains of fatty acids are essential to skin hydration, as they make up 50% of the composition of healthy skin.
- Non-fragrant plant oils: including such skin care superstars as coconut oil and grape seed oil, these provide rich, essential hydration in addition to antioxidant protection against environmental stressors.
- Non-fragrant plant butters: shea butter and cocoa butter are just two examples of these thicker, richer, emollient ingredients ideal for very dry skin.
- Omega fatty acids: these reinforce skin’s surface layers, helping defend against moisture loss for smoother skin.
- Peptides: these fragments of proteins are building blocks of skin that help nourish and condition it to behave in a healthier manner.
These are just a few examples of numerous good-for-you ingredients that can quench skin, no matter how dry it is!
Avoid these moisturiser ingredients if you have dry skin
Unfortunately, there are many ingredients you need to steer clear of if you’re looking to soothe dry, flaky skin. Fragrance – no matter how wonderful it smells or if it’s natural or synthetic – doesn't do dry skin any favours. It can cause sensitisation, resulting in drier, more sensitised and reddened skin (3).
Essential oils are another ingredient category to avoid. They might seem like a great option for dry skin because of their often-emollient nature, but their volatile properties are a must-avoid. Like fragrance, essential oils can cause sensitising reactions that do barrier damage, making dry skin worse.
High amounts of drying alcohols are also a problem. SD and denatured alcohols can actually deplete the lipids in your skin, the last thing you want if you’re struggling with dryness (4)! Don’t confuse these harsh alcohols with fatty alcohols, such as stearyl, cetearyl and cetyl alcohols, that benefit dry skin because of their emollient nature.
The best Paula’s Choice Skincare moisturisers for dry skin
Paula’s Choice Skincare knows from years of in-depth research that dry skin of any age needs these key elements— emollients, antioxidants, skin-restoring and skin-replenishing ingredients—to soften, restore hydration, and prevent moisture loss. All our moisturisers are created with these beneficial ingredients in mind, but here are the ones designed specifically to address the concerns of dry skin:
Daytime moisturisers for dry skin
If you’ve ever experienced a sunburn (like so many of us have!) you know that getting one just makes dry skin feel even more miserable. Therefore, it’s critically important to wear moisturising sunscreen every day to keep your dry skin protected and smooth. Paula’s Choice has a variety of moisturisers that help offer sun protection for dry skin:
SKIN RECOVERY Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 15
- Ideal for: Dry skin prone to flakiness
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, apricot kernel oil
- This rich cream reconditions dry skin with replenishing ingredients and tackles flakiness while helping to protect skin from pro-ageing external agents.
RESIST Skin Restoring Moisturizer with SPF 15
- Ideal for: Dry skin showing signs of ageing
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, niacinamide
- Boost skin’s anti-ageing defence with this emollient-packed luxurious, hydrating cream that helps fight visible discolourations.
DEFENSE Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 15
- Ideal for: Dull skin
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Actinidia chinensis (kiwi) fruit extract, Argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil
- Get your glow back with this illuminating, glow-boosting daytime moisturiser that defends against daily environmental damage.
Nighttime moisturisers for dry skin
Applying a nighttime moisture to restore hydration while your skin is having some down time is a great way to wake up in the morning with smooth, supple skin. Here are some moisturisers to help you do that:
SKIN RECOVERY Replenishing Moisturizer
- Ideal for: Dry, flaky skin
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, palmitoyl tripeptide-1
- This luxurious cream delivers instant and lasting hydration and minimises the appearance of wrinkles.
CALM Rescue & Repair Intensive Moisturizer
- Ideal for: Dry, sensitive skin
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, alpha-glucan oligosaccharide
- This soothing moisturiser delivers hydration and helps tackle and sensitivity while protecting skin’s barrier.
Intensive solutions for very dry skin
If you have very dry skin—whether because it’s your skin type or the result of a drier climate or a change in the weather—that’s when it’s time to call in the big guns. These are our richest moisturisers, designed to soothe super-dry, flaky skin:
CLINICAL Ultra-Rich Moisturizer
- Ideal for: Dry, dehydrated skin
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil
- This velvety-smooth moisturiser plumps skin while improving rough texture.
- Ideal for: Very dry skin with signs of ageing
- Texture: Cream
- Key ingredients: Retinol, ceramide NS
- This ultra-creamy hydrator features anti-ageing superstar retinol to improve skin’s texture and smoothness.
- Ideal for: Dull, flaky skin
- Texture: Liquid
- Key ingredients: Borage seed oil, cranberry seed oil
- This blend of nine non-fragrant plant oils delivers fast and intense moisture for even the driest skin. Add this to your nighttime moisturiser or apply on its own.
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References for this information:
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, August 2024, pages 191-200
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, April 2021, pages 1-80
- Allergologie Select, August 2017, pages 1190-199
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, April 2017, pages 188-196
