If your skin seems drier than it used to be, you’re not imagining it.
The skincare routine that worked perfectly well years ago may suddenly leave your arms, legs, hands or face feeling tight, rough or itchy.
That’s because our skin naturally changes as we get older—and one of those changes is a reduced ability to stay moisturized.
Skin becomes thinner with age and produces less of the natural oils that help it retain moisture. That can make dryness increasingly common as the years go by.
Fortunately, a few changes to your everyday skincare routine can often help aging skin feel much more comfortable.
👉 Learn more: What Causes Dry Skin? Common Causes & How to Protect Your Skin
Why Does Skin Get Drier as We Age? The Short Answer
As we get older, several things happen that can make it more difficult for our skin to stay soft and moisturized.
Our skin tends to:
- Produce less natural oil
- Become thinner
- Lose water more easily
- Become more sensitive to dry environments and irritating products
The American Academy of Dermatology notes that production of sebum—the natural oil that helps keep skin soft—drops significantly with age.
That means products and habits that never bothered your skin before may eventually begin leaving it feeling dry or uncomfortable.
What Happens to Our Skin as We Get Older?
Skin isn’t just a covering over our bodies. It’s a living protective barrier that is constantly changing.
When we’re younger, glands in the skin generally produce more of the oils that help keep the skin flexible and reduce moisture loss.
As we age, oil production decreases.
The skin itself also becomes thinner and less elastic. The National Institute on Aging notes that older adults may produce less oil and sweat from glands in their skin, while hormonal changes such as those associated with menopause can also contribute to thinner, drier skin.
The result?
Skin that once seemed perfectly normal may gradually begin to feel:
- Rough
- Tight
- Flaky
- Itchy
- More easily irritated
Some people notice these changes first on their hands, lower legs, arms or elbows.
Why Older Skin Loses Moisture More Easily
Remember the skin barrier we’ve talked about in the other articles in our Dry Skin Relief series?
Think of it as the wall separating the moisture inside your skin from the outside world.
Natural oils and fats are an important part of that protective barrier.
As oil production decreases with age, it can become more difficult for the skin to hold onto water. Mayo Clinic explains that aging skin becomes thinner and produces less of the oils needed to help the skin retain water.
That’s why dry skin and dehydrated skin aren’t necessarily the same thing, although they can certainly occur together.
👉 Related: Dry Skin vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the Difference?
At What Age Does Skin Start Getting Drier?
There’s no single birthday when your skin suddenly decides, Well, that’s enough moisture for you. 😄
Everyone’s skin ages differently.
Genetics, climate, sun exposure, medications, health conditions, bathing habits and the products you use can all influence how dry your skin becomes.
But age itself is an important factor.
The American Academy of Dermatology says sebum production drops dramatically by our 40s and continues to decrease afterward. It also notes that dry skin becomes extremely common later in life.
So if products you’ve used for decades suddenly seem too drying, your skin may simply need a gentler routine than it once did.
Why Winter Can Be Especially Hard on Aging Skin
Cold Kentucky mornings aren’t always friendly to dry skin.
Cold outdoor air generally holds less moisture, while indoor heating can lower humidity inside our homes.
Combine that environment with skin that already produces less natural oil, and winter can become particularly uncomfortable.
Hands may crack.
Lower legs may become itchy.
Arms can become rough or flaky.
And turning up the shower temperature because it’s freezing outside can make things even worse.
We’ll dig much deeper into this in our upcoming guide about why skin gets dry in winter, but the basic strategy is simple:
Protect the moisture your skin already has rather than continually stripping it away.
Everyday Habits That Can Make Aging Skin Even Drier
Aging isn’t the only reason skin becomes dry.
Some everyday habits can remove additional oils and moisture from skin that’s already having a harder time retaining them.
Long, Hot Showers
That steaming-hot shower may feel wonderful, but hot water can remove natural oils from your skin.
AAD recommends warm rather than hot water and shorter showers for older adults dealing with dry skin.
Harsh Cleansers
Cleansers are supposed to remove dirt, sweat and unwanted oils.
But sometimes they remove too much.
Harsh soaps and detergents can strip oils from the skin and contribute to dryness.
Scrubbing
Older skin can be thinner and more easily irritated.
You don’t need to scrub yourself squeaky clean.
Gentle washing is usually enough.
Frequent Hand Washing
People who work with their hands know this one.
Farmers, healthcare workers, cooks, cleaners, mechanics, hairdressers and anyone frequently washing their hands can experience additional dryness from repeated exposure to water and cleansers.
And around here, between goats, gardening, farm chores, soap making and everything else—we wash our hands a lot. 😆
How to Care for Dry Skin as You Get Older
You don’t need a complicated 14-step skincare routine.
For many people, simpler and gentler is better.
1. Use warm rather than hot water
You don’t have to take a cold shower.
Just turn the temperature down from lobster-boiling hot. 😆
2. Keep showers reasonably short
Long exposure to hot water can contribute to dryness.
3. Cleanse gently
Choose a gentle cleanser and avoid aggressive scrubbing.
4. Moisturize after bathing or washing
One of the best times to moisturize is when your skin is still slightly damp.
AAD and Mayo Clinic both recommend applying moisturizer after bathing or hand washing to help retain moisture.
5. Moisturize again when your skin needs it
There’s no rule saying lotion is only for mornings or bedtime.
If your hands feel dry after washing them, moisturize them again.
6. Consider indoor humidity
If your home becomes extremely dry during winter, a humidifier may help make the environment more comfortable for dry skin.
Why Gentle Cleansing Becomes More Important With Age
Here’s where the whole picture comes together.
Younger skin may be able to tolerate aggressive cleansing without immediately feeling uncomfortable.
Older, drier skin may not.
If your skin is already producing less natural oil, repeatedly removing more of it doesn’t make much sense.
The goal isn’t to avoid washing.
It’s to clean the skin without unnecessarily stripping away the oils and moisture that help keep it comfortable.
Gentle Skincare for Older, Drier Skin
For skin that has become increasingly dry or sensitive over the years, we believe keeping things simple is often a good place to start.
Our Pure & Natural Goat Milk Soap is our unscented soap option. We make it here on our Kentucky farm using fresh goat milk from our own LaMancha dairy goats, with no added fragrance.
👉 Shop Pure & Natural Goat Milk Soap
After washing or bathing, moisturizing can help replace some of the moisture your skin loses throughout the day.
Our Pure & Natural Goat Milk Lotion is also an unscented option for people who prefer skincare without added fragrance.
👉 Shop Pure & Natural Goat Milk Lotion
We’re not suggesting that goat milk soap or lotion can stop skin from aging—or treat a medical condition.
They’re simply gentle skincare options for people whose skin doesn’t appreciate being treated quite as roughly as it used to. 😊
When Dry Skin May Need More Than Moisturizer
Some dryness is common as we get older, but not every skin problem should automatically be blamed on age.
Eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions can also be associated with very dry or irritated skin. Certain medications, medical treatments and health conditions can contribute as well.
Consider talking with a healthcare professional if your skin:
- Remains extremely dry despite changing your skincare routine
- Becomes painful or inflamed
- Cracks or bleeds significantly
- Develops open sores
- Shows signs of infection
- Itches enough to interfere with sleep or everyday life
Those can be signs that something more than ordinary dry skin is going on.
👉 Visit the Psoriasis Relief Hub
Frequently Asked Questions About Aging and Dry Skin
Why does skin get drier as you get older?
As we age, skin becomes thinner and produces less of the natural oils that help it retain moisture. This can make dry, rough or itchy skin increasingly common with age.
At what age does skin start getting drier?
There’s no exact age because everyone’s skin is different. However, oil production decreases substantially as we get older, with AAD noting a significant decline beginning around the 40s.
Does your skin produce less oil as you age?
Yes. Sebum production decreases with age. Because these natural oils help keep skin soft and reduce moisture loss, lower oil production can contribute to increasingly dry skin.
What is best for very dry aging skin?
A simple routine often starts with gentle cleansing, warm rather than hot water, avoiding unnecessary scrubbing and applying moisturizer regularly—particularly after bathing or washing. Very dry or persistent skin problems may need evaluation by a healthcare professional.
How often should older adults moisturize?
There’s no universal number that works for everyone. Moisturizing every day and reapplying when the skin feels dry can help. Applying moisturizer shortly after bathing or washing is particularly useful.
Can drinking more water help dry aging skin?
Adequate hydration is important for overall health, but age-related dry skin isn’t simply a matter of not drinking enough water. Reduced oil production, skin-barrier changes, dry environments, bathing habits and skincare products can all contribute.
👉 Related: Dry Skin vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the Difference?
Keep Learning About Dry Skin
Dry skin becomes increasingly common as we age, but that doesn’t mean we have to spend every winter scratching our arms and fighting cracked hands.
Understanding why skin becomes drier makes it easier to adjust how we care for it.
Gentler cleansing, regular moisturizing and protecting the skin from things that continually strip away moisture can go a long way toward keeping aging skin comfortable.
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