This Is Why Your Moisturizer Isn't Working, According to Derms

If you suffer from dry skin, the last thing you want is a product that takes a long time to hydrate your skin back to health. But for some, no matter what product or how much of it they apply, sometimes it can feel like nothing is working, leaving you more upset and stressed, which can wreak even further havoc on your skin. If it seems like moisturizer is doing nothing for you, there's likely a reason. We reached out to dermatologists to find out how to ensure our moisturizer is most effective and how to combat dry skin by tweaking your routine. Keep reading to see why your skin may not be absorbing moisturizer, and how to change that, stat.

Apply Your Moisturizer Correctly

First order of business: Stop rubbing and wiping. If you normally just slather your moisturizer all over your face like it's sunscreen, Christine Chang and Sarah Lee—co-founders of Glow Recipe—say that's a key reason your moisturizer isn't working: "Instead of your usual application method, try gently patting your skincare in. This action increases pressure and also heat, both elements that help your skincare to absorb better."

Chang and Lee add that "patting" in your skincare products is a time-honored tradition in Asia (and we can't get enough K-beauty, so we're taking this patting method as gospel). Additionally, dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban says to apply moisturizer right after washing your face, when your skin is still damp, for best results.

Make Sure to Exfoliate

You may have a build-up of dead skin cells an might need to exfoliate more. Chang and Lee explain that the buildup of dead skin cells over time doesn't allow your products to properly penetrate the skin. We're big fans of Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys, which use natural AHAs to give you a quick exfoliation when you don't have time for a mask. Remember to exfoliate regularly, which will "clear a path" for your moisturizer to absorb better.

Choose Moisture Boosting Ingredients

"Many people feel their moisturizer isn't working well because they are using ineffective ingredients. I often recommend a combination of humectants, which draw water into the skin, and emollients, that lock water into skin to be used together for the ideal hydrating technique," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian, who adds that a good humectant is hyaluronic acid, which draws water into the skin at exponentially large volumes. "Barrier-repair creams such as Vaseline, contain emollients such as petroleum, and can be applied afterwards. These help decrease loss of moisture into the environment overtime, especially during arid months such as in the winter."

Choose the Right Formula For Your Skin Type

Choosing the right formula for your skin type is crucial. If you have oily skin, you'll want to avoid thick, heavy, greasy moisturizers—not to mention the fact heavy creams might actually turn your skin immune to their effects. "Overuse or overly thick creams can cause the skin to become dependent on the moisturizer and not work as well. Excess moisturizer can suffocate the skin," says Shamban. Noted. So, if your skin is particularly greasy, even in dry winter months, Shamban suggests a light, oil-free moisturizer.

On the flip side, "Some people have oily skin because they do not moisturize enough," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Julia Siegel. "The body overproduces oil to try to compensate. Because of this, I always recommend that my patients with oily skin use a thick moisturizer at night and a thinner moisturizer during the day. Using a thicker moisturizer at night actually decreases oil production during the day.

For combination skin, Shamban suggests using two different moisturizers: a light, oil-free moisturizer for oily areas and a richer cream for dry skin.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to treating dry skin. Last but certainly not least, Shamban says it's crucial that you get into a groove and stick to a moisturizing routine. "It is so, so important to have a daily skincare routine—and use your skincare! We have all these great moisturizers sitting in our medicine cabinet, but if we don’t use them, they won’t work!

Using moisturizers in tandem with an effective cleanser, toner, and other topical treatments can also help accentuate the power of your products." Be consistent with your moisturizing routine; if you're not and then wondering why your moisturizer is ineffective, you have your answer right there.

Apply in the Correct Order

Correct placement of products in a skincare regimen is key, with the lightest and thinnest products (such as toners, serums, and oils) before thicker ones, such as moisturizers and creams.

"Serum or gel-based moisturizers should be applied earlier in the application, with emollients (often ointments or creams) applied towards the end of the regimen application. Both humectants and emollients, applied in that order, offer greatest hydration," says Nazarian. "I recommend people use their emollient-then-occlusive products immediately following their showers to optimize how much hydration is captured."

Nazarian notes that spray emollients offer a "cleaner, easier way of applying product to the body, without risk of constant contamination that tubs or jars of lotions have."

Use Moisturizer in the Right Places

A general tip from Nazarian is to avoid an emollient on areas of the body we prefer to keep drier. "Usually to avoid growth or fungus or yeast—such as around the toes, under the breasts, in the armpits—and with occlusives, be cautious when pairing with retinoids or other or irritating ingredients such as glycolic acid, as sealing in those ingredients can increase risk of irritation," she says.