Dry skin routine for Highveld winters

Why skin gets drier in Gauteng winters

Johannesburg's average relative humidity falls from around 70% in summer to 46% in August, and September is barely higher at 47%.^[1] Add cold mornings, hot showers and heaters, and skin loses water faster than it can replace it. Cape Town runs the other way: its humidity is highest in winter, around 81%.^[2] Dryness in the Western Cape is more often about wind, sun and harsh cleansers than the air itself.

Dry skin or dehydrated skin?

Dry skin makes too little oil. It feels rough and can flake, especially on the cheeks. Dehydrated skin lacks water, and even oily skin can be dehydrated: shiny on the nose, tight on the cheeks. The routine below helps both. If you're oily-but-tight, use the lighter options and read our oily-skin routine too.

Step 1: wash with something that doesn't foam much

High-foaming cleansers strip the oils dry skin is already short of. Cream, milk and gel-cream cleansers clean without that squeaky feel. The AAD also recommends short, warm (not hot) showers and gentle cleansers for dry skin.^[3]

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser For Normal To Dry Skin (R505 at YesStyle) is a ceramide cream cleanser that's easy to find. A cleansing milk such as A'PIEU Deep Clean Cleansing Milk 130ml (R130 at YesStyle) also works at night. If you only wear moisturiser and SPF, you can rinse with water in the morning and wash properly at night.

Step 2: hyaluronic acid on damp skin

Hyaluronic acid draws water into the top layer of skin. A 2022 review of clinical studies found topical HA improved hydration and elasticity.^[4] The catch is timing: apply it while your face is still a bit damp from washing, then moisturise straight away. On bone-dry skin in dry air, it can leave you feeling tighter.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum (R546 at YesStyle) is a simple option. Hydrating toners do a similar job; Ample:n Hyaluron Shot Toner 220ml (R495 at Jolse) is one.

Step 3: a ceramide or barrier cream

This is the step that matters most. The AAD recommends applying moisturiser within minutes of washing to trap water in the skin, and says creams and ointments work better than lotions for dry skin.^[3] Look for ceramides, glycerin, squalane or shea butter.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturising Lotion For Normal To Dry Skin (R364 at YesStyle) is light enough for daytime. For flaky patches around the nose and mouth, a thin layer of La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ Ultra-Repairing Soothing Balm (R209 at YesStyle) at night helps a lot.

Should you use a face oil?

An oil can go on top of your cream at night if you're very dry. It doesn't add water. It slows how fast water leaves.

Step 4: sunscreen, still

Winter UV on the Highveld is lower than summer but not low. Dry skin usually prefers a cream sunscreen or a "sun serum". Read the SA sunscreen guide for how much to use.

A sample dry-skin routine

	Morning	Night
1	Water rinse or cream cleanser	Cream or milk cleanser
2	Hyaluronic serum on damp skin	Hyaluronic serum on damp skin
3	Light ceramide moisturiser	Richer cream, balm on flaky spots
4	Cream SPF 50	Face oil (optional)

Things around the house that help

The AAD suggests a humidifier, especially running in the bedroom while you sleep.^[3] In Gauteng that can make a noticeable difference from June to August. Short showers help too. So does turning the heater down a notch.

Ingredients that help dry skin

Ingredient	What it does
Glycerin, hyaluronic acid	Humectants: pull water into the skin
Ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids	Rebuild the skin's barrier
Squalane, shea butter	Emollients: smooth rough patches
Petrolatum, dimethicone	Occlusives: slow water loss overnight
Panthenol (vitamin B5)	Soothes; often paired with hyaluronic acid

A good dry-skin cream usually has something from at least two of these groups. You don't need to memorise them; check that the first few ingredients include glycerin, a ceramide or a butter, and that fragrance isn't near the top.

Hot water, showers and towels

The AAD recommends closing the bathroom door, keeping showers and baths to 5 or 10 minutes, using warm rather than hot water, and blotting dry gently with a towel.^[3] It also suggests a fragrance-free cleanser and moisturiser.^[3] In a Joburg winter, these small habits matter as much as which cream you buy.

Lips, hands and around the eyes

The same dry air cracks lips and hands. A plain balm on lips at night works better than flavoured or minty ones, which can irritate. For hands, a cream applied after every wash keeps knuckles from splitting. The skin around the eyes is thinner; your regular face cream is usually fine there unless it stings.

Exfoliating dry skin, carefully

Once flaking has settled, a mild exfoliant once a week can help moisturiser sink in. Lactic acid or PHA (polyhydroxy acids) are gentler than glycolic acid. Skip physical scrubs with large grains. If your skin stings when you put plain moisturiser on, your barrier is damaged and you should stop all exfoliants for two weeks.

Dry skin on darker skin tones

Dry skin on medium and deep skin can look grey or ashy, especially on the cheeks and around the mouth. A richer cream usually fixes this within a few days. Very dry patches that turn darker over time can be post-inflammatory pigmentation from irritation. Sunscreen and gentle care help those fade.

Night-time "slugging": does it work?

Slugging means putting a thin layer of petroleum jelly or a thick balm over your moisturiser at night. It works because occlusives slow water loss, which is what dry skin struggles with in Gauteng winters. The AAD also recommends ointments and creams over lotions for dry skin.^[3] Skip it if you're acne-prone, because heavy occlusives can trap oil and cause breakouts. Use it on dry patches only, not your whole face, if you're unsure.

How long until dry skin improves?

Tightness usually eases within a few days of switching cleanser and moisturising straight after washing. Flaking takes one to two weeks. If nothing changes after two weeks of a gentle routine, or if patches are itchy, red or cracked, see a GP or pharmacist. Eczema, psoriasis and contact dermatitis all look like "dry skin" at first and need different treatment.

Who this routine suits, and who should skip it

Suits: tight skin after washing, flaking around the nose, makeup that clings to dry patches.
Skip glycolic and other acid toners until the flaking settles. They thin the surface further.
See a doctor if you have red, itchy, cracked patches that don't respond to a plain moisturiser in two weeks. That can be eczema or dermatitis, which needs a proper diagnosis.

Common mistakes

Exfoliating flakes away every day is the most common. Flakes come back faster when the barrier is damaged. The other is waiting too long after a shower to moisturise. Keep your cream next to the basin, not in the bedroom.

See our moisturisers and serums with photos and prices.

Quick answers

Is hyaluronic acid good for dry skin?

Yes, applied to damp skin and sealed with a moisturiser. On its own in dry air it can feel tight.

How soon after washing should I moisturise?

Within a few minutes, while skin is still slightly damp. That traps water in the skin.

Sources

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