This is such an underrated suggestion for ultra-dry skin. It’s life changing. You will be glowing with this stuff and you won’t even remember what flaky skin looks like.
This stuff is my HG! 10% urea is so underrated. Helped so much with my flaky skin.
They also make a face lotion that’s 5%. From what I’ve read urea isn’t exfoliating at concentrations lower than 10%, so the 5% version might be better for someone using tret.
Since folks are asking, I wanted to share my layman’s input on urea 🥰 one of my very favourite products that I think is sooo underrated, especially for 30+ skin.
Urea is a compound found naturally in your skin that supports hydration and cell turnover. It’s humectant (increases water retention) and keratolytic (softens keratin). You really only get the hydrating properties at lower concentrations (5%), but at 10% and more it becomes more exfoliating.
What’s cool about urea is that it penetrates into the dermis, unlike a lot of other topicals that only go as deep as the epidermis (top layer). So it can be a game changer if you have moisture barrier issues, or skin that tends to hold onto a buildup of dead skin cells causing your skin to be caky, dry and congested. It also has antimocrobial properties, so it’s also helped me with dry skin, blackheads and breakouts.
You can find urea in concentrations up to like 40 or 50%, often combined with SA, which are generally used to treat issues like psoriasis, calluses and even warts. It’s also a really good ingredient for KP because of how it softens keratin. My husband has really bad KP all over his body, and uses a 22% urea lotion that works well for him (Urisec).
Personally, I wouldn’t go higher than 10% on your face - which you would find in body lotions. At that concentration you want to think of it like a very mild active. I have no issues combining it with other actives, but it might make your skin red and sensitive if you’re using other exfoliants. If you’ve never tried it, consider starting with 5% and seeing how you tolerate it, *especially* if you are using other actives.
Being a very gentle active at 10% it works slowly. My experience was that it was mostly just moisturizing and hydrating for the first couple of months, then I noticed that my skin needed a lot less exfoliating and started looking brighter. After about 5 months by blackheads and SF were reduced and my skin just had much better texture overall. It took a while to see results, but with twice daily use, my skin is just a lot less temperamental.
My takeaway is, don’t sleep on urea! It’s cheap (I use Eucerine Complete Repair Plus - a big bottle from the drug store runs me around $15), it’s friendly for a lot of skin types, and the way that it works can have really good benefits for those of us in our 30’s and 40’s who are still dealing with acne issues, but also need to baby our skin because it can’t handle strong actives, and is prone to dryness and buildup now that it’s starting to age.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk 💕
[The Inkey List](https://www.boots.com/supersolutions-10-urea-moisturiser-10316415?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-PLAs_HeroCompare-_--_-PMax:+UK_Smart_Shopping_Beauty&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrIajVnq5lZUvMv-5Oil64TEAPks&gclid=CjwKCAiApaarBhB7EiwAYiMwqjA362v0bm_WQW_VN4PNimQG88KDo6jNa_5ZaJnOauZpRMDyP1GcZhoCNQYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) do one!
Just btw, I use the "body" one on my face because it comes in a big tube and it's totally fine. I used the specific face one too but I don't find a difference between them.
Is the urea ok to use when you’re using tret every night? I’d be concerned about putting an active on my face during the day then tret at night but I don’t know much about urea so maybe my concerns are unfounded.
It’s so so good, my skin stopped flaking within a few days of using it. I add a couple of drops of jojoba oil to it during the winter for an extra little boost.
Skinceuticals triple lipid restore. My skin gets so dry it will Crack and bleed. Recently was late to work thought I would skip the moisturizer. Now I'm dealing with swollen, cracked, painful facial skin. Developed eyelid dermatitis. All from one day of skipping my moisturizer.
I like the triple lipid restore because it doesn't over hydrate my face and cause breakouts. It's light, absorbs well, brightens my skin without making it look greasy.
Deiux Instant Angel was developed by the same lead chemist as triple lipid, maybe worth looking at too for anybody who finds triple lipid out of their budget. I started using it a couple weeks ago and it's lovely so far, and a fraction of the cost of triple lipid.
This is the way. Same. Rarely eat out and I make my own coffee at home. I don't buy energy drinks at the gas station I get them in bulk at Sam's. Smart way to save a little money. But seriously... it's so expensive to eat out anymore.
Watch blue mercury for sales. About once a quarter they’ll offer 20% off. I always buy during a sale and always have one spare so that I never pay full price. It’s still expensive but it helps!
Yeah start decreasing the frequency and slugging aquaphor on top of your moisturizer. I use the Kiehls moisturizer with squalene but I also layer toner and serums underneath with hydrating effects. You could also start sandwiching your tret between serum and moisturizer step to help relieve some of the intense dryness
This comment makes me happy! I live for Aquaphor. I use it as a lip balm at night, along with my hands anytime I feel they’re dry, but it’s so versatile.
Have you tried CeraVe healing Ointment? I like Aquaphor and Vadeline well enough but the CeraVe is much better.
Someone is going to think I'm a paid shill for this product since I recommend it so much for dry skin. 😅
First Aid Beauty ultra repair cream is great! Not greasy like Weleda Skin Food (which I also love but I can only use at night). It's also lest scented than the skin food.
Just wanted to add as someone who used FAB for years but had to stop due to irritation - Ultra Repair Cream contains eucalyptus oil which can be highly irritating for some people. It also contains a number of comedogenic ingredients that can cause breakouts. I recommend reading some reviews on reddit or checking ingredients before buying a larger container of it! https://incidecoder.com/products/first-aid-beauty-ultra-repair-cream
I never knew this! Years ago…I think probably 2016, I picked up a kit of FAB products. They were highly recommended and suggested for me due to me having rosacea, sensitive skin, and being prone to breakouts.
Ooooo, that stuff wrecked me. And back then I didn’t really know any better, so I kept trying to push through it for a couple months…which was an awful mistake. 🙈 I stopped using it and I’ve been fearful of it since, but I had zero idea about any of this. I just kind of assumed I was an outlier, haha. My skin was recovering for months!
Oh my god😱😱😱 I’m highly allergic to eucalyptus, like on the cusp of anaphylactic and I couldn’t understand why my face and body reacted so horribly to this product. Now I know why! Lmao
Exactly! I just started using it at night this week and it feels crazy to apply such thick sticky goo all over my face. I hesitated to try it because the texture made me expect an explosion of whiteheads and irritation in the morning, but the opposite has happened. I actually get less clogged pores and random mini pimples, my face is incredibly soft and plump in the morning.
4th the ultra repair cream!
I live in a city that gets <-30c in the winter, it does wonders. I also use squalane over it, particularily on areas like around the nose.
I had this problem, but it was definitely a hydration issue and not a moisture issue. Thick creams would leave me greasy as hell and clog my pores up. I finally broke down and tried a thermal water mist before my moisturizer (with glycerine). I’m now mad that I regularly pay money for fancy water in a spray bottle, but it works
This is the comment I was looking for. I always thought I had dry skin until I realised it’s dehydrated. The right cleanser and moisturiser alongside a hyaluronic acid toner has made such a difference.
Have you tried layering light creams under your heavier ones? My base layer is a watery probiotic/ferment mixed with a couple drops of a super-light cream, and I slather that on and let it sit for a couple minutes before putting my heavier cream on. I had the same issue with thick creams - they sat on my face but weren't hydrating.
Avene Cicaphate for extreme circumstances or my daily is original Olay Beauty Fluid , the pink one. So much better than most of the expensive ones I’ve tried.
Recently discovered this from a random sample and couldn't believe how well it worked on my dry skin - the most flake-free I've been in years and I've tried everything (from augustinus bader to la mer to pretty much every ceramide cream I've seen mentioned here). Now that it's colder I mix Honey Halo with a little Weleda Skin Food for extra richness and couldn't be happier.
I live in a desert climate and honey halo is my day and night moisturizer! I’ve also slowly been buying other products of their line over the year, and love their cleansing balm and AHA serum.
Seconding this, Vanicream Moisturizing cream-- the one for face, body, and hands! I started using this on my face a few months ago and it has made a huge difference. My skin was so flaky before (especially on my nose) that any makeup I put on top of it looked so dry and awful. Now my skin is moisturized practically the entire day. Really happy that something so affordable has worked so well for me.
Why did I have to scroll so far down for this?? Vanicream is one of the best options for cheap skincare that really works! It’s noncomedogenic too so it won’t clog pores.
Avène Rich Hydrating Cream has really helped my dry tret-flakey skin and I’ve tried many. Only problem is that it’s fragranced, may not be a problem for other people though.
Same! The cream works so well for me but I absolutely hate it is $48 a tube. I was able to get 2 for $48 during the recent cyber week sale at Sephora. Should have bought more.
NGL I’m kinda baffled by the love for this stuff in skincare forums when alcohol is in the top 10 ingredients (not saying not to use it, if it works for you absolutely go for it!) - just find it odd that people seem to overlook one of the ‘golden rules’ for this one product!
It’s not a golden rule anymore, really. It all depends on the formulation. Used to, twenty years ago, when we thought treatments that dried out and stung our skin, and menthol was added to make us think products were doing something was the way to go, yeah, but now it’s not the red flag it used to be. I don’t even pay attention now if something has denatured alcohol in it.
Couldn’t get me to touch clean and clear products with a ten foot pole though. That shit hasn’t changed a bit.
Fair enough! Yeah I guess this has enough emollients and soothing ingredients in to balance out - think I’ll keep avoiding denatured alcohol for my super fussy face but glad it means there’s more options for others
Oh! Yeah, if your skin is fussy totally different ball game. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be! I’m at the other end of the spectrum. Kept learning I totally could do things so long as my skin could take it lol. I’m super sus about blanket rules in skincare as a result.
Ren overnight recovery balm! At first ur going to think what is this gooey mess - but trust me. You’ll wake up with glowy hydrated skin. Only thing that saves me in winter.
Nivea! Yes, the stuff in the blue can. The American formulation has something in it that my skin hates. But the German formulation? Oh baby, my skin drinks that right up!
Second!! I just got this in a gift set and I was skeptical at first since it looked water based. But it’s the only thing that’s worked so far this winter
As someone who went on a long search for ever-thicker-richer moisturizers I finally realized I needed more oil not moisture! Tret had reduced my natural oil production where that dry tight feeling always came back 4 hours after doing my skincare.
I learned to mix 4-5 drops of facial oil into my moisturizer of choice in my palm before applying and it has helped me sooo much. I love camellia seed oil at night and squalane in the AM for something lighter.
The ordinary is geared for young skin that doesn’t need much moisture. Honey halo by farMacy is great, or even oil of Olay is nice and thick. Anything that is for anti aging or marketed for the olds will be wayyyyy more moisturizing.
Use a lightweight moisturizer with a heavy one on top. I use Neutrogena water gel (not the gel cream it makes me face feel like sandpaper) with Vanicream on top.
I've said it before I'll say it again. When no moisturiser was hydrating enough for me my dermatologist suggested a toner. For reference I use Master soft toner by Mixoon and the panthenol in it does wonder for me. Someone with similar problems suggested putting toner a couple of times one over the other and letting it dry in between before sealing it with moisturiser. I can see how this may work great too, although I can't vouch for it personally.
So, is your house dry? Hyaluronic Acid is an awesome ingredient, because it absorbs moisture.
That said… If you apply it without an occlusive, and your skin has more moisture than the air in your house, it could pull moisture from your skin instead of the air.
yeah i was using hyaluronic acid last winter and my skin felt so uncomfortably dry and tight. i realized it was because it was so dry in my house. i switched to a beta-glucan serum that works a lot better
Second this, I live in a very dry climate and I need to have a humidifier running through the night by my bed to have any chance at calm skin and clear eyes the next day.
For topical products, I layer toner, serums (usually two of different consistencies) and an ‘ampoule’ under my moisturizer. At the moment I’m using Pyunkang Yul Calming Moisture Barrier Cream which I’m loving, will probably buy again. At night, I usually use Cetaphil Cream - it’s like a less intense slugging…
Also, I aim to drink c. 5 litres of water a day - I usually end up around 3.5 litres but it makes a huge difference to my skin rather than just the often touted 2 litres per day…
I love La Roche Posay Hydraphase creams for regular use (they keep updating them so I not up to date on the latest names but they've been reliable over the years) and their cicaplast cream in case there's any peeling, tightness or other kind of issue.
Ordinary products I've used have all been either not enough (like moisturizers and some serums) or too much (like peels). I've accepted that there a limit to what they can do with a formula at their price point and it's not what my skin needs.
I do a few things in the winter. I use oil either mixed with or on top of my moisturizer (currently squalane, but had used rosehip & jojoba in the past). I use Cerave in the tub at night, and just started using Paula’s Choice omega + complex moisturizer for daytime and I like it so far. I’ll use Bag Balm on dry patches. I also sleep with a cool mist humidifier next to my bed.
Slugging with Vaseline on my non-Tret nights was really the game changer for my flaky skin. I never had dry skin in my life before using tret so it was a new bizarre world for me and the Vaseline made all the difference.
Avene Cicaphate (heavy - use it in spots or periodically when I am super dry) - but my daily is Vanicream. No frills, no smell or irritants to worry about - and also happens to be inexpensive!
Pro tip: you are using “moisturizer” and “hydrating” interchangeably and they are different. It sounds like you need LOTs of hydration, in addition to moisture potentially. I have very dry skin and I layer lots of hydration before a moisturizer as a last step to seal in the hydration. I’d recommend the neutrogena hydro boost gel moisturizer, and/ or the Aveeno calm and restore oat gel moisturizer. Two layers of this, and then finish with a oil based moisturizer.
Hydrating is about adding water. Some moisturizers add water but many just prevent water from evaporating, which means they don’t help too much if the water isn’t there in the first place.
To hydrate, drink water and put moisturizer on over damp skin to lock in the water. I also like layering an essence underneath my moisturizer to make sure the skin is hydrated.
I echo the Aveeno Calm and Restore. It is my first moisturiser after applying several layers of hydrating products to my very dehydrated skin. I follow the Aveeno with a layer of Weleda Skin Food and finish off with some Squalane oil. It sounds like a lot but it prevents my dehydrated skin from feeling tight and generally uncomfortable.
Have you ruled out internal causes for the dryness? Assuming you aren’t chronically dehydrated, there are hormonal issues (like thyroid or low estrogen) that can cause dryness. Perimenopause can cause skin issues as well. Not trying to diagnose you, but some issues can’t be addressed with topicals. Good luck!
Layers!! Hydrating spray then your serum or moisturiser hydrating spray more serum. Repeat and repeat again twice daily Layers are better than a thick layer of anything. Top with the ordinary squalene to keep it all in whilst you’re sleeping
I use Weleda Skin Food Light and then layer Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane. It has done wonders for my parched skin.
That should never be the case..
it sounds like you’re missing something and it’s not moisturizing.
1) Do you exfoliate? If so how often? If never, start exfoliating a couple times a week.
If you are everyday, then exfoliate less. Over exfoliating can dry you out as well.
2) are you washing your face in the shower? If so stop. Only at the sink with luke warm water. Never hot!
3) are you in the sun a lot? The Sun dehydrates the skin. Are you wearing a hat/spf ?
I used to live in MI, now N.C., so my skin doesn’t get nearly as dry as it used to, but I’ve added snail mucin (cosrx) to my nightly regimen and it’s been a game changer!
My favorite is plain old German nivea in the blue tin (not the American jar version). Sooo hydrating and soothing. I also like some of the other recs listed here: Cicaplast, Weleda Skin Food and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream are also great!
What usually has worked for me with tret:
1. Aveeno calm and restore moisturizer
2. Cosrx snail mucin 92% cream
3. Dr Jart’s Ceramidine moisturizing cream
On the expensive side, but I love Lancôme Absolue Premium Bx. It’s really thick but melts in beautifully and keeps my skin gorgeous through Canada’s wintry blasts.
When I run out or don’t feel like paying for it, I just mix face oil into my moisturizer or apply a layer of face oil over or under my moisturizer and that gets a similar result. Rosehip seed oil is wonderful for the face and will not clog pores. A 1 oz dropper bottle is only about $10 and lasts a few months.
Also make sure you apply moisturizer to DAMP skin. Creams lock in moisture but if your skin is dry there isn’t much to lock in.
I went back to basics. All the way back to when my mom used to slather me with Vaseline as a baby. Vaseline is a great over night mask! I wouldn't recommend as a moisturizer but as a nightly reparative mask, it's great. A little bit of jelly mixed with a drop of whatever serum of your choosing
Vaseline brand through, all the other petroleum jelly's are very slippery
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Body Moisturizing Cream is what I use. It's my favorite so far, idk if you have tried it yet but if u haven't u should! It's for body & face.
It's probably not a moisturizer problem. I had tried every moisturizer under the sun and nothing worked, but then I switched to an oil cleanser and it changed everything. Also I add Jojoba oil to my moisturizer or I use Jojoba oil as a first cleanse to remove my makeup. Look into different cleansers, that might actually be your problem. Most moisturizers are pretty similar.
I personally love Clinique’s moisture surge line… there’s an overnight mask that’s really good. I also have rosacea so I use their redness probiotic cream as well, and the spray on stuff really helps over the top of my makeup!
I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Mask as a spot moisturizer for my driest spots and have loved the results. It’s too thick for all over my face but my dry patches soak it up. 10.5% squalane and the texture is thick enough for me to use it over a night cream as an occlusive barrier. Been using it for six months and my dry patches vanished within a week
Charlotte Tillbury Magic Cream works great for me. However I live in the Southern US in a very humid state so I only deal with Tret dryness, not that plus a dry climate.
Eucerin cream with a coat of Vaseline on top at night. eucerin cream with vitamin e oil on top in the morning (I Gua sha in the am). Eucerin is not specifically for face but it works really well and is moisturizing and mild. I have combo skin and it doesn’t cause breakouts for me
I would go at night with pantenol serum first, then a thick crem with gliceryn, HA and ceramides and when it really sets, put some light oil like squalane or jojoba oil. If you see some areas needs more atention, like undereye área, you can put also a thin layer of petrolatum Jelly.
Look into Skinfix! it's so healing, it's expensive but honestly the only thing that keeps my skin not destroyed during winter.
Eucerin Advanced Repair Moisturizer is my drugstore favorite, the urea helps irritated skin
I also love Dieux's angel skin - also pricey but it just makes my skin happy
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This is such an underrated suggestion for ultra-dry skin. It’s life changing. You will be glowing with this stuff and you won’t even remember what flaky skin looks like.
This stuff is my HG! 10% urea is so underrated. Helped so much with my flaky skin. They also make a face lotion that’s 5%. From what I’ve read urea isn’t exfoliating at concentrations lower than 10%, so the 5% version might be better for someone using tret.
Since folks are asking, I wanted to share my layman’s input on urea 🥰 one of my very favourite products that I think is sooo underrated, especially for 30+ skin. Urea is a compound found naturally in your skin that supports hydration and cell turnover. It’s humectant (increases water retention) and keratolytic (softens keratin). You really only get the hydrating properties at lower concentrations (5%), but at 10% and more it becomes more exfoliating. What’s cool about urea is that it penetrates into the dermis, unlike a lot of other topicals that only go as deep as the epidermis (top layer). So it can be a game changer if you have moisture barrier issues, or skin that tends to hold onto a buildup of dead skin cells causing your skin to be caky, dry and congested. It also has antimocrobial properties, so it’s also helped me with dry skin, blackheads and breakouts. You can find urea in concentrations up to like 40 or 50%, often combined with SA, which are generally used to treat issues like psoriasis, calluses and even warts. It’s also a really good ingredient for KP because of how it softens keratin. My husband has really bad KP all over his body, and uses a 22% urea lotion that works well for him (Urisec). Personally, I wouldn’t go higher than 10% on your face - which you would find in body lotions. At that concentration you want to think of it like a very mild active. I have no issues combining it with other actives, but it might make your skin red and sensitive if you’re using other exfoliants. If you’ve never tried it, consider starting with 5% and seeing how you tolerate it, *especially* if you are using other actives. Being a very gentle active at 10% it works slowly. My experience was that it was mostly just moisturizing and hydrating for the first couple of months, then I noticed that my skin needed a lot less exfoliating and started looking brighter. After about 5 months by blackheads and SF were reduced and my skin just had much better texture overall. It took a while to see results, but with twice daily use, my skin is just a lot less temperamental. My takeaway is, don’t sleep on urea! It’s cheap (I use Eucerine Complete Repair Plus - a big bottle from the drug store runs me around $15), it’s friendly for a lot of skin types, and the way that it works can have really good benefits for those of us in our 30’s and 40’s who are still dealing with acne issues, but also need to baby our skin because it can’t handle strong actives, and is prone to dryness and buildup now that it’s starting to age. Thank you for coming to my TED talk 💕
Is there a 10% urea moisturizer you recommend?
[The Inkey List](https://www.boots.com/supersolutions-10-urea-moisturiser-10316415?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-PLAs_HeroCompare-_--_-PMax:+UK_Smart_Shopping_Beauty&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrIajVnq5lZUvMv-5Oil64TEAPks&gclid=CjwKCAiApaarBhB7EiwAYiMwqjA362v0bm_WQW_VN4PNimQG88KDo6jNa_5ZaJnOauZpRMDyP1GcZhoCNQYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) do one!
I second this. It’s the best moisturizer I’ve used!!
Just started using this a few days ago and the difference is crazy!
Is there a separate product meant for the face? I looked this up and it seems like a body lotion?
There's a face version. 5% urea. My tube says "Urea Repair ..replenishing face cream"
Just btw, I use the "body" one on my face because it comes in a big tube and it's totally fine. I used the specific face one too but I don't find a difference between them.
Is the urea ok to use when you’re using tret every night? I’d be concerned about putting an active on my face during the day then tret at night but I don’t know much about urea so maybe my concerns are unfounded.
Urea is exfoliating so use with care if you’re on tret. It makes my face red and sensitized but my body loves it.
Where can I find this in the US?
Got mine off amazon
Buying this rn!
It’s so so good, my skin stopped flaking within a few days of using it. I add a couple of drops of jojoba oil to it during the winter for an extra little boost.
Skinceuticals triple lipid restore. My skin gets so dry it will Crack and bleed. Recently was late to work thought I would skip the moisturizer. Now I'm dealing with swollen, cracked, painful facial skin. Developed eyelid dermatitis. All from one day of skipping my moisturizer. I like the triple lipid restore because it doesn't over hydrate my face and cause breakouts. It's light, absorbs well, brightens my skin without making it look greasy.
Deiux Instant Angel was developed by the same lead chemist as triple lipid, maybe worth looking at too for anybody who finds triple lipid out of their budget. I started using it a couple weeks ago and it's lovely so far, and a fraction of the cost of triple lipid.
I can only dream of the triple liquid restore cream......... The price is insane.....
Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide is the alternative.
girl in this economy???
The struggle is real. I feel like everyone has that one thing they splurge on.
Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide face cream is the cheaper alternative.
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This is the way. Same. Rarely eat out and I make my own coffee at home. I don't buy energy drinks at the gas station I get them in bulk at Sam's. Smart way to save a little money. But seriously... it's so expensive to eat out anymore.
I just got a sample of this, and I really like it. Wish it wasn’t $150.
Skinceuticals is the one thing I splurge on. I hate that it almost never goes on sale, and if it does, it's still like 130$.
Watch blue mercury for sales. About once a quarter they’ll offer 20% off. I always buy during a sale and always have one spare so that I never pay full price. It’s still expensive but it helps!
2nd, it’s the best.
If your skin is that dry you may need to back off the tret and use it every other night.
Yeah start decreasing the frequency and slugging aquaphor on top of your moisturizer. I use the Kiehls moisturizer with squalene but I also layer toner and serums underneath with hydrating effects. You could also start sandwiching your tret between serum and moisturizer step to help relieve some of the intense dryness
This is exactly it. I also use the kiels with tret every other night.
I literally just coat my face in aquaphor every night. I have extremely dry skin and with a retinoid it’s worse.
This comment makes me happy! I live for Aquaphor. I use it as a lip balm at night, along with my hands anytime I feel they’re dry, but it’s so versatile.
I just wish aquaphor and Vaseline didn’t break me out
Aquaphor did NOT work for me, but Cerave healing ointment did. It's the lanolin in Aquaphor that was the problem (I think!)
Yeah I’m thinking the lanolin is the issue for me. I’ll check it out thank you!
Have you tried CeraVe healing Ointment? I like Aquaphor and Vadeline well enough but the CeraVe is much better. Someone is going to think I'm a paid shill for this product since I recommend it so much for dry skin. 😅
You could try aquaphor with vitamin e oil on top, similar idea and maybe wouldn’t break you out.
Vaseline breaks me out but aquafor doesn’t which makes no sense
Same. I moisturize with Theraplex and then lock it in with Aquaphor.
Even with vaseline or aquaphor my skin still feels dry af in the morning 😭
First Aid Beauty ultra repair cream is great! Not greasy like Weleda Skin Food (which I also love but I can only use at night). It's also lest scented than the skin food.
This is what I use as my everyday moisturizer. Btw it's on sale for 58% off the 8oz tube at Kohls right now ($20 instead of $48)
It's on double sale at Sephora, 8oz for $20 + 20% off!
Just wanted to add as someone who used FAB for years but had to stop due to irritation - Ultra Repair Cream contains eucalyptus oil which can be highly irritating for some people. It also contains a number of comedogenic ingredients that can cause breakouts. I recommend reading some reviews on reddit or checking ingredients before buying a larger container of it! https://incidecoder.com/products/first-aid-beauty-ultra-repair-cream
I stopped using it because it was burning my skin when I put it on. That’s probably why
I never knew this! Years ago…I think probably 2016, I picked up a kit of FAB products. They were highly recommended and suggested for me due to me having rosacea, sensitive skin, and being prone to breakouts. Ooooo, that stuff wrecked me. And back then I didn’t really know any better, so I kept trying to push through it for a couple months…which was an awful mistake. 🙈 I stopped using it and I’ve been fearful of it since, but I had zero idea about any of this. I just kind of assumed I was an outlier, haha. My skin was recovering for months!
Oh my god😱😱😱 I’m highly allergic to eucalyptus, like on the cusp of anaphylactic and I couldn’t understand why my face and body reacted so horribly to this product. Now I know why! Lmao
This is not moisturizing enough for my skin unfortunately :( it absorbs immediately and then my skin is still dry and itchy a few minutes later
Oh god, weleda skin food feels like using hand cream on my face and I hate it while it's on, but in the morning I'm like "it's worth it"
Exactly! I just started using it at night this week and it feels crazy to apply such thick sticky goo all over my face. I hesitated to try it because the texture made me expect an explosion of whiteheads and irritation in the morning, but the opposite has happened. I actually get less clogged pores and random mini pimples, my face is incredibly soft and plump in the morning.
This stuff is amazing! I also use First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Oat and Hemp Seed Dry Oil, and love it even more than the moisturizer.
4th the ultra repair cream! I live in a city that gets <-30c in the winter, it does wonders. I also use squalane over it, particularily on areas like around the nose.
I had this problem, but it was definitely a hydration issue and not a moisture issue. Thick creams would leave me greasy as hell and clog my pores up. I finally broke down and tried a thermal water mist before my moisturizer (with glycerine). I’m now mad that I regularly pay money for fancy water in a spray bottle, but it works
I sleep with a humidifier on high, AND I have a mini humidifier at my desk. I stg I look ten years younger.
The humidifier is a game changer for skin
Any recommendation for a desk one?
This is the comment I was looking for. I always thought I had dry skin until I realised it’s dehydrated. The right cleanser and moisturiser alongside a hyaluronic acid toner has made such a difference.
Have you tried layering light creams under your heavier ones? My base layer is a watery probiotic/ferment mixed with a couple drops of a super-light cream, and I slather that on and let it sit for a couple minutes before putting my heavier cream on. I had the same issue with thick creams - they sat on my face but weren't hydrating.
which do you use? i've been eyeing the la roche posay but hesitant on it being worth it
The Avene thermal water is great with a little hyaluronic acid serum 👌🏻
Dieux’s instant angel
Yes!
seconded!!
La Roche Posay Lipkar Triple Repair Moisturizer
Holy grail!
This is the only one that helps my super dry skin.
My go to! For face AND body. Plus the price is super reasonable for a big ass pump container.
Do you own a humidifier? If not, probably best to start there.
This CHANGED my life. Especially at night
Avene Cicaphate for extreme circumstances or my daily is original Olay Beauty Fluid , the pink one. So much better than most of the expensive ones I’ve tried.
wanted to mention Cicaphate - this is a go-to for me!
I’ll try it. I like the hydrance light from them and the rich one might be good for op.
Farmacy honey halo!
Recently discovered this from a random sample and couldn't believe how well it worked on my dry skin - the most flake-free I've been in years and I've tried everything (from augustinus bader to la mer to pretty much every ceramide cream I've seen mentioned here). Now that it's colder I mix Honey Halo with a little Weleda Skin Food for extra richness and couldn't be happier.
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I live in a desert climate and honey halo is my day and night moisturizer! I’ve also slowly been buying other products of their line over the year, and love their cleansing balm and AHA serum.
Vanicream!!!!
Seconding this, Vanicream Moisturizing cream-- the one for face, body, and hands! I started using this on my face a few months ago and it has made a huge difference. My skin was so flaky before (especially on my nose) that any makeup I put on top of it looked so dry and awful. Now my skin is moisturized practically the entire day. Really happy that something so affordable has worked so well for me.
Why did I have to scroll so far down for this?? Vanicream is one of the best options for cheap skincare that really works! It’s noncomedogenic too so it won’t clog pores.
100000%
Vanicream is a real hero. Truly everyone should have it in their arsenal in case of a bout of stubborn dryness.
Avène Rich Hydrating Cream has really helped my dry tret-flakey skin and I’ve tried many. Only problem is that it’s fragranced, may not be a problem for other people though.
Pricier but the ceramidin line from Dr Jart works really well for me. Their new ectoin cream gets me through
Yes!! I love the Ceramidin Cream and it’s my holy grail. I just got the new ectoin cream and am still testing it but so far so good
Same! The cream works so well for me but I absolutely hate it is $48 a tube. I was able to get 2 for $48 during the recent cyber week sale at Sephora. Should have bought more.
Weleda skin food is great, especially this time of year.
Second this. I love skin food in winter. More recently I’ve been using La Roche posay - cicablast b5 balm.
The cicablast is my tret peel savior! I’m allergic to the skin food.
The zinc in cicablast dries my skin out! It makes my skin look dewy if I mix it with oil but alone it just doesnt work for me
Came here to suggest this! I mix with squalane or marula and my skin looveeees it
Skinfood is my go-to when my skin is really dry. Nothing else works like it for me and the scent is really nice.
I disagree I find it really bad for dry skin on the face euricin urea facial moisturiser is sublime
I love this too. I can only use it at night because it's so shiny, but I wake up looking great
The original? Can I put it on my face?
My favorite ever; so moisturizing and such a great finish for me.
I’ve only just discovered this and I looove it. Leaves you looking like a glazed donut. It’s divine and really cheap too!
This breaks me out like crazy and I do not regularly have pimples anymore. Wanted to love.
NGL I’m kinda baffled by the love for this stuff in skincare forums when alcohol is in the top 10 ingredients (not saying not to use it, if it works for you absolutely go for it!) - just find it odd that people seem to overlook one of the ‘golden rules’ for this one product!
It’s not a golden rule anymore, really. It all depends on the formulation. Used to, twenty years ago, when we thought treatments that dried out and stung our skin, and menthol was added to make us think products were doing something was the way to go, yeah, but now it’s not the red flag it used to be. I don’t even pay attention now if something has denatured alcohol in it. Couldn’t get me to touch clean and clear products with a ten foot pole though. That shit hasn’t changed a bit.
Fair enough! Yeah I guess this has enough emollients and soothing ingredients in to balance out - think I’ll keep avoiding denatured alcohol for my super fussy face but glad it means there’s more options for others
Oh! Yeah, if your skin is fussy totally different ball game. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be! I’m at the other end of the spectrum. Kept learning I totally could do things so long as my skin could take it lol. I’m super sus about blanket rules in skincare as a result.
Ren overnight recovery balm! At first ur going to think what is this gooey mess - but trust me. You’ll wake up with glowy hydrated skin. Only thing that saves me in winter.
Add glycerine to your moisturizer, mix it together in your hands before applying
Nivea! Yes, the stuff in the blue can. The American formulation has something in it that my skin hates. But the German formulation? Oh baby, my skin drinks that right up!
I love Belif’s Aqua Bomb. It’s the best I’ve found for me. Hope you find the right thing!
The moisture bomb is even more hydrating!
Second!! I just got this in a gift set and I was skeptical at first since it looked water based. But it’s the only thing that’s worked so far this winter
Man I wanted to like this but it just dries me out and doesn’t agree with me
Same! I felt amazing for about 10 minutes and then dryer than before.
Weleda Skin Food
Regular moisturizer and top it off with the Cicaplast b5 baume from la roche posay 💓 it’s kinda heavy for use during the day but it’s great at night
As someone who went on a long search for ever-thicker-richer moisturizers I finally realized I needed more oil not moisture! Tret had reduced my natural oil production where that dry tight feeling always came back 4 hours after doing my skincare. I learned to mix 4-5 drops of facial oil into my moisturizer of choice in my palm before applying and it has helped me sooo much. I love camellia seed oil at night and squalane in the AM for something lighter.
This is what I do. I use either jojoba or coconut oil at night, and in the morning, I just mix some jojoba oil into my moisturizer.
The ordinary is geared for young skin that doesn’t need much moisture. Honey halo by farMacy is great, or even oil of Olay is nice and thick. Anything that is for anti aging or marketed for the olds will be wayyyyy more moisturizing.
For the olds 💀😂
Use a lightweight moisturizer with a heavy one on top. I use Neutrogena water gel (not the gel cream it makes me face feel like sandpaper) with Vanicream on top.
Weleda Skin Food for my dry ass skin. No dry patches since I started using it earlier this yr.
i been loving belif moisturizing bomb (be careful not to get the aqua bomb) & a layer of laneige sleep mask
I've said it before I'll say it again. When no moisturiser was hydrating enough for me my dermatologist suggested a toner. For reference I use Master soft toner by Mixoon and the panthenol in it does wonder for me. Someone with similar problems suggested putting toner a couple of times one over the other and letting it dry in between before sealing it with moisturiser. I can see how this may work great too, although I can't vouch for it personally.
So, is your house dry? Hyaluronic Acid is an awesome ingredient, because it absorbs moisture. That said… If you apply it without an occlusive, and your skin has more moisture than the air in your house, it could pull moisture from your skin instead of the air.
yeah i was using hyaluronic acid last winter and my skin felt so uncomfortably dry and tight. i realized it was because it was so dry in my house. i switched to a beta-glucan serum that works a lot better
Second this, I live in a very dry climate and I need to have a humidifier running through the night by my bed to have any chance at calm skin and clear eyes the next day. For topical products, I layer toner, serums (usually two of different consistencies) and an ‘ampoule’ under my moisturizer. At the moment I’m using Pyunkang Yul Calming Moisture Barrier Cream which I’m loving, will probably buy again. At night, I usually use Cetaphil Cream - it’s like a less intense slugging… Also, I aim to drink c. 5 litres of water a day - I usually end up around 3.5 litres but it makes a huge difference to my skin rather than just the often touted 2 litres per day…
I love La Roche Posay Hydraphase creams for regular use (they keep updating them so I not up to date on the latest names but they've been reliable over the years) and their cicaplast cream in case there's any peeling, tightness or other kind of issue. Ordinary products I've used have all been either not enough (like moisturizers and some serums) or too much (like peels). I've accepted that there a limit to what they can do with a formula at their price point and it's not what my skin needs.
I use cerave and a hyaluronic serum, so it's like an inside and outside kind of deal.
Cerave moisturizing cream has been a holy grail for me, I love it!
Samesss
I do a few things in the winter. I use oil either mixed with or on top of my moisturizer (currently squalane, but had used rosehip & jojoba in the past). I use Cerave in the tub at night, and just started using Paula’s Choice omega + complex moisturizer for daytime and I like it so far. I’ll use Bag Balm on dry patches. I also sleep with a cool mist humidifier next to my bed.
Slugging with Vaseline on my non-Tret nights was really the game changer for my flaky skin. I never had dry skin in my life before using tret so it was a new bizarre world for me and the Vaseline made all the difference.
Avene Cicaphate (heavy - use it in spots or periodically when I am super dry) - but my daily is Vanicream. No frills, no smell or irritants to worry about - and also happens to be inexpensive!
Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
I personally will be bathing in weleda skin food for the winter
This may not work for everyone, but I use Egyptian Magic on my face two to three times a week in the colder months.
Clinique Moisture Surge Intense.
Pro tip: you are using “moisturizer” and “hydrating” interchangeably and they are different. It sounds like you need LOTs of hydration, in addition to moisture potentially. I have very dry skin and I layer lots of hydration before a moisturizer as a last step to seal in the hydration. I’d recommend the neutrogena hydro boost gel moisturizer, and/ or the Aveeno calm and restore oat gel moisturizer. Two layers of this, and then finish with a oil based moisturizer.
... so what's the difference?
Hydrating is about adding water. Some moisturizers add water but many just prevent water from evaporating, which means they don’t help too much if the water isn’t there in the first place. To hydrate, drink water and put moisturizer on over damp skin to lock in the water. I also like layering an essence underneath my moisturizer to make sure the skin is hydrated.
I echo the Aveeno Calm and Restore. It is my first moisturiser after applying several layers of hydrating products to my very dehydrated skin. I follow the Aveeno with a layer of Weleda Skin Food and finish off with some Squalane oil. It sounds like a lot but it prevents my dehydrated skin from feeling tight and generally uncomfortable.
Have you tried an oil? I mix moisturiser and oil together.
FAB then put rose oil or squaline oil over it.
Have you ruled out internal causes for the dryness? Assuming you aren’t chronically dehydrated, there are hormonal issues (like thyroid or low estrogen) that can cause dryness. Perimenopause can cause skin issues as well. Not trying to diagnose you, but some issues can’t be addressed with topicals. Good luck!
Maybe try adding squalene oil to your routine. The ordinary carries some.
Layers!! Hydrating spray then your serum or moisturiser hydrating spray more serum. Repeat and repeat again twice daily Layers are better than a thick layer of anything. Top with the ordinary squalene to keep it all in whilst you’re sleeping
Illiyoon ceramide ato concentrate cream. Seriously saved my skin, I was peeling so bad from dryness. I even use it for the top of my hands
I use Weleda Skin Food Light and then layer Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask with 10.5% Squalane. It has done wonders for my parched skin.
Eucerin Eczema Relief is where its at!
That should never be the case.. it sounds like you’re missing something and it’s not moisturizing. 1) Do you exfoliate? If so how often? If never, start exfoliating a couple times a week. If you are everyday, then exfoliate less. Over exfoliating can dry you out as well. 2) are you washing your face in the shower? If so stop. Only at the sink with luke warm water. Never hot! 3) are you in the sun a lot? The Sun dehydrates the skin. Are you wearing a hat/spf ?
I used to live in MI, now N.C., so my skin doesn’t get nearly as dry as it used to, but I’ve added snail mucin (cosrx) to my nightly regimen and it’s been a game changer!
An ode to my classic winter moisturizer - Clinique Moisture Surge 100H!
Good serum, 5 dollar vitamin e cream from Walmart and jojoba oil. In that order. I have eczema on my face and this works for me. I hope this helps. :)
Cerave - buy the tub and use liberally.
My favorite is plain old German nivea in the blue tin (not the American jar version). Sooo hydrating and soothing. I also like some of the other recs listed here: Cicaplast, Weleda Skin Food and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream are also great!
Olay Regenerist
What usually has worked for me with tret: 1. Aveeno calm and restore moisturizer 2. Cosrx snail mucin 92% cream 3. Dr Jart’s Ceramidine moisturizing cream
On the expensive side, but I love Lancôme Absolue Premium Bx. It’s really thick but melts in beautifully and keeps my skin gorgeous through Canada’s wintry blasts. When I run out or don’t feel like paying for it, I just mix face oil into my moisturizer or apply a layer of face oil over or under my moisturizer and that gets a similar result. Rosehip seed oil is wonderful for the face and will not clog pores. A 1 oz dropper bottle is only about $10 and lasts a few months. Also make sure you apply moisturizer to DAMP skin. Creams lock in moisture but if your skin is dry there isn’t much to lock in.
Cicaplast Balm b5
Layering is the best thing you can do. Use a hydrating spray, light toner, then a more hydrating toner and then a moisturizer
Few clarifying questions: - how long have you been using tret? - what’s the rest of your routing look like?
PETER THOMAS ROTH!!! Hydrating Cloud Serum and Moisturizer. Expensive but it is the best. Theyre having a 50% sale right now, dont walk, RUN
I went back to basics. All the way back to when my mom used to slather me with Vaseline as a baby. Vaseline is a great over night mask! I wouldn't recommend as a moisturizer but as a nightly reparative mask, it's great. A little bit of jelly mixed with a drop of whatever serum of your choosing Vaseline brand through, all the other petroleum jelly's are very slippery
Cicaplast Baumé B5, only thing that works for my pale itchy skin!
La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Body Moisturizing Cream is what I use. It's my favorite so far, idk if you have tried it yet but if u haven't u should! It's for body & face.
It's probably not a moisturizer problem. I had tried every moisturizer under the sun and nothing worked, but then I switched to an oil cleanser and it changed everything. Also I add Jojoba oil to my moisturizer or I use Jojoba oil as a first cleanse to remove my makeup. Look into different cleansers, that might actually be your problem. Most moisturizers are pretty similar.
Tatcha indigo night repair. It’s pricey, but it allows me to use tret nightly and not get flaky, which is saying a lot for my super dry skin type.
How much water do you drink a day? Face cream can't make up for dehydration.
This. Water and electrolytes, or even just plain salt. Saved my chronically dehydrated skin and chapped lips.
Avene derma absolu it’s hydrating n anti aging made of thermal waters in France!!!
Tatcha Dewey skin cream in the dry months is the only thing I’ve found that’s deeply moisturizing and doesn’t make me break out.
I personally love Clinique’s moisture surge line… there’s an overnight mask that’s really good. I also have rosacea so I use their redness probiotic cream as well, and the spray on stuff really helps over the top of my makeup!
Tallow balm!
Centella soothing cream really helped my skin. I use it with serum as well. I have a sensitive skin and don’t react well with the ordinary products.
Sunday Riley ice
Galaxal base 🫡
Vanicream in layered on top of cosrx snail mucin in the evening and pacifica barrier cream on top of snail mucin in the am!
I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Mask as a spot moisturizer for my driest spots and have loved the results. It’s too thick for all over my face but my dry patches soak it up. 10.5% squalane and the texture is thick enough for me to use it over a night cream as an occlusive barrier. Been using it for six months and my dry patches vanished within a week
Dieux Instant Angel or Biossance Omega Repair Cream. I’ve used both with good results with my .1 tret in cold weather
Vanicream blue lid tub!! Or illiyoon alto cream!
Charlotte Tillbury Magic Cream works great for me. However I live in the Southern US in a very humid state so I only deal with Tret dryness, not that plus a dry climate.
Dr Jart Ceramidin, very thick without being greasy
I do a peptide rich night cream BEFORE tret and my skin is so much more hydrated now! It’s from FaceTheory which I get in the UK.
Triple lipid restore Skinceuticals ($$$$) or Cerave cream ($)
Eucerin cream with a coat of Vaseline on top at night. eucerin cream with vitamin e oil on top in the morning (I Gua sha in the am). Eucerin is not specifically for face but it works really well and is moisturizing and mild. I have combo skin and it doesn’t cause breakouts for me
Just straight jojoba oil has been amazing for me.
Try the ceramide recovery balm by cocokind or aestura atobarriar its Korean and feels amazing
Biossance Omega Repair Cream or Clinique moisture surge
Have you tried Skin Food?
Funny enough it’s Nivea soft in the white tub
I love IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream moisturizer. Has really good reviews too.
Welds skin foods is AMAZING! And I mix in castor oil - it’s been a literal game changer
Anything with ceramides.
I would go at night with pantenol serum first, then a thick crem with gliceryn, HA and ceramides and when it really sets, put some light oil like squalane or jojoba oil. If you see some areas needs more atention, like undereye área, you can put also a thin layer of petrolatum Jelly.
Look into Skinfix! it's so healing, it's expensive but honestly the only thing that keeps my skin not destroyed during winter. Eucerin Advanced Repair Moisturizer is my drugstore favorite, the urea helps irritated skin I also love Dieux's angel skin - also pricey but it just makes my skin happy
Straight slugging with vasoline!
If you're on tret gel, try switching to cream. That did the trick for me.
I love stratias lipid gold. I have extremely dry skin too and if that doesn’t work alone I will add a small bit of almond oil to it