Let’s talk about The Ordinary's 3 best skincare products for dry skin! Yes, they're super affordable too!

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser - $10.50

This is one of The Ordinary's best products for dry and combo skin. The key ingredients are squalane and glycerin, making it a great option for double cleansing oily skin too.

What is squalane?

Squalane is very similar to squalene, an oil that our skin produces naturally. Squalane not only builds the skin barrier, soothes inflammation, and moisturizes the skin, it also imparts antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants defend our skin from damaging particles known as free radicals.

What does glycerin do?

Now, let's talk about the glycerin component. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it holds onto moisture and will enhance a product's moisturizing properties. Even after you wash it off, glycerin will moisturize, coat, and support the skin. 

We also love how this cleanser contains sucrose stearate and sucrose laurate. Both of these are fantastic emollients and surfactants. Emollients smooth skin while surfactants cleanse the skin by binding oil to water. So, when your rinse a surfactant off with water, its very effective at removing debris and residue.  

The Ordinary Hydrating Serum HA+B5 - $9.90

This is one of The Ordinary’s best sellers. And although it's a little thick, it’s one of the most hydrating serums they have, making it a win for dry skin. However, it might not be an oily skin fave.

But, for those with dehydrated or dry skin, this is where it's at. The Ordinary hydrating serum has low, medium, and high molecular weight hyaluronic acids, giving it the ability to hydrate different layers of the skin. 

Once absorbed, hyaluronic acid acts like a mesh velcro that holds and attracts water to the skin. When hyaluronic acid is part of a hydrating serum like this, it pulls water from the product deep into the skin and holds it there.

In addition, there’s vitamin B5 or "panthenol." Medical studies continuously demonstrate panthenol's benefits, specifically for atopic dermatitis or eczema. Although panthenol cannot treat eczema, many studies state that panthenol can soothe eczema and help to rebuild and hydrate the skin - even after using topical steroids, which dry the skin.

Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides Moisturizer - $6.70 

With natural oils and hydrating ingredients, this is one of The Ordinary's richest and most hydrating creams. Because of how it  simultaneously coats and imparts moisture into the skin, its almost like an updated version of The Natural Moisturizing Factors product.

They added plant-based ceramides or “phytoceramides” to help rebuild the skin. Ceramides are fatty acids, and they make up half of our skin’s outside layer.

But, as we age and experience skin damage, ceramides begin to break down and their production slows. That’s why ceramide moisturizers like this are essential and great for everyday use on dry skin.

For her oily to combo skin though, Cassandra uses this as a night mask. 

And furthermore, it's worth noting that this moisturizer also contains glycerin and amino acids. Amino acids are small building blocks of proteins. Amino acid actually help to build elastin, the stuff that makes our skin bouncy. 

You could use these products separately, or you could use all three together. Then, you’d have a skincare routine that’s under $30! Although it’s basic, it’s effective and wonderful for nighttime use.

If you do this routine during the day, you’ll definitely want to add an SPF over the phytoceramides moisturizer. Other than that, this is a spot-on and affordable skincare routine for dry skin.