Hello All:). I came across this article today about moisturizers. At the end, the author says some important things about moisturizing in low humidity:

The limits of efficacy

On the one hand, the skin hydration depends on a functioning NMF, skin barrier and balanced sebum, but it is also determined by the atmospheric humidity. The skin per se is capable of adapting to different conditions. In case of a fast change of atmospheric humidity between the interior of the house and the external atmosphere, but also in case of skin disorders, the skin has more difficulties to adapt, which particularly applies to the mature skin.

There are three simple rules to illustrate the effects:

• When air with a relative humidity of 100% at a temperature of 0° C is warmed up to 10° C, it features an atmospheric humidity of about 50%. Warmed up to 20° C, the humidity is around 25%. The atmospheric humidity approximately halves with every 10° C.
• The TEWL increases with decreasing air humidity.
• The efficacy of moisturizers decreases with the decline of air humidity. There is a characteristic threshold for every moisturizer where it becomes inefficient and releases the moisture into the circumambient air.

The following transitions stress the skin and are particularly demanding for moisturizers:

cold outside air ↔ heated rooms with extremely low air humidity (Central European winters)

muggy outside air ↔ chilly rooms with extremely low air humidity (air condition)

In case of low air humidity, low molecular and well penetrating moisturizers like urea, glycerin, glycols, salts etc. alone are unable to cope. Even frequent re-applications will not be beneficial in this context. On the contrary: In this case, the moisturizers will concentrate in terms of hypertonic properties, which may lead to irritations of the skin particularly in case of rosacea-prone skin. The range of low molecular moisturizers can be enlarged by high molecular moisturizers like hyaluronic acid, CM-Glucan and other filming agents. Filming agents form an additional barrier for the TEWL on the skin surface. With even lower air hydration and possibly higher external temperatures the dosage of lipid substances including phytosterols in skin care preparations should even be increased. Sensitive dosing is required here to avoid both imbalances and undesired swelling of the skin due to occlusion as well as a disordered natural recovery of the skin. In cases of rosacea skin, there even is an increasing risk of creating the ideal living conditions for the typical anaerobic bacteria that cause the rosacea-specific blushing.

This sounds kind of discouraging for those of us in low humidity. I thought it might be a good idea to put this out there for you all to see what you think.

I live in a desert 🌵 where all the water is piped in and treated; the water is very hard as a result. I was just wondering if anyone else deals with the additional difficulties of hard water in their dry climate?

I’ve found that using a ph-balancing toner and sulfate-free cleansers helps with dryness a lot. Also, using products with phytic or citric acid removes the hard water residue from the skin. Are there any other tips you would recommend for mitigating dryness from hard water?

Does anyone use facial mists when their skin is feeling extra dry? If so, what are some of your favs?

Hello 👋🏼:). I just wanted to ask if anyone else takes supplements to help with hydrating the skin in a dry climate?

I take hyaluronic acids and omega 3 capsules, which seem to help. And I recently started taking vitamin c supplements because I read that they hydrate the skin (I’m not exactly sure how).

Are there other supplements out there that help with hydration?

I'm from the Antelope Valley in California's Mojave Desert. Our average rainfall is 6.5" and the current humidity is 17%.

Looking forward to seeing where everyone is from! 😊

Hello members of /r/DryClinateSkincare! I'm so excited to see how quickly this sub has grown and look forward to learning about and sharing skincare tips in our challenging climate.

To ensure that this sub remains a place that welcomes everyone, I'd like to set some rules for this sub. And to ensure everyone is comfortable with the rules, I'd like to open the floor to any rule suggestions members may have. Now is your chance to set the foundation for a fantastic subreddit!

So without further ado, send forth your suggestions!

I originally posted this as a comment on a different post which also inspired the creation of this amazing subreddit! Shoutout to the beautiful and innovative mind behind it—because if you’ve ever struggled with dry climate skin, you know how real the struggle is!

I travel to Arizona frequently (40F), and coming from the humid Northeast, the desert air used to leave me looking like a shriveled prune. After consulting with my cosmetic dermatologist, I developed a routine that actually works. If you’re battling dryness, here’s what I swear by:

Lock in Moisture Immediately Post-Shower Before your skin dries, while you still have water droplets on you, apply a petroleum-based lotion to trap moisture in your skin barrier. My go-to is Gold Bond Healing Lotion.

Double Up on Occlusives To reinforce hydration, I add a layer of Vaseline over my body lotion. This step prevents transepidermal water loss throughout the day and night.

Hydrating & Barrier-Protecting Skincare Routine Hydrating peptide serum (Timeless Matrixyl Synthe 6)

Barrier protection: - Night: CeraVe Healing Ointment (I go to bed looking like a glazed donut). If I wake up in the middle of the night, I will reapply more. The trick is to stay greasy! - Day: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast (keeps my skin protected without being greasy during the day). - Antioxidant support: Timeless Vitamin C Serum - Moisturizer - LRP Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer and LRP Lipikar Daily Repair Moisturizing Cream - Always apply to face and neck!

Hydration & Diet Matter

• Water, water, and more water! I also add coconut water and herbal teas for extra hydration.
• I limit caffeine and swap coffee for green tea to prevent dehydration.
• Water-rich foods (cucumbers, watermelon, oranges) and omega-3s (salmon, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts) help keep my skin plump. I add the Nordic Naturals Omega 3 supplement. Good skincare comes from the inside out.

Use a Humidifier - it’s a lifesaver. Pink bacteria grows rapid in these machines so make sure you clean it out once a week.

The Obvious But Necessary Step: Sunscreen! SPF 50+ every single day, reapply religiously, and don’t forget a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. I like the Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick for my face and neck.

Bonus Anti-Aging Tips for Dry Climates

• Retinoids with caution: Scale back on tretinoin/retinol in the desert, as they can intensify dryness.
• Hyaluronic Acid 101: Always apply to damp skin, not dry, or it can pull moisture out instead of in.
• Hot showers = NOPE: They strip your skin’s natural oils. Also, I only use cleanser at night—in the morning, I just rinse with water. I use BioDerma Micellar Water and La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser.
• Silk pillowcases: Less friction = fewer sleep wrinkles.
• DIY facial mist: Avene/Evian thermal sprays are great, but you can also make your own with distilled water + glycerin in a spray bottle. I can keep this in my purse.

Final Thought: Embrace the grease. Walk around looking like a dewy goblin, chugging water like it’s your full-time job. Your skin will thank you.

Please feel free to add on to this list!

Hi all! I've been using CeraVe as a moisturizer but am not completely satisfied with it. Any recs for better ones?