In this article:
Is it possible to have dry skin and blemishes?
How to treat dry and blemish-prone skin
Fight blemishes with the best blemish treatment for dry skin
Caring for dry, blemish-prone skin requires a unique approach that nourishes skin while clearing up blemishes gently. Finding the right products that can help tackle dry, blemish-prone skin can result in beautifully smooth, clear, and hydrated skin.
Is it possible to have dry skin and blemishes?
Though most people associate having blemishes with oily skin, it is possible to have dry skin and blemishes too, though only a small percentage of people fall into that category (3). For those few with dry skin and blemishes, it’s an infuriating struggle.
Trying to find a moisturiser that addresses the needs of dry skin without clogging pores and causing more blemishes is hard enough. Then there’s the issue that products that control blemishes often make dry skin even drier. It can be a real dilemma when shopping for skin care products.
Note: if your skin feels tight and dry, yet also oily and prone to blemishes at the same time, you’re struggling with dehydrated skin and blemishes, which is very different from dry skin and blemishes. Dehydration is typically triggered by using the wrong skin care products, such as overly drying cleansers or harsh ingredients like denatured alcohol, mint, menthol, eucalyptus, and lemon.
If your skin feels flaky and tight after washing – even when using gentle products and proper moisturisers – that means you have dry skin.
How to treat dry and blemish-prone skin
Once you’ve determined that your skin is dry (not dehydrated) and you've ensured that your skin care routine is free of aggravating factors, you can focus on the gentle yet effective ways to get your dry skin and blemishes under control. The following are our expert recommendations.
Every product in your routine should be gentle and respect the skin's microbiome. The microbiome plays a critical role in skin’s defences and overall health; disrupting it can make all skin concerns, including blemishes, worse.
Start with a soothing cleanser and toner duo, like you’ll find in our CALM line, specifically developed to tackle redness, to leave skin cleansed thoroughly, yet replenished and soft (4).
Bring in the rainmakers with a gentle BHA (beta hydroxy acid) exfoliant to unclog pores. Our SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant has a light lotion texture that softens and hydrates as it gently and naturally exfoliates. The non-drying exfoliation clears pores deeply and reveals bump-free, smooth-looking skin. A leave-on BHA exfoliant also reduces the appearance of those hard, tiny, white bumps on the cheeks and face, and is even suitable for skin prone to milia.
Fight blemishes with the best blemish treatment for dry skin
Stop blemishes before they begin with benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide is a powerhouse ingredient for preventing blemish eruptions before they happen (1). Use it consistently in your blemish-prone areas, give it a couple of weeks, and you will see what we mean! Higher concentrations, particularly 10%, can be drying for many people, so we strongly recommend starting with a 2.5% concentration, and see how your skin responds. As you monitor your skin’s response, you can slowly increase the percentage of benzoyl peroxide, if needed, for blemishes.
Find the perfect balance in a moisturiser and/or serum. This is admittedly the tricky part. You want a moisturiser and/or serum that contains rejuvenating and skin-renewing ingredients but is also hydrating enough to quench dry skin. It also needs to be less emollient than a standard cream moisturiser, so it doesn’t clog pores and amplify blemishes. While it may take some experimenting, here are a few of our suggestions, starting with the lightest texture option in each category first.
Daytime moisturisers with SPF (you simply can’t take care of any skin type and overlook this fundamental skin care step):
- RESIST Youth-Extending Daily Fluid SPF 15 (lightweight, fluid formula loaded with key antioxidants)
- CALM Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15 (lightweight, non-greasy soft cream formula leverages gentle mineral-based sunscreen with the soothing power of allantoin and Centella asiatica to help tackle the visual signs of sensitive, irritated skin while protecting from UV rays)
Nighttime moisturisers:
- RESIST Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator (one-of-a-kind, anti-ageing gel-lotion hybrid that lightly moisturises skin)
- RESIST Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer (moisturising cream that nourishes skin’s barrier with calming ceramides and fatty acids )
Serums:
- CALM Repairing Serum (non-greasy, lightly hydrating, antioxidant-enriched formula smooths over skin)
- RESIST Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum (velvety serum blends pure retinol and potent antioxidants to leave skin feeling silky and soft
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References for this information:
- Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, May 2021, pages 687–701
- Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, November 2020, pages 1,069–1,075
- Sumatera Medical Journal, Volume 3, January 2020, ePublication
- Dermatologic Clinics, April 2016, pages 133–145
- Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, February 2013, pages 18–24
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, August 2012, pages 1–6
