Tight, dry, itchy. These are three of the least desirable words when it comes to discussing skin, but especially sad if those descriptors apply to yours.
Whether you suffer from occasional dry spots or have a persistent condition like eczema, flaking skin is always frustrating to deal with.
There are many reasons for dry skin. Overwashing can strip it of its natural oils, causing skin to dry out as a result. Living and working with constant central heating and low humidity climates won't do your skin's hydration levels any favours either. It’s one of the reasons that dryness becomes more of an issue over the winter months.
And while hot showers may feel amazing, the higher temperatures may also be to blame, especially if you’re using harsh soaps or laundry detergents.
Dry spots can occur around joints like knees and elbows, while the hands can suffer too. Feet, especially the heels and sides, can develop hard and dry areas, with poor footwear often a culprit alongside soaps. Other dry skin conditions like actinic keratosis can see rough skin develop on the face and forearms, usually as a result of years of sun exposure - another reason, if you need it, to slap on the SPF daily.
Luckily many skincare and beauty brands are onto the issue with solutions to help. Packed with nourishing, cleansing and hydrating ingredients, these kind-to-skin formulas are perfect for everyone, including those with sensitive skin.
It’s a crowded marketplace, so we’ve picked out the best soaps, in both liquid and bar formats, to take for a spin in your next shower or bath and send inflammation packing.
Soothing dry skin doesn't have to be a soap opera. See a dramatic difference by switching to these formulas.
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Dove Deeply Nourishing Advanced Care Body Wash Shower Gel
You're probably familiar with Dove's line of skin-protecting products, but its latest launch is perfect for dry skin in particular. Made with the brand's Micro Moisture Technology, it deeply penetrates dry spots and crevices with stearic and palmitic fatty acids through millions of micro-droplets to actively regenerate moisture.
It means you won't just get one wave of moisture, but it will continue to work after you've dried off for up to 24 hours, caring for your skin as you get on with your day.
Buy now £1.41, Amazon
E45 Body Wash for Dry, Sensitive & Itchy Skin
One of the best-known brands in eliminating dry skin, E45 is dermatologically tested to address inflammation. The entire collection is formulated to maintain the skin's delicate pH levels (it should be between 4.7 and 5.75) and in the mix is this liquid soap shower gel.
Sold in a 200ml bottle, the unscented soap leaves skin cleansed from sweat, dirt and grime, leaving it soft and refreshed. To use, apply to wet skin, massage and rinse before patting dry with a clean towel. If you need extra moisture, apply a hydrating oil or moisturiser while the skin is still slightly damp.
Buy now £4.80, Amazon
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash
Containing soothing oat essence as one of the key ingredients, Aveeno's almond-scented soap can be used on dry, irritable skin, cleaning it thoroughly without drying it out. The dermatologically-tested body wash has been made without soaps or parabens, instead using a 95 per cent biodegradable formula to safeguard the skin's natural moisture barrier. In fact, it's so moisturising that you may find you can skin traditional post-bath moisturiser altogether.
What's more, the entire bottle, including the pump and cap, can be recycled too - just wash it thoroughly before putting it into your recycling bin.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Simple Soap 100g 4 pack
Traditional bars of soap are notorious for drying skin, but Simple is rewriting all that with its thoroughly revamped version, designed to care for sensitive skin types. Suitable for the face and body, the mild formula offers a satisfyingly creamy and rich lather that's 99 per cent biodegradable to boot. It’s vegan-friendly too.
Buy now £1.50, Boots
Clinique Dishless Facial Soap - Extra Strength 150g
Considerably pricier than other soaps, Clinique's extra-strength formula is best reserved for washing the face. The hand-milled tube-shaped bar helps to shed surface flakes, all while protecting natural oils to keep your skin hydrated. Use as you normally would and expect clean, comfortable skin afterwards.
Buy now £20.00, Boots
Fenty Skin Cocoa Cleans’r Soothing All-Over Cleansing Bar
Thought Fenty was just about stage-worthy makeup? Think again. Rihanna's beauty line extends to skincare too, and dry skin sufferers will do well to check out this cleansing bar, which can be used on all areas of the body.
The formula, enriched with hydrating ingredients like Shea and cocoa butter, vitamin E and antioxidising oils, gets right into pores to wash them clean of daily grime, leaving skin looking and feeling in optimum condition.
Buy now £11.00, Boots
Aesop Resurrection Hand Wash 500ml
For builders and chefs to healthcare professionals, handwashing is a major element of the job and practising good hygiene. When you're putting your hands through the wringer so frequently, it's wise to invest in a moisturising soap to bring them back from the brink.
Aesop's Resurrection soap, made with conditioning botanical blends, gently cleans and hydrates hands and is gentle enough for everyday use. It is on the expensive side, but you'll get half a litre here - not to mention a cool bottle to display it in.
Buy now £31.00, Cult Beauty
Hello Klean Nourishing Micronutrient Wash 400ml
Hello Klean's bath products are specifically designed to counter the effects of hard water exposure, for which the capital's water is notorious.
The brand's Nourishing Micronutrient Wash will become your new shower caddy essential, relieving skin of that 'tight' feeling that can sometimes accompany hard water. It's packed with heavy dry skin hitters: think almond oil, niacinamide, vitamin E, and provitamin B5. All the good stuff.
Simply shake the dual-phase cream and water formula before pumping out the velvety foam and glide over skin. The soap will clean off grime and mineral build-up while reinforcing the skin's barrier with micronutrients.
Buy now £18.00, Cult Beauty
L'Occitane Shea Lavender Soap 250g
For traditionalists who don't feel clean without a bar of soap in their hands, it's time to upgrade from harsh formulas to L'Occitane's lavender-scented version. Also boasting Shea butter as a key ingredient, the 250g soap is an extra-gentle formula that lathers beautifully and keeps skin feeling comfortable after cleaning. It doesn't hurt that packaging is extremely minimal too.
Buy now £10.50, Sephora
MOROCCANOIL Shower Gel Cleansing Hydration Argon Oil 250ml
Best known for hydrating haircare, Moroccanoil makes soaps for the skin too. Just like its hair oils and shampoos, it uses a concentrated formula enriched with argan oil to impart moisture while cleaning skin, leaving it in excellent health. Take it into the shower and apply it to wet skin before lathering it across limbs and washing off.
Buy now £18.00, Sephora
Fresh Freesia Oval Soap
Fresh is a beauty brand that's not afraid to push boundaries, using unusual ingredients like soy, sake and sugar in its formulas. It harnesses flower power in this vegetable-based soap, along with Shea butter for a beautiful hydration hit. The fine-milled bar is a heft at 250g, which should see you through a month of showers at least and comes wrapped in pretty paper, making it a lovely option for gifting too.
Buy now £15.00, Cult Beauty
Weleda Calendula Soap 100g
Weleda has been caring for skin since 1921, so it knows a thing or two about addressing dry skin. For everyday cleansing, this organic soap comes packed with calendula, chamomile and coconut and olive oils, helping to clean skin properly without any drying after-effects. The formula is gentle enough to be used on children's delicate skin.
Buy now £5.95, lookfantastic
