SHOP BY SKIN CONCERN

Dry skin

Tight after the shower, dull by the afternoon, flaky around the nose when the heating is on full. Dry skin is common – especially in a Nordic climate. Here we explain why it happens, what actually helps and how to build a routine that lasts all winter.

Reading time approx. 5 min
Dry skin
Dry skin – VÉNAT
Dry skin
THE VÉNAT SKIN GUIDE
In brief

How it feels

Tight, rough or flaky. The skin may itch, look dull and take make-up unevenly.

What's missing

Dry skin mainly lacks oil. Without that protective layer, moisture evaporates more easily.

What helps

Gentle cleansing, moisture that binds water and a cream that keeps it in. Every day, not just when you feel it.

01

Dry or dehydrated – there is a difference

Dry skin is a skin type. It produces less sebum – the skin's own oil – and finds it harder to hold on to moisture. You notice it all year round, but more so when it is cold.

Dehydrated skin is a condition that can affect every skin type, even oily skin. The skin lacks water rather than oil and can feel tight while still looking shiny.

The difference matters for what you choose. Dry skin needs both moisture and oil. Dehydrated skin mainly needs moisture – and a gentler way to cleanse.

Dry or dehydrated – there is a difference THE VÉNAT EDIT
02

The skin barrier: bricks and mortar

The outermost layer of the skin is often compared to a wall. The skin cells are the bricks, and between them lies a mortar of lipids: ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids.

When the mortar is intact, the skin holds on to its moisture and withstands stress from outside. When it thins, water evaporates faster and the skin becomes tight, rough and more easily irritated.

That is why caring for dry skin is less about a single miracle ingredient and more about supporting the wall – every day.

03

Common causes

  • Cold and dry indoor air. Winter air and radiators lower humidity, and the skin loses moisture faster.
  • Hot showers and baths. Hot water dissolves the skin's own lipids.
  • Over-cleansing. A cleanser that leaves skin squeaky clean has often taken too much with it.
  • Age. Sebum production decreases over the years, and many people find their skin gets drier after 40.
  • Genetics. Some people simply have drier skin to begin with.
04

Three kinds of moisture – and why you need more than one

Moisturising ingredients are usually divided into three groups that do different jobs:

  • Humectants, such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, attract and bind water in the skin's surface.
  • Emollients, such as shea butter and jojoba oil, fill the gaps so the skin feels smoother.
  • Occlusives form a thin layer on the surface that reduces evaporation.

Dry skin often does best with all three: something light and hydrating first, a richer cream on top.

05

Gel eller kräm – vad behöver ansiktet?

En gel är lätt och vattenbaserad. Den ger fukt snabbt, sjunker in direkt och passar under solskydd och smink. Den passar normal, blandad och fet hud – och som första lager för torr hud.

En kräm är rikare och innehåller mer fett. Den lägger sig som ett skyddande lager och minskar att fukten avdunstar. Den passar torr hud, kalla dagar och kvällen.

Tumregel: Gel ger fukt, kräm håller kvar den. Har du torr hud fungerar de bäst tillsammans – gel först, kräm ovanpå.

06

Sju tips för en välåterfuktad hud

  • Tvätta med ljummet vatten, inte varmt.
  • Välj en mild rengöring som inte lämnar huden stram.
  • Återfukta inom en minut efter tvätt, medan huden fortfarande är lätt fuktig.
  • Lägg rikare kräm på kvällen när det är kallt.
  • Korta duschar – långa, varma duschar torkar ut.
  • Skydda huden ute med solskydd och halsduk mot kyla och vind.
  • Var konsekvent – fukt varje dag gör mer än en stor insats ibland.
The ingredients

What to look for

Ingredients that make a difference for dry skin – and where to find them in our range.

Glycerin

One of skincare's most proven humectants. Binds water in the skin's outer layer.

Found in: Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser, Velvet Barrier Cream, Velvet Cleansing Oil-to-Milk

Shea butter & cocoa butter

Rich plant butters that soften and help the skin retain moisture.

Found in: Velvet Barrier Cream

Plant-based ceramide lipids

Lipids from plants that resemble the skin's own ceramides – part of the barrier's mortar.

Found in: Velvet Barrier Cream

Niacinamide (vitamin B3)

A well-studied ingredient that can support the skin barrier and help the skin retain moisture.

Found in: Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser (5 %)
YOUR VÉNAT RITUAL

A routine for dry skin

You don't need everything at once. Start with what your skin lacks most – for dry skin, that is often the night cream.

Evening

Cleanse without tightness

Massage an oil-based cleanser onto dry skin, add a little lukewarm water so it turns milky, and rinse. The oil dissolves make-up and sunscreen without taking as much of the skin's own lipids with it.

Velvet Cleansing Oil-to-Milk
Morning & evening

Hydrate

Apply a moisturising gel to clean, ideally slightly damp skin. Humectants work best when there is water for them to hold on to.

Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser
Evening

Seal it in

Finish with a rich cream that forms a protective layer overnight. Dry areas, like the cheeks and around the nose, can get a little extra.

Velvet Barrier Cream
Morning

Protect

UVA rays reach the skin even when it is cold and grey. Finish your morning with SPF 30–50.

Luminous Defence SPF 50

Myths about dry skin

Myth

If I drink more water, my skin will be less dry.

The facts

Fluids matter for your body, but for most people extra water has little effect on the skin's surface. What matters most is how well the skin holds on to moisture – and that is where skincare makes a difference.

Myth

A rich cream gives the skin more moisture.

The facts

A rich cream mainly adds lipids and reduces evaporation. Moisture comes from humectants – which is why hydration and cream work best together.

Myth

Dry skin doesn't need sunscreen in winter.

The facts

UVA rays are present all year and pass through clouds. They contribute to the skin ageing and losing firmness, even when you don't notice the sun.

VÉNAT RECOMMENDS

Selected for dry skin

Choose one product or build the whole routine – it's up to you. If you only pick one, choose the night cream.

VÉNAT Velvet Barrier Cream – nattkräm med ceramider, 50 ml ↗
VÉNAT

Velvet Barrier Cream

£27.00

Rich night cream with shea butter, cocoa butter and plant-based ceramide lipids. The one that does most for dry skin.

SHOP PRODUCT →
VÉNAT Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser – gelkräm med 5 % niacinamid, 50 ml ↗
VÉNAT

Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser

£22.00

Light gel moisturiser with 5% niacinamide. Under your cream at night, under your sunscreen in the morning.

SHOP PRODUCT →
VÉNAT Velvet Cleansing Oil-to-Milk – mild ansiktsrengöring, 150 ml ↗
VÉNAT

Velvet Cleansing Oil-to-Milk

£22.00

Oil-based cleanser that rinses off without leaving the skin tight.

SHOP PRODUCT →

Common questions about dry skin

How do I know if my skin is dry or dehydrated?

Check a couple of hours after cleansing. If your skin feels tight and rough all over and rarely shines, it is probably dry. If it feels tight but still shines on the forehead and around the nose, it is probably dehydrated. Many people have a bit of both – especially in winter.

Can I cleanse dry skin with oil?

Yes, it is often a good choice. An oil cleanser dissolves make-up, sunscreen and sebum without removing as much of the skin's own lipids as many foaming cleansers do.

Do I need to cleanse my face in the morning?

Not always. With dry skin, rinsing with lukewarm water in the morning and doing a thorough cleanse in the evening is often enough.

How quickly will I notice a difference?

How your skin feels can improve within a few days. The skin's outer layer renews itself in about a month, so give a new routine at least four to six weeks before you judge it.

VÉNAT