Many users moisturise twice daily and still have persistently dry skin. The reason: most moisturisers add water temporarily but don't repair what's letting the water escape. Fixing chronic dryness requires barrier reconstruction, not just topping up.
The three roles a moisturiser plays
Humectant
Draws water in (hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea).
Emollient
Smoothes surface and softens texture (squalane, dimethicone, plant oils).
Occlusive
Seals to prevent water escaping (petrolatum, lanolin, beeswax, heavy ceramide creams).
Why most moisturisers underdeliver
Cheap and mid-tier moisturisers are humectant-heavy and occlusive-light. They draw water into surface skin but don't seal it. In dry air the same water then evaporates faster than before — feeling moisturised at minute 5, dry at hour 4.
Properly balanced formulas: CeraVe Moisturising Cream (humectant + emollient + ceramide barrier), Avene Cicalfate Restorative Cream (barrier repair), La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+M (chronic dry skin).
Fixing chronic dryness
Cut harsh cleansers. Apply moisturiser to damp skin (within 60 seconds of cleansing). Add a humidifier in heated rooms (Aldi or Argos for £30). Consider an overnight occlusive layer once weekly (CeraVe Healing Ointment or Aquaphor over moisturiser on dry patches). Internal: omega-3 supplements have modest evidence for improving skin barrier lipid composition over 8-12 weeks.
If your skin has been chronically dry for years, the moisturiser isn't the only problem. Barrier reconstruction takes weeks; the durable fix is more interesting than the daily one.