Dry Skin by Body Area
The basics of dry skin are the same everywhere — a weakened barrier losing water faster than it can hold it. But the fixes change by location. Facial skin is thin and reactive; heels are thick and need exfoliation; the scalp is mostly hidden under hair; lips have almost no barrier at all. Pick the area that's bothering you.
Face
Flaky cheeks, tight skin, dry patches around the nose. Why the face is the easiest place to overdo actives — and the routine that calms it down.
Dry face guide →Scalp
Dry, flaky scalp vs. dandruff vs. seborrheic dermatitis — they look alike and need different treatments. How to tell which one you have.
Dry scalp guide →Lips
Chapped, peeling, cracked corners. Why some lip balms make it worse, and the ingredients that actually heal lips.
Chapped lips guide →Legs
Dry, itchy shins are one of the most common complaints — especially in winter and after age 50. The simple shower-and-cream fix.
Dry legs guide →Feet & Heels
Thick, cracked heels need a different approach than the rest of your body: exfoliation plus urea, not just moisturizer.
Cracked heels guide →Around the Eyes
The thinnest skin on your body. Flaky, irritated eyelids are usually a reaction, not just dryness. What to stop using first.
Eye area guide →Elbows & Knees
Rough, ashy, darkened patches on elbows and knees respond to gentle exfoliation plus urea or lactic acid — here's how.
Elbows & knees guide →Hands
Frequent washing, dish soap, and cold weather wreck hands first. The overnight glove method dermatologists recommend.
Cracked hands guide →The principles that apply everywhere
No matter the body part, four things move the needle more than any single product:
- Gentler cleansing. Hot water and foaming soap strip the barrier. Lukewarm water and a fragrance-free, non-foaming cleanser protect it.
- Moisturize on damp skin, within 3 minutes. This traps water instead of letting it evaporate.
- Use all three ingredient types — a humectant, an emollient, and an occlusive. See the ingredient cheat sheet.
- Fix the air. In dry or heated rooms, a humidifier helps the whole body at once.
The body-area guides above just adapt these to skin that's thinner, thicker, oilier, or more exposed than average.
🔍 Causes
Why skin gets dry in the first place
💊 Treatments
From home remedies to prescriptions
🛡️ Prevention
The daily habits that keep dryness away