3 Tips To Banish Dry Patches On The Hands, Face & Body ASAP

Beyond a dull appearance, dry skin opens the gates for irritation, redness, unwanted texture, and even skin infections if your skin begins to crack open—thus, why it's so important to treat it upon arrival. 

The first assignment: Find an effective hand cream that's free from potentially irritating ingredients like artificial fragrance or retinol (yes, retinol hand lotions exist). 

Once applied, go in with a layer of body oil on top. Oil's occlusive nature will help lock in the moisturizer and help prevent the hydration from evaporating into thin air. Your hands will feel slippery, so it's best to do this step at night. 

Cleansers with tea tree oil, salicylic acid, and physical exfoliant granules can sometimes be beneficial, but they will only work against you when dry skin shows up. Instead, rely on a gentle face cleanser. 

If you're concerned about makeup or sunscreen fully coming off without a harsh cleanser, employ the double-cleansing method: Use an oil cleanser before your gentle water-based cleanser.

This step works for those with oily and acne-prone skin too, even if it sounds counterintuitive. "Using an oil-based cleanser helps to balance oil within the skin by replacing sebum in clogged, dirty pores with beneficial oils that help to hydrate and maintain skin's barrier," board-certified dermatologist Kim Nichols, M.D., FAAD, of NicholsMD, told mbg. 

The occasional "everything shower" that lasts half an hour thanks to the long list of to-do's is something worth indulging in, but it doesn't need to be an everyday thing. In fact, taking a quicker rinse can help to mitigate dry body skin. 

Plus, hot water can dry the skin further. Instead, "Take lengthy showers in tepid water, staying under the water until your fingertips get wrinkled," board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, told mbg. "This is a sign that you have tremendously rehydrated your skin."