Today, I want to share my skincare routine for dry skin. Today’s post will be from cleanser to serum. My moisturizers have their own post: Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin: My Morning and Night Picks.

My routine is the same for both morning and night up until the serum step. After that, my routine and the products I use start to differ between day and night.

Over time, I’ve tried A LOT of different products, and I feel like I now have a pretty good understanding of what works well for my dry skin.

The products I use are also fairly easy to find, even in the States—I’ve seen them at places like TJ Maxx or Target—so it might be worth saving this and picking them up if you come across them.

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Let me start with what I currently use—I’ll go into more details below.

• Cleanser — ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleanser 150mL
• Toner — 1025 Dokdo Toner
• Toner Pads — MEDIHEAL Toner Pads (Collagen) / BIODANCE Toner Pads (Collagen)
• Serum — Arencia Holy Hyssop Serum 30 / Arencia Overnight Red Smoothie Face Mask Serum

Now I’ll walk through my routine step by step and explain why I use each product. I will also leave a link for each product. (Once again, these are not sponsored!! I bought everything myself, and these are my genuine recommendations.)

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Before Cleansing

Before I do any cleansing, I always make sure to wash my hands first.

This might seem like a small step, but I think it’s really important.

If my hands aren’t clean, I feel like I’m just bringing more dirt and bacteria onto my skin.

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Cleanser

Right now, I’m using a cleanser from Round Lab called ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleanser 150mL.

Since my skin is on the drier side, I try to use a gentle cleanser for dry skin that doesn’t leave my face feeling tight.

The most important thing for me is that my skin feels comfortable after washing—not stripped.

Since I don’t have particularly sensitive skin, I am not heavily affected by the cleanser I use. So I usually just use something that feels gentle, comfortable, and moisturizing.

Compared to other cleansers, this one has a similar texture, but it feels slightly thicker and more cushiony. It does not foam a lot, but it still leaves my skin feeling very clean and refreshed after washing.

I try to use a soft towel and gently pat my skin dry without causing irritation.

I’ve noticed that if I leave my face wet, the water evaporates and can actually take moisture from my skin with it, making it feel even drier.

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Toner

Right now, I’m using 1025 Dokdo Toner.

I tend to avoid products with fragrance, since I believe that keeping ingredients simple is better for my skin. The Dokdo toner almost feels and smells like water; it is very gentle and moisturizing. I believe this product is great for sensitive skin as well.

Before, it was popular to apply toner with a cotton pad and wipe the skin for exfoliation purposes. But since I’ve experienced a damaged skin barrier a few times, I try to avoid unnecessary friction on my skin. Instead of wiping, I prefer applying toner directly with my hands as the first step of my skincare routine.

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Toner Pads (Extra Hydration Step)

There are days my skin needs extra hydration. If I do not have enough time (or I am too lazy) to put on a face mask, I use toner pads.

Right now, I’m using the collagen toner pads from MEDIHEAL Toner Pads (Collagen).

One small thing I really like: the container comes with a little pair of tweezers inside. I can pick up a pad without putting my fingers into the jar, so the rest of the pads stay much more hygienic.

Toner pads aren’t a must, but they’re easy to use and add a nice layer of moisture with extra collagen. Who would say NO to collagen, right?

Each pad is big enough to cover each section of the face (Right Cheek, Left Cheek, and Forehead). Here is the picture of the pad on my hand. It is about the size of an average woman’s palm. As you may see in the photo, the pad is very saturated with product.

I usually leave them on for 10 minutes while I am drying my hair, doing house admin, or even watching YouTube. If there is still some product left on the pad, I leave it on my neck. Neck wrinkles also need some care from time to time.

They offer a variety of product lines (Blemish, Tea Tree, Vitamin C, and so on), so if you are looking for something more suitable for your skin type, you can pick what works for you.

If you are looking for something more hydrating or something different, I also recommend the Biodance Toner Pads.

It’s a simple step, but it really helps on days when my skin feels extra dry.

Both products are sold at Costco, and sometimes at a discounted price on a very lucky day 🙂

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Serum

I used to use Estee Lauder Brown Bottle Serum. I loved it so much that I emptied probably a good 5-6 bottles despite its high price.

I am going to be honest here. It is a good serum. But looking back, it was a little too much for my skin at the time. I started using it because everyone said it was good, and my skin was still young. I don’t think it really needed everything this serum does.

So if you are in your 20s or early 30s, you might not see a big difference from it. I would recommend it more from your mid-30s.

Last summer, I went on a trip with my friends, and one of them introduced me to this AMAZING product, which is A LOT cheaper and works the same, or even better.

It’s the Arencia serum.

If you are in your 20s or early 30s and want something more cost-friendly that focuses on hydration, this is the one I recommend.

I’ve already gone through about three bottles since last July. They also have the Rose Collagen version in a pink bottle, which I really love as well.

It has a gel-like texture, feels very hydrating, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t feel sticky at all. My skin definitely feels much more moisturized since I started using this product.

I sometimes spot this product at TJ Maxx, and I never just walk past it. I don’t really want everyone reading this to become my competition… but it’s just too good not to share.

If you ever see a fully stocked shelf, please let me know—I’ll run there too!

Arencia isn’t the only serum on my shelf now. I put all of them, and which ones I save for night, in my morning vs. night serum post.

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Final Thoughts

These are the routines and products that have been working well for my dry skin.

What I’ve learned is that the order of applying products is just as important. Just because my skin is dry doesn’t mean I can simply drench it with any product.

I try to give each step about 30 seconds to a minute to properly absorb into my skin.

I’ve learned that different products need slightly different amounts of time—for example, toner usually takes about 30 seconds to a minute, while serums absorb a bit faster, around 20 to 30 seconds.

So I like to take my time with each step instead of rushing through my routine.

Next, see the moisturizers I finish my routine with: Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin: My Morning and Night Picks.

Thank you for being a part of my journey! I would love to hop on your journey if you would like to share yours, too!

Sincerely,

Hazel 🙂

Disclosure: I buy most products myself. Some were gifts from friends or family, and I’ll always tell you when. No brand has ever paid me or sent me anything to review. Some links on this blog are affiliate links, so if you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what I recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.