What’s the skin concern that worries you most these days?
My main problem is dry, dull skin. With the end of summer and the arrival of cooler temperatures, my skin has started to feel tight more easily and to look drier.
With even colder, drier months ahead, today I want to talk about the causes of dry, rough skin, how to take care of it, the ingredients to look for in moisturising products and, finally, a product I’m using at the moment.
Why does skin tend to get drier in autumn and winter?
In autumn and winter, lower temperatures and drier air can encourage greater water loss from the skin, making it drier. In addition, as temperatures drop, sebum production can decrease and the lipid component that helps protect the skin can also be reduced.
Washing your face with water that’s too hot, using cleansers that are too harsh or exfoliating too often can also make your skin feel drier and tighter.
That’s why, when your skin looks dry and rough, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to exfoliate it or simply apply more moisturising products.
Here’s what to check!
- If your skin feels tight right after cleansing → first check how you cleanse your face and how you’re replenishing hydration.
- If your skin looks rough and your make-up tends to settle into lines or create dry patches → it can help to combine hydration with products that help make the skin’s surface softer.
- If your skin gets dry again shortly after applying a moisturising product → besides ingredients that help provide hydration, also look for emollient ingredients that help limit water loss.
If, like me, your skin tends to become rough and dry when the seasons change, paying attention to the hydration step can make a difference.
How to take care of dry, rough skin?
To take care of your skin, it’s important to cleanse your face gently with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser, and to apply moisturising products in several steps.
1. Cleanse your face the right way
Washing your face with water that’s too hot or using cleansing products that are too harsh can make your skin feel drier and tighter. That’s why it’s better to use lukewarm water and a mild cleanser suited to your skin.
In particular, if your skin feels very “taut” or overly stripped after cleansing, it may be worth reviewing your cleansing method.
2. Moisturise right after cleansing
After washing your face, it’s best to apply moisturising products before your skin starts to feel dry.
After a toner or an essence to add hydration, you can add a serum or a cream, depending on what your skin needs.
3. Layer your moisturising products
Try layering products according to your skin’s needs.
After cleansing, apply a toner to prep the skin, then a serum or an essence for more targeted hydration and, finally, a cream or an oil-based product to help lock in hydration.
Which ingredients to look for for dry, rough skin?
When you choose a product for dry skin, don’t just look at the word “hydration”, but also at how its ingredients help keep the skin hydrated.
For example, hyaluronic acid and glycerin are well-known humectant ingredients that help maintain the skin’s hydration. Ingredients such as ceramides, on the other hand, are lipids naturally present in the skin barrier and are widely used in products designed to support it.
One of the ingredients I personally choose when looking for a moisturising product for the change of season is squalane.
To improve the look of dry, rough skin, in fact, simply adding hydration isn’t enough: it’s also important to help the skin retain water and protect its surface. Squalane can be useful precisely as an emollient ingredient that helps keep the skin soft and comfortable.
What is squalane and why can it be useful for dry, rough skin?
Squalane is an ingredient used in skincare products mainly as an emollient.
Emollients help make the skin’s surface softer and more supple, improving the feeling of dryness and roughness.
Squalane is an ingredient used in cosmetics as an emollient and can help make the skin’s surface softer and more supple. In addition, the moisturising and emollient properties of squalane have also been reported in previous studies.
For this reason, it’s more accurate to think of squalane not as a humectant that “draws in” water, like hyaluronic acid, but as a lipid-based emollient that helps improve the softness and elasticity of the skin’s surface.
My experience with a squalane cream
Since summer ended, my skin has started to feel drier and rougher than usual, so lately I’ve often been using a cream containing squalane.
On Piyonna I also found the product I’m using myself
: BINSOON Squalane Intensive Moisture Cream.
The ingredients that caught my attention most are squalane, hyaluronic acid and panthenol.
Squalane is used as an emollient to help make the skin softer and more supple, while hyaluronic acid is a well-known hydrating ingredient. Panthenol is also an ingredient commonly used in skincare products to help keep the skin comfortable.
The formula also contains several forms of hyaluronic acid.
Which skin type might it suit?
If you have combination skin, with a T-zone that gets shiny easily but cheeks or chin that feel drier and tighter, or if you don’t like the sticky feeling some moisturising products can leave on the skin, this type of cream may be an option worth considering.
What I liked most about this cream is the balance between hydration and texture.
When our skin is dry, it doesn’t necessarily mean we always want to use a very rich, heavy cream, right?
The product description also recommends it for skin that can look oilier on the surface but feel dry and tight, and for anyone looking for hydration without an overly sticky feel.
My experience
I started using this cream when, with the arrival of cooler temperatures, my skin began to feel drier and rougher than usual.
What’s the texture like?
The texture is soft and spreads easily. When I use it, I feel it gives good hydration without being too heavy or overly sticky.
Especially in the evening, when I apply a slightly more generous amount before going to bed, my skin feels softer in the morning.
So for me it’s a cream I find particularly suited to the change of season, when a cream that’s too rich can feel like too much.
In the morning I apply a thin layer as the last step of my skincare, while in the evening, when my skin feels drier, I use a larger amount.
And how does it feel on the skin?
I used it mainly during periods when my skin felt tight and its surface looked rougher.
When I apply enough cream in the evening, my skin feels softer the next morning.
On the driest days, that rough, uncomfortable skin feeling really bothered me. Using it consistently, I had the feeling that my skin stayed more comfortable and hydrated.
For me it’s an ideal cream for those days when “a very rich, nourishing cream would be too much, but a simple moisturiser wouldn’t be enough”.
How do I use it?
A simple at-home moisturising routine for dry skin
Step 1. Gentle cleansing
Cleanse your face morning and evening with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser.
Step 2. Hydration with squalane
After cleansing, apply toner and essence and finish your routine with a squalane cream, to help maintain your skin’s hydration.
Step 3. Hydrating mist
When your skin feels dry during the day, you can spritz on a hydrating mist.
Tip. Adjust the amount to your skin’s condition
Normally I apply a thin layer of cream as my daily moisturiser. On days when my skin looks particularly dry, however, I apply a slightly more generous amount and use it as a kind of overnight mask.
If, like me, your skin often gets dry and rough when the seasons change, check out this product on Piyonna!
Piyonna Global Beauty Supporters - Fiori · Jion Kim
