Dry Skin at Night

Dry Skin at Night: Why It Happens and What Helps

Dry skin at night is one of the most common things people tell me, and one of the most overlooked. Your skin feels fine in the morning, then by evening it is tight, rough or uncomfortable, and it often gets worse once the lights go down. In this guide I explain why skin turns dry at night, why it can happen even if your skin is oily by day, and what actually helps. At Saccahra we look after the night, because that is when skin does most of its restoring.

Why do I get dry skin at night?

Skin does much of its repair work while you sleep, and research suggests its barrier is more permeable in the evening, so water escapes more easily. If your skin is already short of moisture, that is when it shows.

A few everyday things add to it:

• Hot showers or hot water on your face before bed
• Cleansing too hard, or with products that strip the skin
• Dry air from central heating or air conditioning
• A day of wind, cold or travel that has already left skin low
• Going to bed without replacing what the day took
None of these is dramatic on its own. It is the evening, when the skin has nothing left to draw on, that makes the dryness obvious.

Dry skin at night but oily during the day: what is going on?

This is more common than people think. Skin can look shiny by day and still feel tight or dry at night. That usually means the skin is short of water rather than oil, and it may be producing extra oil to compensate. It is often described as combination or oily skin that is also dehydrated.
The answer is not to strip oily skin harder. Stripping tends to leave skin drier, and then it produces more oil in response. Restoration works the other way: give the skin what it is missing, gently, and let it settle.

How do I get rid of dry skin in one night?

One night can make skin feel softer and calmer, and that is worth doing. It will not undo weeks of dryness, though, and I would rather tell you that honestly than promise otherwise.
Skin that has been dry for a while needs steady support. A single good night helps you feel better in the morning. A few weeks of the same care is what helps skin hold on to moisture again. This is what I mean when I say patience is the active ingredient.

What helps dry skin overnight? A simple night-time rhythm

You do not need a long routine. You need a gentle, steady rhythm that you can keep up.
1. Cleanse gently with lukewarm water, never hot.

2. Use a sheet mask when skin feels especially tight, following the directions on the pack. DRITH is a milk protein sheet mask and GLYSS is a polysaccharide sheet mask. Both can help dry skin, and both suit combination and oily skin too.

3. Finish with a restorative night cream that suits your skin type, so the work of the evening is held in overnight.

4. Keep the same rhythm for weeks, not days, and let your skin settle.
If you want one place to start, I would begin with a sheet mask. It is a calm, simple way to give dry skin attention without changing everything at once.

Which Saccahra products suit your skin type at  night?

SugarVelvet and SugarSilk are restorative night creams made to support the skin barrier, one for combination skin and one for oily skin. DRITH and GLYSS are the sheet masks I would reach for when skin feels dry or depleted, whatever your skin type. If dryness has built up over a long time, the Dry/Depleted Skin Recovery Edit brings that care together.

Can dry skin go away naturally?

Mild dry skin is common, and the NHS notes it often just needs more regular moisturising. It can also settle on its own once the cause is removed, such as a spell of cold weather or very hot showers. Dry skin that comes back again and again usually needs consistent care, because the skin has lost some of its ability to hold on to moisture.

Gentler habits do a lot: lukewarm water, a mild cleanse, and not skipping your evening care when you are tired. If your skin is very sore, inflamed, or the dryness and itching last beyond two weeks, speak to your GP.

by Nkeiru Agbarakwe

Frequently asked questions

-Why is my skin itchy at night? Dry skin is a common cause, and the skin barrier is more permeable in the evening, so water escapes more easily. If itching is persistent, severe or comes with other symptoms, speak to your GP.

-How do I hydrate my skin overnight? Cleanse gently with lukewarm water, give skin hydration it can hold on to, then finish with a night cream. Keep it up for weeks, as one night will not be enough.
What is the best night cream for combination skin? SugarVelvet is our restorative night cream for combination skin, made to support the skin barrier overnight.

-What is the best night cream for oily skin? SugarSilk is our restorative night cream for oily skin, made to support the skin barrier overnight.

Sources and further reading

• Mild dry skin, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin: causes of dry skin, self-care, and when to see your GP
• Diurnal rhythm of the skin: myth or reality?, Ostermeier and Kerscher, Aktuelle Dermatologie, 2018: how skin barrier function changes through the day
• How to tell if your skin barrier is damaged, Cleveland Clinic: how hot water and over-cleansing affect the skin barrier