Dr Dray has approved most of the 149 dry skin products she has reviewed. She named 11 outright category winners. She rarely stops at a rating. For almost every product, she names the specific ingredient doing the work and adds a practical note on how to use it.
What does Dr Dray recommend for dry skin?
Dr Dray keeps coming back to actives that do real structural work. Ingredients like urea, lactic acid, and glycolipids come up often in her takes. They break down dry, rough surface cells and rebuild the barrier underneath. That means the skin actually changes over time, rather than just feeling better briefly after application. She pairs nearly every approved take with practical advice. For foot treatments, she suggests covering the skin with socks so those actives can absorb through thick skin. Fragrance-free and good value run through almost everything she recommends. She also often flags when a proven formula comes in a larger, more affordable size.
In their words
"When it comes to moisturizing the body for the summer, I really like that Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream, fragrance-free. It's very hydrating, lightweight, not greasy on the skin."
"CeraVe Intensive Foot Repair is the game-changing skincare product. As the [...] name applies, it's intensive. It has urea and salicylic acid, those are catalytics. They go in there and they break up the glue between those outermost skin cells, helping to exfoliate and smooth everything out. Apply this after a shower. It's in a petroleum jelly base similar to Vaseline. Those active ingredients will get in there and dissolve up that dry, rough stuff. Apply it to the feet after a shower or bath and apply it to the palms as well. Cover with socks and gloves, that will really enhance the penetration of those active ingredients down through that thick wall of stratum corneum. [...] Be sure to wash your hands after you apply this, because if you touch your face and transfer the residue from that product to like your eyelids, it can cause a lot of eyelid irritation."
"We have the 20 oz bottle of AmLactin 12% Lactic Acid Lotion. [...] At this percentage strength, it not only improves epidermal thickness, but also dermal thickness. This is one thing that could potentially be helpful for those of you with solar purpura, like age related dermatoporosis, thinning of the skin related to the sun, usually on the backs of the hands and the forearms. You [...] get this huge bruise. [...] This right here, it's not going to get rid of that issue, [...] but it's one of the few things that can legitimately help with that. [...] This is the first month at this Costco you have the 20 oz bottle. Normally it's $18.99. This month, they're taking $ [...] 5 off. $13. [...] Yes, you can use this on the face. Yes, you can use it with retinoids. [...] AmLactin reformulated and [...] it no longer has the odor. I never noticed an odor from AmLactin myself, but [...] they reformulated it. [...] I've seen confirmation in the comments from over 20 of you [...] that you used to [...] not use AmLactin in the past, but you heard from my videos that they changed it and it doesn't stink anymore. So you gave it another try and you're so glad you did because you don't smell anything and you're loving it."
"The Glycolipid Cream Cleanser has glycolipids which are helpful for the moisture barrier and phytic acid which is an antioxidant that also can mildly exfoliate the skin. This is a cream cleanser that you can apply to dry or damp skin and I have to tell you guys I have been rather impressed with the performance of this. If you have very sensitive irritated skin, or maybe you're using Accutane and you want the mildest gentlest products, this is a very very very mild gentle creamy soothing frankly cleanser that actually does a good job removing cosmetics. It may not be the best at removing water resistant sunscreen you may need to use an oil cleanser first but I was able to get mascara that is not waterproof, eye shadow, non-water resistant sunscreen off with just this applying it all over to a dry face and then when I get in the shower rinsing it off with no additional cleanser. [...] It's fragrance free and has kind of a coconutty aroma to it. It kind of reminds me almost like a more liquid version of a cold cream. Twelve dollars and fifty cents for the 150 ml."
"If I were going to rank the Prequel Half and Half, I would not put it above Haru Haru Wonder Black Rice Probiotic Barrier Essence, which I love. It has more of a silky, luxurious texture. It softens and smooths."
"I recently finished up the Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Cleanser, which I love. I think that was bottle number three."
How many products has Dr Dray reviewed for dry skin?
Dr Dray has reviewed 149 products for dry skin, for a Guru Score of 76%. 113 approved, 24 mixed, and 12 skipped.
What has Dr Dray skipped for dry skin?
Dr Dray skipped 12 products in this category. Her reasons tend to follow a few clear patterns. Ingredients that feel soothing but actually cause irritation are one recurring concern. She described camphor and phenol in Carmex Lip Balm as creating a cycle. Lips feel better briefly, then chap again a few hours later, drawing people back for more rather than actually healing. She also skipped products with strong or irritating fragrances and formulas that simply did not deliver on what their labels claimed.
"Speaking of cleansing oils, that did not go well for me and I suffered through to the end. Don't buy this. Whatever you do, don't buy it, unless you like putting Vicks VapoRub in your eye. Do not buy the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm, vitamin E and eucalyptus. Do we have a head cold? I think not. This was misery to use. [...] It's pretty hard to actually screw up the functionality of a cleansing oil or cleansing balm, but [...] you can really ruin it from an experiential part of things."
"It says on the website it's not greasy that's a straight up lie. [...] Says it's hydrating, another lie. For $ [...] 25 I don't understand why this is so popular. It's not that bad, like I'm being a little dramatic, but for as much hype as it's gotten, I feel like I'm let down."
"Carmex has ingredients that are soothing like camphor phenol but also irritating. [...] It feels soothing, it feels like your lips are soft because it is moisturizing, but then you get that irritation that develops and several hours later you're like oh my lips are chapped again so you reach for more Carmex. It's a vicious cycle."
"I would not use something like this. I'd just use my regular moisturizer. The scent is powdery and strong."
What should you take from Dr Dray's picks?
Dr Dray's 149 dry skin reviews cover the full routine, from cleansers and serums to body treatments, lip care, and sunscreen. She named 11 winners across the category. Her approved takes are specific enough to use as a buying guide. She includes the ingredient doing the work and a practical note on how to apply it. Her skips carry just as much information. She nearly always explains the ingredient logic behind what went wrong, not just that something did not work.
Watch Dr Dray say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Prequel Non-Drying Glycerin CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 4:15
- Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk CleanserNamed a winnerWatch at 17:25
- Paula's Choice 7% Ectoin BoosterNamed a winnerWatch at 2:44
- Aveeno Skin Relief Body WashNamed a winnerWatch at 13:38
- Eucerin Intensive Repair LotionNamed a winnerWatch at 1:30
- Dove Deep Moisture Body WashNamed a winnerWatch at 4:25
- Anua ZeroCast Moisturizing Finish SunscreenNamed a winnerWatch at 15:34
- Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour creamNamed a winnerWatch at 15:27
- Blue Lizard Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50Named a winnerWatch at 5:16
- AmLactin 12% Lactic Acid LotionNamed a winnerWatch at 9:58
- CeraVe Intensive Foot RepairNamed a winnerWatch at 4:40
- Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing BalmSkipped itWatch at 4:53
- Summer Fridays Lip Butter BalmSkipped itWatch at 0:55
- Carmex Lip balmSkipped itWatch at 12:03
- Belief Moisturizing Eye BalmSkipped itWatch at 0:26
- Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair SerumSkipped itWatch at 9:22
- Augustinus Bader Rich CreamSkipped itWatch at 5:49
- VT Collagen Reedle Shot 100Skipped itWatch at 8:30
- Supergoop Glow Screen SunscreenSkipped itWatch at 0:49
- Medicube Collagen Jelly CreamSkipped itWatch at 12:38
- The INKEY List Ectoin Hydro-Barrier SerumSkipped itWatch at 4:05
- CeraVe Eye Repair CreamSkipped itWatch at 10:17
- BYOMA Milky Jelly CleanserSkipped itWatch at 3:19
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Gel CreamRated itWatch at 12:29
About this expert
See everything Dr Dray has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what Dr Dray said across their videos about 149 products for dry skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.