You know the season. The sky turns that hazy orange-grey, the mornings are suddenly cool, your lips start to tighten by noon, and by evening your shins look like someone dusted them with chalk. Harmattan has arrived, and your skin has noticed before you have.
Ashy skin is not a sign that you are doing something wrong. It is what happens when very dry, dusty air pulls water out of the top layer of your skin faster than your body can replace it. The surface gets rough, flaky and dull, and on deeper skin tones that shows up as the familiar grey-white cast.
The good news: a simple, consistent routine makes a real difference. No ten-step regimen, no expensive gadgets. Just four steps done in the right order.
The 4-step harmattan routine
Step 1: Wash gently
Harsh soaps that leave you feeling “squeaky clean” also strip away the natural oils your skin needs right now. In harmattan, choose a gentle, moisturising body wash, ideally one with ingredients like ceramides, glycerin or plant oils.
- Use warm water, not hot. Hot showers feel lovely on a cold harmattan morning but leave skin drier afterwards.
- Keep showers short, around five to ten minutes.
- Go easy with rough sponges every day. Save the scrubbing for step 2.
Step 2: Scrub once or twice a week
Flaky skin is partly a build-up of dead cells sitting on the surface. A body scrub once or twice a week lifts that layer so your moisturiser can actually reach the skin underneath.
Sugar scrubs tend to feel gentler; salt scrubs feel a bit more invigorating and can sting on freshly shaved skin or small cuts. Either way, use light, circular movements on damp skin and rinse well. More is not better here. Scrubbing every day can leave skin irritated and even drier.
Step 3: Moisturise on damp skin
This is the step that changes everything. After your shower, pat yourself lightly with a towel so you are damp, not dripping, and apply your body lotion within a few minutes.
Lotion applied to damp skin helps hold that surface water in place. Applied to bone-dry skin twenty minutes later, it has much less to work with. If you only change one habit this season, make it this one.
Step 4: Seal with oil
Once your lotion has sunk in, a thin layer of body oil or oil gel on top acts like a protective coat. It slows water loss through the day and gives skin that soft sheen that keeps ash away until evening.
Focus on the driest areas: shins, knees, elbows, the backs of your hands and the tops of your feet. A few drops go a long way.
Lotion vs oil vs oil gel ~ what is the difference?
People often ask which one they should buy. The honest answer is that they do different jobs and work best together.
| Product type | What it does | Feels like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body lotion | Adds moisture and softening ingredients such as shea butter or glycerin | Light to medium, absorbs fairly quickly | Everyday hydration, all skin types |
| Body oil | Forms a light film that slows water loss | Silky, can feel richer on the skin | Sealing in lotion, very dry areas, evenings |
| Oil gel | Similar sealing job in a gel texture that spreads easily | Lighter than pure oil, less greasy | People who dislike oily skin feel, daytime under clothes |
If your budget only allows one product, a richer lotion applied on damp skin will do more for most people than oil alone. Oil on its own does not add water to skin. It is best at keeping in what is already there.
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Lips, heels and elbows: the problem areas
Lips
Lips have very little natural oil, so they dry out first. Apply a simple balm or a thin layer of petroleum jelly several times a day and before bed. Resist the urge to lick them or peel the flakes; both make things worse. If your lips stay cracked and sore for weeks, it is worth asking a pharmacist or doctor.
Heels
Open sandals plus dusty roads equals rough, cracked heels. At night, wash and dry your feet, apply a thick layer of rich lotion followed by a little oil, and pull on a pair of cotton socks. Gently use a foot file on dry skin once a week. If a crack is deep, bleeding or painful, or if you live with diabetes, please see a doctor rather than filing it yourself.
Elbows and knees
These areas get extra friction and show ash quickly. Give them a little more scrub on scrub days and a second layer of lotion and oil every day.
Common harmattan mistakes
- Very hot showers. Comforting, but drying.
- Scrubbing every day. Over-exfoliated skin gets irritated and loses more water.
- Waiting too long to moisturise. Get lotion on within minutes of stepping out.
- Using only oil. Oil seals, but it needs moisture underneath to seal in.
- Forgetting water. Dry air dehydrates you too. Keep a bottle nearby and sip through the day.
- Skipping sunscreen on exposed skin. The haze can hide the sun, but it is still there.
- Moisturising only in the morning. A second round before bed, especially on hands, feet and shins, helps a lot.
Shop the routine by budget
You do not need to spend a fortune to look after your skin this season. Here is how the routine can look at three different budgets. Live prices are always on each product page in our skin care section.
Everyday essentials
The most budget-friendly way to cover all four steps. Start with the Olay Body Wash with Ceramide and Vitamin B3, a Dr Teal’s scrub (the Shea Sugar Rose for a gentler feel, or the Pink Himalayan Salt if you like a firmer scrub), Dr Teal’s Vitamin C Body Lotion, and the Vaseline Intensive Care Radiant Body Oil Gel to seal.
The middle ground
A step up in texture and scent. Keep the Olay wash, swap in the Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Shea Sugar Scrub, choose an EOS Shea Better Body Lotion in your favourite scent (Vanilla Cashmere, Coconut Waters, Jasmine Peach or Fresh & Cozy), and seal with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body Oil.
The splurge
For when you want the full pampering experience. Wash with Naturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Hydrating Body Wash or The Booster Hyaluronic Acid Body Wash, scrub with Tree Hut, moisturise with the Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion, and finish with Palmer’s oil on your driest spots.
Whatever tier you choose, consistency matters far more than price. A modest lotion used every day on damp skin will outperform a luxurious one that sits on the shelf.
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When to see a professional
Most harmattan dryness responds well to the routine above within a week or two. But if your skin is intensely itchy, red, cracked and weeping, or patchy in a way that does not improve with regular moisturising, it may be something other than simple dryness, such as eczema. A dermatologist or doctor can help you work out what is going on.
Not sure which products suit your skin, your scent preferences or your budget? Send us a message. Tell us what you are using now and what is bothering you, and we will help you put a routine together. For delivery areas and timelines, see our delivery page.
