“I have an annoyingly dry forehead and nose area, and no matter how much I moisturize, my foundation still looks flaky!”
Girl, you’re preachin’ to the choir. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. I get patches of dry skin around my nose and at the corners of my mouth (it always seems worse in winter), and it often leads to flaky foundation.
Foundation loves having a smooth surface to adhere to, so let’s talk about skin for a moment.
Wind chill factors outside, heaters cranking inside, dehydration, Benzoyl Peroxide and Retin A — these are just a few of the things that can cause or worsen dry skin (I seriously notice a difference when I’m not drinking enough water throughout the day).
When your foundation looks flaky…
Take a Look at Your Skin Care Routine
Switch to a richer cleanser and moisturizer
You want to avoid stripping your skin, so look for gentle, hydrating formulas specifically made for dry skin. I really like Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser ($20) and Clarins HydraQuench Cream ($49), but both are pricey. A budget alternative I recently found and like a great deal is by a brand called CeraVe. Products in their line of moisturizing cleansers and creams cost about $13 each and work PHENOMENALLY well without stripping my skin. I like both the Hydrating Cleanser ($12) and Moisturizing Lotion ($13). They’re mega moisturizing yet don’t leave behind a greasy residue.
Wash your face with water
When dry skin’s really got you down, consider skipping the cleanser and washing your face just with water instead (at least for a day or two). Whenever I do it, I notice an immediate improvement in the dry patches on my face. Or, since I have combination dry/oily skin, sometimes I’ll use cleanser on the oily areas and water everywhere else.
Exfoliate
I do it once or twice a week with my Clarisonic, and it seems to really help keep the flakes in check.
Try a hydrating foundation
You might also try adding a hydrating foundation into the mix. Several lines have rich, moisturizing foundations made specifically for dry skin.
A few to consider…
- Bobbi Brown Extra SPF Tinted Moisturizing Balm ($50)
- Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation ($42)
- Sephora Collection Hydrating & Smoothing Foundation ($20)
- Clinique Dewy Smooth Anti-Aging Makeup SPF 15 ($24)
Next time you swing by a drugstore, check out Almay Wake-up Hydrating Makeup ($13) and L’Oreal Age Perfect Liquid Hydrating Makeup ($13). Both get pretty good reviews on Makeup Alley. 🙂
Ladies, how do you handle flaky foundation caused by dry winter skin?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Love these tips, but most happy about the options of moisturizing foundations. Thanks, Karen! You know how to treat a girl’s skin right.
Hi Anie,
You’re welcome. Another good one is DuWop’s Foundation of Youth. It’s not marketed as a moisturizing foundation like the others, but I’ve used it on my dry spots and it works really well.
1.) Use a lotion-type primer, like the one from NARS.
2.) Use a cream or balm foundation; my favorite is Graftobian HD Creme Foundation.
3.) Set with a translucent, silica based powder, like Kett Sett.
4.) Apply moisturiser when your skin is still damp from the shower, and allow to sink in for five minutes before applying primer.
5.) Exfoliate gently with a fine scrub the at night; try mixing a tiny bit of baking soda with your normal cleanser (as long as your dry skin is not caused by medication).
Good tips, Sam!
I gotta add if you’re gonna exfoliate it’s also a good idea to not overdo it.
Oh, definitely! Even with oily skin, over-exfoliation can cause major problems (y’all can trust me on that one…), but it’s much easier to overdo it on dry, flaky skin But a bit of gentle exfoliation can do wonders, so it’s just a matter of finding that balance!
That’s a lesson I had to learn the hard way, too.
Thank goodness for the Clarisonic Mia is all I have to say. They have a new purple one, btw, and coincidentally it matches the shirt you’re wearing in your thumbnail pic.
I’ve seen it! I want it so bad… I travel a lot so I figure it’d be great for that, not having to lug my full sized one around all the time. Plus, the color kinda seals the deal 🙂
For travel the Mia is the way to go. The charger is so much smaller and takes up less room in your luggage! I also like it because it’s smaller and fits my tiny hands better than the big one.
You gotta get the purple… it is decided, LOL!
exfoliating is key, but i also agree that a richer cleanser definitely helps! i like the body shop’s cucumber cleansing milk, aveeno’s moisturizing bar, and lush’s angels on bare skin cleanser.
if i notice some flakes after applying foundation, i dab moisturizer on top of the flaky areas and find that helps quite a bit.
I like to exfoliate too, but have found that if I go cray-cray with the Clarisonic it tends to make the entire situation worse, LOL! I guess I take more of a conservative approach with babying the skin and all.
i agree! i like the body shop’s facial buffer b/c you can control the exfoliating action by not buffing too hard.
when my skin went nuts a year ago, i was exfoliating almost daily but with a VERY gentle hand. and i would use rich cleansers with the facial buffer to add moisture to the skin. that really helped for me.
Why can’t skin just behave? I feel like we’re always dealing with it going crazy at one point or another, LOL!
no kidding! my skin was incredibly well-behaved for 23 years and then BAM! intense breakout (thanks to philosophy’s microdelivery peel) + red patches + dry, flaky skin. i was so shell shocked, i didn’t know what to do :p.
This Is actually the first winter I haven’t had flakies. My skin is really well moisturized recently. I am crediting my nighttime humidifier use and regular exfoliation with my clarisonic or a scrub!
Hmm. I think I might need to break down and get one of those humidifiers. I didn’t realize they have the added bonus of keeping your skin quenched (slaps forehead with palm).
27$ well spent! This is gross/TMI, but last winter I would wake up scratching my legs and bleeding. This year my skin feels awesome and my excema is almost entirely gone, except one tiny patch.
Ugh!!! I’m totally going through this phase and I’m not happy, thanks so much for this! I never take into consideration the weather and def don’t consider what cleanser I’m using 🙁 now I know! I also need to moisture better! Good thing I’ve got the water down, drink plenty during the day 🙂
Have a great night Karen!
Hi Van,
Oh yeah, I’ve noticed that if I’m dehydrated I can really tell a difference. Drink that water, hon!
I’ve actually stopped washing my face in the morning. I use a micelle cleanser now-Bioderma Sensibio H2O and my flakes have been dramatically reduced. I also use a protective barrier cream now-La Roche-Posay Cicaplast. Both of these things have really helped me out a lot.
Those are great. I’ve used the one by Nuxe and liked it a lot.
The spot on my forehead right between my eyes always gets flaky, along with the corners of my nose. When it starts to get out of control I dab on a little bit of Aquaphor ointment before bedtime. By morning the flakiness is gone!
I get the nose corner flakes too! Probably TMI, but I also get them in the center… those are the worst!
I get nose corner and eyebrow corner flakies. If it gets really annoying, I’ll use a low concentration hydrocortisone cream before bed.
My humidifier makes a huge difference. One night without it and my skin rebels.
Glad you are liking Cerave. I’ll have to check out that moisturizer. Looks like its for body. I use their nighttime facial moisturizer. Soaks in quickly but does a fab job.
This is the first winter my face doesn’t have the little flakes. I exfoliate with a washcloth and warm water in the morning and use Cetaphil cream, then at night wash with a prescription acne wash and moisturize again with Cetaphil. It’s a lot simpler than my skincare in previous winters and I think that has something to do with my skin’s condition.
Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re a mind reader. I was just googling this last night without any results. Trust you to have it up the next day! Thanks so much 😀
I know this makeup dilemma well! After living in MI for my entire life I became a PRO at handling the flakes!
Some of the secrets to taming the flakes:
Like you suggested, switch to a richer cleanser, but more specifically I switch to a non-foaming cleanser, like an oil or cream.
I also add in a hydrating serum, the best for me was Clarins Hydraquench Biphase Serum (it was MAGICAL!), and at night a little Advanced Night Repair.
For the actual foundation I went a little outside the box, after one of my coworkers had the most FABULOUS looking skin in December I had to ask! Turns out, she used one of those CRAZY old-lady formulas (Think Estee Lauder Renutriv or Lancome Absolue Cream), basically any rich-cream texture will do. I tried it, and with appropriate blending was actually able to get rid of the dreaded grandma-thickness, and left myself with baby-smoothness.
For oilier skin, or those who need less coverage I would just use a tinted moisturizer.
The other thing I did (and this is hard for me since usually i’m SUPER oily), was skip setting powder. The natural dry-ness of my skin made it perfectly alright, and when I did need one I use loose.
Anyway, I hope at least someone in the snow-pocalypse of the midwest can make their face beautiful with our help!
ps: for extra dryness I looooove Dear John by Benefit for fixing serious flakes, almost like a coldcream!
I have normal to oily skin, but I definitely have to switch out my products during the colder weather. I recently got a travel kit of products from Target from the Ahava line that they carry there, and the Aloe Cleansing Cream is very nice. It actually foams up ( I assumed it wouldn’t based on being called a “cleansing cream”), but I feel no tightness at all after I use it. The aloe day cream is nice too and does not make me shiny half way through the day, but makes my skin feel very soft and supple.
When I get really dry patches and flaky, red and chapped skin I take some rose salve (bath and body works, sephora, a tin is around $5.00-6) and take a little and mix it with my normal moisturizer (garner 24 hour hydration) and rub it on my face before bed. Rose Salve is like vitamin E ointment with rosehip or rose oil mixed in. I notice that when I wake up I have clearer, softer skin and my foundation looks much less flaky or caked on. Just remember it’s slightly greasy so I would recommed putting a towel over your pillowcase overnight.
I find my cheeks get very dry during winter too, I’ll be on the hunt for a good richer moisturiser that won’t be so heavy to give me breakout. thanks for the tips.
i agree w/ all that you said!
i think i was over exfoliating a while back so i switched to a very gentle exfoliating cleanser that i can use everyday. i can say that philosophy’s microdelivery exfoliating wash has really made a difference in controlling the flakies. i used ot have it bad in between my eyes and around my face. i only have it every so often now.
im a HUGE wash with water fan. i wash my face twice a day with cold water. both my face washes are philosophy – i use purity made simple at night. 🙂
i moisturize twice a day too – w/ philosophy hope in a jar at night and clinique face cream w/ spf50 in the morning.
Winter here in calgary (canada) is brutal 🙁 my skin which is normally oily, gets dry in certain areas! but i fix it with a few sprays of MAC Fix + and dab over my face with a duo fibre stippling brush 🙂 that way, i no longer have dry flaky skin!
plus, a good moisturizer also helps ^^
I currently fly back and forth between Colorado and Minnesota every week. Between the climates and the planes, I have this down to a science. The best thing you can do for your skin is to drink a ton of water. I drink over two liters a day (not kidding, this really is the best defense, and something that should be taken to an extreme). I also find that working out daily keeps my skin in better condition, and all the other obvious candidates – exfoliants, moisturizers, etc.
When I have a dry skin emergency, I turn to a makeup sealing spray. I keep Urban Decay’s Dew Me and & De-Slick in my suitcase at all times. Spray De-Slick before you put on your foundation instead of a primer, and Dew Me on top of it. They give the appearance of hydrated skin & smooth over rough spots.
When I had dry cheeks this winter I used Dior power foundation. Odd I know but it worked really well on top of well moisturised skin for me xoxox
Simple but helpful tips to remember during these winter months :> Thank you for giving both department and drugstore recs for foundation and moisturizer!
clairisonic + DDF glycolic acid toner, and a hydrating face cream get rid of flakes and rough spots! even the creamiest most hydrating foundation will adhere to flakes, it’s best to solve the problem through skincare imo.
I used to have dry flakey patches as well since I use Retin-A, but I finally found a routine that makes my skin feel like a baby’s bum!
If any of you are using Retin-A, I suggest you not use Purity Made Simple. I was using these two in conjunction for months thinking PMS was really gentle on the skin, but for me it made my skin red and more dry. Once I stopped (because I ran out of my third bottle), I just used Aveeno as a cleanser and it was able to take off my makeup yet calm my skin! – no longer irritated and red skin!
Now with the dry patches, I started using beauty masks. There would always be sooo much excess serum in the bag so I actually put the remaining serum in a spray bottle and in the mornings and at night, I would spray some in my hand and rub the serum in my face after my shower, then put on my moisturizer (Dior Comfort Creme or Chanel Hydra Max Creme), and then proceed with my Retin-A.
…and the beauty masks I find the most moisturizing are called My Beauty Diary.
Regular exfoliation, the occassional oil treatment, Clnique Superbalance moisturiser and a creamy foundation like MAC Moistureblend. I get really bad dryness on my nose in the winter and this seems to help a lot.
I’ve always used the trick of after your make-up is finished then just dab a little moisturiser into your hand, put a tiny, tiny amount on a fluffy brush and use a really light hand to dab it on top of the foundation – works brilliantly on my dry cheeks which even the most hydrating foundations don’t help!
you can also use Fix+ or another setting spray!
Ug, it’s so frustrating. I’m a combination gal who’s sadly in a hormonal acne phase. I get the dry patches around my nose and mouth too. Exfoliating (I’ve lately been using Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub) and applying moisturizer on damp skin have definitely been helpful.
I’m glad you said that CeraVe is working well for you – it’s on my list of moisturizers to try. I think I’ll pick some up. I’ve always had good luck with Clinque’s Dramatically Different but am open to other options. 🙂
Glad to see Cerave getting some love! I’m a lontime lover of it and Cetaphil.
My skin is dry all the time and my forehead and cheeks get really flaky in the winter. I finally found a skincare routine to keep them at bay – and it’s been working great so far:
Cleanse only at night. Remove makeup with an oil-based cleanser like Shu’s or MAC’s then follow up with a gentile cleanser like Cetaphil or Cerave and rinse off with a washcloth to gently exfoliate.
While skin is damp, apply ROC wrinkle treatment or your choice of treatment/acid/Retin A, etc. – but only every OTHER night. Alternating nights with my AHA is the key for me. Then, apply Cerave Cream (in the big tub) if you’re super dry, like me. If that’s too heavy for you, use Cerave Night Lotion.
You can also mix a serum in with your night lotion to boost its power. I like to add a straight up Hyaluronic Acid serum (which helps skin retain moisture) that I get from GNC or the Vitamin Shoppe.
In the morning, rinse face with water only. While skin is damp, apply a moisturizer that contains niacinamide – this helps to combat the redness and dryness associated with AHAs, glycolic acids, and Retin A. (I use Olay’sRegenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream). I also add another layer of Cerave Cream over the top of that.
Use a moisturizing primer under foundation. I find silicones are a problem for my skin – not so much causing breakouts, but adding to the redness – so I use Korres Quercetin & Oak Age-reversing Primer, which does not contain silicone.
To combat flakes during the day, I keep a mini spritz bottle of Boot’s Rose Water Toner (Target) with me and spray as needed..
WHEW! That sounds like a lot of work, but my skin is grateful for it.
Thanks for all the tips – both yours and all the comments! 🙂 I’m dealing with this right now too, and it’s really for the first time because my skin has been super oily since puberty! I’m 27 now and noticing the dryness creeping up on me more every year. I’ve found that L’Oreal Advanced Revialift Night Cream has really helped, I pile it on at night and on any extra-dry spots in the AM after my regular Aveda day moisturizer (I’ve had bad allergies lately too so the nose is extra sensitive!). I’m definitely going by CVS to find a gentler cleanser!
My face and I haven’t always been the best of friends. Lately I’ve been using the Acne.org regimen (LOVE) which consists of using BP after cleansing. With the weather being in the high 70’s one day and then in the low 20’s the next, my face is even more angry. Because I use full coverage liquid foundation, touch ups beyond adding powder are a bit difficult, and we all know powder makes it worse! So, when my face is getting a bit flaky (usually around my eyes, nose, and chin), I put a dab of liquid foundation on my finger with equal parts moisturizer. I apply it to the dry area and watch the flakey dry skin disappear! And, my foundation isn’t disturbed at all and blends nicely. A bit of transluscent powder to set and I’m good as new!
Other ideas:
1) Cetaphil’s Moisturizing Cream. I use it at night (when I can apply a ton and not care that it’s heavy) and during the day (when I can use less, under foundation). It absorbs well, is non-comedogenic, no fragrances, and seems to be buildable. Is that weird for a moisturizer? I really feel you can customize the amount of moisture you get, making this ideal for under makeup and for nighttime heavy treatment.
2) Primer. Oh, man, yes. I just got on the Monistat Chafing Gel primer train, and it’s amazing. I live in freezing Cleveland, and I really feel like using the Cetaphil and layering the primer over it helps a lot by giving my skin a barrier.
3) I use Hourglass Veil foundation. I know, it’s 60 bucks–but oh, so worth it. I think better than Chanel’s Vitalumiere. Light, non-caking, good coverage, anti-aging.
4) Sealant. If you’re a sealant lover like myself, make sure you’re not loading it on or using an industrial-strength one! I was using Ben Nye’s Final Seal for awhile, until I noticed it was sucking the moisture right out of my amazing foundation–leaving blotches of dry foundation on my face! Stick with a lighter sealant (Urban Decay’s are decent) and use a brush to stipple on rather than misting.
Of course…drink lots of water and exfoliate. I love using baking soda mixed with face cleanser (thanks to Sam of finallyindigo for that one) to exfoliate 2 or 3 times a week, then LOAD on the Cetaphil cream and go to bed. Next morning? Like a baby.
Really suffering from this problem at the moment – the winter weather is definitely taking its toll! Regular exfoliating and moisturising really is the key!
I have really, really oily skin that happens to get crazy dry in the winter, and the thing that never fails me is an oatmeal mask! I just pour some boiling water over quick-oats, let it cool a bit, and slather it on all my dry patches (yeah… Sometimes I chase my husband around our apartment growling like a swamp monster during this part…) Wash off 10 or so minutes later and viola! smooth skin 🙂
Thanks for the tips. I have dry skin and always some flaky skin and it looks horrible with foundation on 🙁 tried mixing my foundation with my moisturizer but this didn’t work that good.
xx Olga
If I find flakes after I’ve done my make up, I spray a little make up setting spray (like UD Dew-Me or MAC Fix+) on a MAC 187 or some other fluffy flat brush and dab carefully in the offending area. I’ve also found great success dabbing on (with my finger tip) a bit of Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster on my dry forehead or right at either side of the nose.
Even with using (what I hoped was a good) moisturiser, a moisturising cleanser, exfoliating and Laura Mercier Moisturising foundation I still ended up with increadibly flaky skin this winter on my cheeks, around my nose and around my mouth. I can’t even wear foundation at the moment until I get my skin under control.
Anyone have any tips for what I can do? I’m about to go to the health food shop to find some Sweet Almond oil tomorrow as olive oil smells a bit funny, I thought it was colouring my skin and the cat likes to lick it off!
Sooo happy to read that even a San Francisco girl can have a bad case of the flakes! I’m in Milwaukee, where we don’t mess around with flakes! I’m addicted to Aveda tourmaline moisturizer (thick, but not greasy, and fast absorbing like nobody’s business!), and on really bad days, I do a high-school-eque mixup: Half foundation, half moisturizer on the trouble spots (nose for me)… It lasts the whole day without drying! 🙂
I suffered from dry flaky skin for years (I’m 39)–winters were the worst. I have finally found the perfect routine for me; it works so well, i can even skip exfoliating my skin. 🙂
AM
– rinse with warm water
– Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Toner (the most moisturizing toner i have ever found)
– Renee Rouleau’s Vitamin C & E Complex (been using this for years, my skin LOVES this)
– Boscia Vital Daily Moisture SPF15 (this is the *key* to staying flake-free; i’ve tried looking for a cheaper alternative but ALWAYS come back to this–it’s a MUST in the winter)
PM
– Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Cleanser (amazing, not drying at all and removes everything)
– Renee Rouleau’s Vitamin C & E Complex
– Clinique Youth Moisture Surge (worked better than the Extra Moisture Surge and Dramatically Different Moisturizers–the former was tacky and not moisturizing enough, the latter too moisturizing)
Right now my winter foundation is Neutrogena Healthy Skin. This is amazing! Many say it’s just like NARS Sheer Glow and it is but better–I have Sheer Glow and found it a little hard to blend and the coverage was a little ‘masky’. I stipple it on then buff with Sigma’s F80 flat top brush and it leaves a beautiful, natural, flawless finish. It’s medium coverage so it covers redness, scarring, undereye circles–the real test was using it on my nose, no patches! Then I use Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealers in Tan then Medium under my eyes and set everything with Eve’s Tan/Dark loose powder which is very light. Been using this foundation routine for 3 months and I love it–my face looks natural and glowy.
Hope this helps!
Nars Hydrating Freshening Lotion… BAM!!!!! Flakes gone.
🙁 For the past few days my skin has been horrible! It’s not really the flakes, just rough, dried skin all over where I put my Differin Gel. I’ve been using it for a couple months now, but I think I over did it with the lemon juice last week (I’m trying to fade some acne scars). Foundation is just awful to apply, and i get no coverage 🙁 I have skipped my gel for the past few nights (and my lemon juice) and have exfoliated with brown sugar last night. I have been using a moisturizer with oil, and have been drinking lots of water. Still nothing! i have to go back to school tomorrow and I have no clue how I’m going to fix my problem before then… 🙁
These tips are great! I have been using a Bioderm cleanser that is soap free and a regular Olay moisturizer with SPF. However, my skin seems to love winter coz I don’t get breakouts whatsoever so I don’t know if it’s my skin care or just the weather.
Now I have problems in the warmer months because I can’t keep my t zone behave (I have combination skin) and I end up having one big zit on my chin everyday that never goes away until fall :(. What cleansers and oil free moisturizers do you recommend for the hot months? I hope you do a post on seasonal skin care regimes :)!!
i have oily skin and my clinique anti blemish foundation works great, but sometimes when i apply powder after foundation on my nose, it was nice on the first 5 minutes i think but then it gets mould, i think its because of dampness underneath my foundation the my nose creates and this only happens to my nose, can anyway help me with this, thnks alot
You all talk about winter, well Summer has just started here, and I still have the flaky problem, I just dont know what to do with my dry skin – is it really skin or could it just be that my sunblock, serums and makeup dont gel together?? I’ve tried so many daily moisturizers with sunscreen in it, as soon as I add concealer or foundation = nope a no go it wont blend and its just one mess I have to wipe it off with a towel! Or if it does blend in a way some flakiness will show later in the day on the outside of my face just close to my ears and all, do I use too much or should I just get a richer moisturizer? So difficult, as there’s just too many products available, some good and some bad, bud unfortunately we have to buy and test a whole lot before finding the right ones. I also love Vitamin C as I struggle with uneven skintone and it really helps also use hyaluronic acid and collagen serums and natural night creams. I use a cleanser by Simple as its supposed to not be harsh on the skin – so honestly I really dont know what else I could do if I can find a really good daily moisturizer with anti-aging properties with sunscreen or that would gel with sunscreen I’d be so happy and of course then comes the makeup that also has to work well with it …
I have oily skin with some dry patches around my nose and on my chin which is always flaking. it looks really bad with foundation. I did everything mentioned in this post and countless other websites. exfoliations,moisturizer, hydrating corrector, concealer, foundation, translucent powder even experimented with setting sprays to get rid of those dry patches but nothing worked. it gets even worse during winter…that is until i started doing the oil cleansing method. For the first time ever, i do not have any single dry patches on my face, everything just glides on and gives a perfect finish. I am so happpy….just wanted to share 🙂 (btw i am not a oil cleanser convert yet, I still use regular cleanser to wash my face on a daily basis and only do the OCM once a week or something, and it works just fine)
I’m just wondering about the oil cleansing method. Is it just an oil, or an oil cleanser?