Dry Skin Problems? Here’s how to fix it!

Dry Skin

Does your skin seem dry, flaky, tight and rough at times?


Don’t worry, you are not alone! More than 75% of people have to go through dry skin at some point of their lives, making it one of the most common skin issues (Manipalhospitals.com, 2025).


Dry skin problem erupts due to an imbalance in the skin’s moisture levels. A disruption of skin’s water content, natural lipids or oils and weakened barrier, results in dehydrated, dull and dry skin.


Let’s get started with understanding why and how skin loses this moisture and how to choose the right moisturizing solution for your skin. 

What is Dry Skin?

Dry skin is a common condition, medically known as Xeroderma, characterised by deteriorating moisture content in the skin, resulting in itching, tightness, roughness and flakiness (Gade, Matin and Rubenstein, 2023). According to Proksch et al., (2020), dry skin often results in loss of skin elasticity and finally leads to pruritus. Pruritus is a medical term used to define itchy skin, where there is a persistent, uncomfortable sensation that triggers an intense desire to itch. Therefore, advanced stages of dry skin often lead to itchiness and discomfort.

Skin’s Moisturizing Mechanism: How does Dry Skin Develop?

Normal skin maintains a balanced structure, which is mostly made up of water, the natural oils and a resilient skin barrier. As observed by Del Rosso and Kircik (2025), skin maintains a natural, well-coordinated balance through retaining water, natural oils and the skin barrier, which is disrupted in a dry skin scenario. Water from the deeper layers of the skin, the dermis, moves up to the outer layers where the Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs) like amino acids help lock in this water to the skin (Fowler, 2012). Furthermore, Hoover, Aslam and Krishnamurthy (2022) found that sebaceous glands, located in the dermis, produce sebum, which helps prevent water loss. Finally, the skin barrier, which is made up of different lipids like cholesterol, ceramides and fatty acids, prevents trans epidermal water loss (TEWL). 


Dry skin develops with the continuous loss of skin’s hydrolipids. Li et al. (2025) opined that in dry skin conditions, skin loses its barrier function, affecting its capability to retain water and moisture, whereas an imbalance in the sebaceous glands causes the skin to produce lower amounts of sebum to keep the skin moisturized. Therefore, the disruption of the skin’s ability to retain water results in unprecedented loss of moisture, resulting in a dry skin condition. 

Factors Leading to Dry Skin

Exogenous Factors:

Over-Cleansing:

Over-Cleansing:


Taking hot showers for a longer span of time often strips the natural oils and lipids from the skin, leading to the dry skin concern. Herrero-Fernandez et al., (2022) found that long exposure to water or a temperature change of water is capable of inflicting the dry skin issue.

Weather Changes:

Weather Changes:


Changes in the weather conditions, like cold air, low humidity, indoor heating or excessive sun exposure, often affect the moisture content of the skin and make it feel rough and scaly, leading to the dry skin condition.

Exposure to Irritants:

Exposure to Irritants:


Consistent and prolonged exposure to skin irritants like harsh chemicals that are mostly found in various skincare products or cleansing agents can cause dry skin. Harwood, Nassereddin and Krishnamurthy (2024) observed that harsh ingredients cause dry skin by completely stripping the skin’s moisture by affecting the natural NMFs.

Endogenous Factors Leading to Dry Skin:

Age or Hormonal Changes:

Age or Hormonal Changes:


With changing life stages like pregnancy and hormonal shifts like imbalance of the hormone Estrogen’s levels often inhibit the sebaceous glands from producing adequate sebum, reducing the mechanism of moisturizing, leading to dry skin (Rosset et al., 2025). Moreover, with growing age, skin starts producing less sebum and natural oils, thereby leading to dry skin.

Unhealthy Lifestyle:

Unhealthy Lifestyle:


Consumption of alcohol, intoxicating agents and smoking habits can potentially dehydrate skin. It was observed by Goodman et al., (2019) that alcohol acts as a diuretic to strip skin’s moisture content, while smoking reduces blood flow, which restricts the flow of oxygen and nutrients, leading to wrinkled and dry skin.

Diet and Hydration:

Diet and Hydration:


Insufficient water intake often leads to dehydration in the body, while tightening the skin and losing skin’s natural elasticity, leading to a dry skin condition (Palma et al., 2015). Furthermore, Sharma et al., (2024) stated that lack of healthy diets, mostly the lack of essential vitamins and minerals, affects the skin’s ability to remain hydrated and healthy, causing dry skin.

Importance of Moisturizing Dry Skin

Protects Skin Barrier:

Protects Skin Barrier:


Use of a vivid range of targeted moisturizing solutions helps repair the skin’s barrier function and protect the skin from consistent moisture loss (Lin, Zhong and Santiago, 2018). A resilient skin barrier aids in fending off environmental stressors, irritants, harsh chemicals and changes in temperature, thereby reducing the dry skin issue.

Fights Dryness and Flakiness:

Fights Dryness and Flakiness:


Methodical application of gentle moisturizers helps continuously refresh skin’s moisture content while reducing TEWL. It also helps to eventually eliminate that tight and rough sensation while reducing visible signs of scaling, eliminating the causes of dry skin.

Prevents Premature Aging:

Prevents Premature Aging:


Dry skin often speeds up the aging process, making wrinkles and fine lines appear faster than expected (Nih.gov, 2025). Use of mild moisturizing solutions aids in making the skin plump, intensely hydrated, and improving skin elasticity, thus delaying the aging process.

Balances Oil Production:

Balances Oil Production:


Planned application of moisturizers helps in keeping the skin hydrated while preventing the overcompensation of oil production (Harwood, Nassereddin and Krishnamurthy, 2024). Excess production of oil to balance the dry skin situation can lead to acne. Therefore, applying moisturizers daily helps in avoiding painful acne while rebalancing the skin’s oil production.

Reduces Irritation:

Reduces Irritation:


Moisturizers create a layer on the skin that cools, calms and soothes irritation, redness and itchiness that is associated with dry skin. They help improve the skin barrier, prevent moisture loss and reduce discomfort, which is closely associated with dry skin problems (Aad.org, 2026). Therefore, regular application of moisturizers aids in calming skin irritation. 

Improves Skin Texture:

Improves Skin Texture:


Continuous use of moisturizers helps in improving the skin texture by making it more supple, hydrated and smooth (Mawazi et al., 2022). The hydrating and nourishing properties of some moisturizers help in strengthening the barrier and prevent TEWL to maintain a well-balanced skin texture, reducing the dry skin concern.

Key Ingredients to Look for in Dry Skin Moisturizers

Hyaluronic Acid:

Hyaluronic Acid:


With moisture-binding properties, the ‘moisture magnet’ hyaluronic acid attracts and retains moisture from the environment and deep down the skin into the outer epidermis layers. From the research by Iaconisi et al., (2023), it was observed that it is a widely distributed glycosaminoglycan that works effectively to attract and retain moisture into dehydrated, dry skin. The hydrating property of the ingredient makes it the most sought-after in effective moisturizers that target dry skin issues. 

Lotus Essential Oil:

Lotus Essential Oil:


The lotus essential oil is well-known for its skin-calming and conditioning properties. It efficiently soothes dry skin concerns like redness, irritation and inflammation while enabling skin balance. According to Jeon et al., (2009), lotus essential oil is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and minerals that work synergistically to make the skin barrier resilient, improve skin texture by smoothening and conditioning the skin, along with hydration. So, it is another most sought-after moisturizer ingredient to look out for.

Beet Root Extract:

Beet Root Extract:


The extracts of fine beetroots are rich in natural sugars and different water-binding compounds. Gunadi et al., (2025) found that beetroot contains antioxidants like lycopene that improve skin’s elasticity while protecting the dermal collagen from UV damage, thereby eliminating dry skin concerns and delaying the skin aging process. Moreover, the hydrating compounds in the extract aid in retaining moisture in the skin for enabling a naturally refreshed appearance.

Pentavitin:

Pentavitin:


Pentavitin, also known as Saccharide Isomerate, has been identified as a plant-based humectant that provides deep hydration up to 72 hours, resolving dry skin issues (Dsm-firmenich, 2026). It helps to bind moisture to skin-identical carbohydrates while strengthening the skin barrier, eliminating itchiness and inflammation and soothing dry skin.

Pro Vitamin B5 (Panthenol):

Pro Vitamin B5 (Panthenol):


The ingredient works miraculously in attracting and retaining moisture to the Dry skin layers while simultaneously strengthening the skin barrier. It makes the skin soft, reduces roughness and flakiness, while healing damaged and dry skin over time. 

Advanced Moisturization for Dry Skin: Hyaluronic Lotus Hydrating Gel Moisturizer



A lightweight and non-sticky gel moisturizing formula that provides intense hydration while restoring the skin’s balance. With powerful ‘Moisture Magnets’ Hyaluronic Acid and Pentavitin, the moisturizer attracts and locks in moisture to the skin, thereby replenishing the moisture cravings of dry skin. Also, with Beetroot extracts, the moisturizer seeks to boost the NMFs, which helps in enabling long-lasting moisturization and improving the overall skin texture. The gel soothes and calms irritated and dry skin with skin conditioning and soothing properties of Aloe vera and Lotus essential oil, while Wheatgerm oil and Pro Vitamin B5 help strengthen the sin barrier to prevent TEWL. Finally, the moisturizer miraculously contributes to repairing dehydrated and dry skin while smoothening and plumping its texture for a youthful appearance.

Final Words!

Dry skin is not just a temporary concern, as it grows with time, without proper care. Disruption in the moisture balance can create a series of skin issues ranging from flakiness, irritation, itchiness and inflammation. There are several factors that can influence the development of the condition. Understanding the causes is essential for selecting the appropriate moisturizer to eliminate the issue from its very roots.


So, if your skin is showing the first signs of dryness, don’t overlook it!  

References:

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