Hydrated skin is a mainstay of any makeup routine that helps you look and feel fresh-faced. Without a nourished complexion, even the best products with proven, top-of-the-line ingredients can’t do their job. This goes for skin on your elbows, hands, anywhere on the body, too.

Your complexion aside, sticking to a consistent regimen for both the skin on your face and body that works with your skin type, concerns, age, and environment is the surest bet for feeling and looking confident and comfortable. If you’re wondering about how to keep your skin hydrated, chances are you’re dealing with some dryness. But what’s behind it? 

A bout of dry skin is no reason to suffer. We’ll go over some tips on how to ensure your skin looks its best, every day. 

Consider the causes

While everyone’s skin type is different—normal, oily, dry—there are also various culprits, some temporary, some more long-lasting, that contribute to dry, flaky skin.

For example, seasons and environments inevitably come into play. Everyone has contended with flaky, tight skin on their face or body in the winter when dropping temperatures can sap your natural moisture. In this case, bring out the heavy hitters: products especially created to enrich and support drying skin. Because what works in summer is likely too light for winter when the heat is always turned on. (And what may be best in the winter may be too heavy for hotter climates.) 

Dry skin isn’t just relegated to wintry temps, either. If you’ve been spending a lot of time in the sun (and perhaps without rigorously reapplying SPF), you may notice increased texture and flakiness. Summer can bring on oily skin and overdoing it on products meant to control shine and sebum production may deplete the natural oils that keep your skin healthy.

Additionally, mature skin needs more hydration than it used to so what may have worked in the past, those products may not be sufficiently moisturizing enough now. 

When you have a better picture of what is likely causing your dry skin—and there may be a few factors—you’ll be able to get a hold of the issue better with the help targeted ingredients and modified applications.

Is it time to revamp your staples?

Have you been relying on the same skincare and makeup routine for a while?

Changes in skin may mean we need to take stock of our beloved products, along with the ingredients within, and make some updates.

In particular, if you’ve noticed your foundation isn’t sitting on your skin as well as it used to—now it settles and the appearance of fine lines is more evident than ever—then it’s likely time to invest in new products meant for aging skin that needs more nourishment and bolstering against dryness. And not just makeup: look for a daily moisturizer that’s packed with ingredients like shea butter or castor seed oil, both of which help support the skin's natural barrier.

Certain ingredients in your existing products may be contributing to a lack of hydration (especially if you have sensitive skin) such as some alcohols and fragrances. 

Not every ingredient with the word “alcohol” in it should be avoided though. At Jones Road, we rely on some fatty alcohols for their smoothing and softening properties. (Their chemical structure is different from typical drying alcohol, even though they are still called alcohol.) So, you don’t need to avoid our most moisturizing products like Miracle Cream (featuring behenyl alcohol), Eye Cream (cetearyl alcohol), and What The Foundation (stearyl alcohol). 

Drink plenty of water

This one you’ve heard time and time again—and for good reason. Healthy skin starts on the inside, so skimping on your water intake will show up sooner or later. 

Upping your glasses of water is a surefire way to keep your body running optimally and your skin fresh-looking. 

Gently exfoliate

Even if you’re not dealing with dry skin, making sure to exfoliate your face and body regularly is an important step.

It can be tempting to harshly scrub flakes and patchiness out of frustration, or to apply too much pressure to release dead skin—but keep it gentle. Those with particularly tenacious dryness or sensitive skin will benefit from consulting with a dermatologist about the best method.

Skip hot showers

Keep scaly, dry skin at bay—or keep it from worsening—by avoiding frequent hot showers. There are few things more comforting than a warm shower in the plunging temperatures of winter, but unfortunately, all that heat can deplete your natural reserves of moisture. 

And when it comes to cleansing your face, it’s best to do it outside of the shower, where you’re more likely to take your time and not frantically scrub under a direct stream of water. Pro tip: Use The Cleansing Stick, our solid oil cleanser packed with sunflower seed oil, to remove the day’s makeup and other impurities, but not your skin’s essential oils.  

But moisturize after a shower

However, once you’ve taken a shower or bath, apply your moisturizers when your skin is still damp. You’ll be surprised at how much more product your skin will absorb when you’ve gently towel-dried instead of fully dried.

Speaking of moisturizers

Are you applying your facial moisturizer every morning and night? (How about cleansing?) Making sure your face is clean and prepped at the start and end of every day is fundamental to ensuring your skin stays balanced—not dry, not oily, somewhere comfortably in the “normal” range. 

Let’s quickly go over your options at Jones Road if you’re looking to start or refresh your moisturizing routine. 

• Multivitamin Serum: This contains vitamins C, B, E and Sodium Hyaluronate as extra support for brightened, hydrated skin. Top with your moisturizer of choice.
• Eye Cream: Everyone will benefit from the use of an eye cream, no matter your skin type. Ours is enriched with Macadamia Seed Oil and Trehalose to delicately glide onto one of your most delicate areas.
• Oil-Free Moisturizer: Our most lightweight option, this is perfect for those with oily skin,
• Light Moisture Cream: Not too oily? Not too dry? This one’s for you. Niacinamide helps to control sebum production and brighten dark spots.
• Miracle Cream: Our most intensely nourishing option that features shea butter—it’s ideal for super dry skin.
• The Oil Stick: Still have pesky dry patches? This spot treatment soothes and smoothes extra dry patches with the assistance of jojoba seed oil.
• What The Foundation: Our tinted moisture balm is moisturizing enough to wear on its own as foundation, sans prior application of moisturizer–thanks to the inclusion of sodium hyaluronate and jojoba seed oil.

Avoid excessive time in the sun

A warm glow helps us all feel better, especially if you’re feeling pasty and sapped from the winter weather. But trying to achieve color by spending time, uncovered and without suitable protection, can exacerbate dryness (not to mention speed up the appearance of wrinkles and lead to skin cancer). 

This is particularly troublesome if you’re using skincare products to dry out blemishes (think: salicylic acid) or something like a retinoid or retinol, that while beneficial for cell turnover, will make you more sensitive to sunlight.

So, yes, avoid the sun, use your SPF (and keep reapplying it). This is no consolation, of course, if you still want to chase a healthy-looking glow. Fortunately, it’s easy to fake a natural and dewy complexion; we have tips for that here. One often-overlooked tip? Mix our Gel Bronzer with your moisturizer to give you a lit-from-within glow that defies even the dreariest season.

One last note

Getting your skin to a baseline hydration level won’t take a miracle, but it may take more time than you’d like. In other words, be patient. Don’t expect an immediate turnaround one day after doing everything (almost) perfectly, although you may notice a delightfully shocking amount of progress after implementing even a few of these tips. 

But when you pay consistent attention to the health of your skin on your face and body, long-lasting nourishment is within view.