Dry skin is often treated as a simple problem, with many people applying more moisturiser and hoping for the best. Your skincare routine is built around an intentional approach with targeted ingredients, yet when skin starts to feel tight and flaky as temperatures drop, the same logic isn’t always applied.
But according to Dr. Alek Nikolic, renowned specialist in aesthetic medicine and owner of SkinMiles, skin that feels tight, rough, or uncomfortable needs a little more decoding. Dryness is not always just a lack of cream. It can be linked to a true lack of oil, temporary dehydration, a weakened skin barrier, or a combination of all three. The key is to understand what your skin is asking for before adding more products.
Dry or dehydrated? Know the difference
A helpful starting point, especially as we head into the winter months, is to separate dry skin from dehydrated skin. Dry skin generally lacks oil, while dehydrated skin lacks water. This is why some people can feel tight and flaky but still become shiny during the day. Skin type can also change with age, hormones, environment, and lifestyle, which means a routine that once worked may need to be adjusted over time.
When the skin barrier is compromised, it struggles to hold on to moisture. This can make the skin feel sensitive, irritated, or reactive, especially after cleansing, exfoliating, or using active ingredients. In these cases, the goal is to support barrier function first, just as you would with facial skin, rather than reaching for more actives.
Why barrier support matters more than you think
Think of your barrier as your skin’s protective seal. It prevents water loss whilst protecting against external irritants like cold wind, indoor heating, and low humidity. It’s only a few cells thick, but it works like glue, holding bricks together. That thin layer keeps the surface slightly acidic, which helps the skin’s good bacteria thrive and makes it harder for irritants to sneak in.
When that glue is disrupted, it doesn’t bounce back overnight. It needs steady, simple support to feel comfortable again. Ceramides are especially useful for this because they help reinforce the skin barrier and reduce water loss. Apply it morning and evening after serums have absorbed, especially when the skin feels fragile.
Your moisturiser routine, rewritten
If skincare has taught us anything, it’s that prevention is more effective than correction, and the same applies to winter dryness. There are simple changes that you can implement that will make a measurable difference.
Tip 1: Repair first, then layer
Apply barrier-supporting ingredients morning and evening after serums have absorbed, especially when skin feels fragile.
Tip 2: Match texture to what your skin lacks
For skin that feels dehydrated but not oily, choose lighter hydration. For mature, dry, or weather-stressed skin, choose richer nourishment with omegas and squalane.
Tip 3: Hydration softens the look of fine lines
Dryness can make fine lines look more visible. In this case, the focus should still be on hydration and barrier care rather than aggressive anti-ageing. When the skin is properly hydrated, it often looks smoother and more settled.
That does not mean one product reverses ageing, but hydration can soften the appearance of dryness-related lines. The best moisturiser is the one your skin will tolerate consistently. Apply it after cleansing and serums, use sunscreen every morning, and scale back exfoliating acids or retinoids if the skin feels irritated.
When your skin feels dry, don’t immediately add more actives, but start by repairing comfort and hydration. Healthy skin responds better to everything else, and moisturising is catching up to targeted skincare, and rightly so. The same principles apply: consistency, prevention, and choosing products that work with your biology, not against it.
