When the indoor air becomes extremely dry, it makes the moisture from your skin to evaporate and the skin turns itchy, cracked, and irritated.
One potential solution is the deployment of a humidifier for dry skin- it quickly adds moisture into the air to restore your skin’s hydration.
In this guide, we’ll learn about how humidifiers alleviate skin dryness as well as explore some tips to help you shop for the best humidifier for dry skin.
How does it work?
As mentioned above, these machines ramp up humidity levels by introducing extra moisture – in the form of mist- into the air.
We shall talk about this in more detail shortly but what I want you to know now is that they use diverse technologies to ‘manufacture’ the moisture including heating.
Remember that it’s difficult to escape air dryness during the cold winter months because wintertime humidity will always be short (meaning that that the little surviving moisture is quickly ‘swallowed’ by the air).
Are humidifiers worth it or is it all hat and no cattle? (will humidifier help dry skin?)
Humidifiers elevate the room humidity to between 30-50% (EPA says this is the safest level to protect again skin dehydration).
Does humidifier help dry skin? Indeed, some of them auto-sense drops in the humidity around you and promptly bursts into action until the moisture comes back up.
It doesn’t matter the brand or the type- the device will always emit vapor into your space to reduce the skin-harming air dryness.
In fact, humidifiers are known to soothe respiratory problems and a host of other pesky health issues brought about by deficits in air moisture.
In short, a humidifier for dry skin could be a worthy addition to your home or workplace.
Types of humidifiers
I had promised to elaborate on the types so here we go:
- Evaporative humidifiers — These are the oldest and add moisture by evaporating air (aided by a fan) into the room air to combat dryness.
Most have a self-regulating mechanism to prevent too much humidification (this can boost the growth of dangerous bacteria and molds).
They generally come at more pocket-friendly prices although the use of filters (in some) means higher maintenance cost (because of frequent filter replacement).
- Ultrasonic humidifiers — ultrasonic humidifiers produce moisture high-frequency sound vibrations and are perhaps the chief rival to evaporative units.
Their main weakness is the tendency to accumulate mineral scale deposits inside (water contains calcium and many other minerals)- this can shorten its lifespan.
On the other hand, these are more versatile and will produce both white and warm mist (more on this in a short while) besides being quieter.
- Impeller humidifiers — These comprise rotating discs and a diffuser. The two team up to ‘manufacture’ and disperse fog-like (cool) mist into the air.
I should add that you may stumble on whole-house humidifiers (built into the central air-con system and super expensive) and the extremely portable steam vaporizers (heats then cools water before expelling it as vapor) too.
Buying Guide
As you have noted above, each of the types has its pros and cons and it’s important to keep that in mind when comparing.
Here now is what else to care about in your hunt for the best humidifier for dry skin:
Cool vs Warm mist
Humidifiers deliver either cool or warm mist and this can impact your decision.
Now, the cool mist is simply room-temperature mist and is mainly supplied by ultra-sonic humidifiers (plus a couple of other units).
In contrast, the warm mist is essentially warm moisture from units like evaporative humidifiers. These units have to boil the water before evaporating it and subsequently make the room feel warmer during winter.
The one key thing to note here is that because of the heating process, warm mist humidifiers can scald your kid/pet if they come near it.
This leaves cool mist humidifiers as the best choice if you have kids or some furry pals hanging around.
The tradeoff is that warm moisture kills micro-organisms like mold while cool mist makes them thrive!
Pro-tip: You can order an ultrasonic model with both cool and warm mist functions if still undecided.
Square footage
Measure the space you’re planning to use it in then checks the recommended square footage for every model- you want a unit that spreads moisture throughout your environment.
Operational noise
For a good night’s sleep, select a unit with a whisper-quiet operation (or white noise). I already explained that ultrasonic models tend to be significantly silent.
The tank
Here you want a bigger tank (it will hold adequate water to humidify overnight without you waking up to refill it) and one that’s easier to clean and refill (a handle and a larger opening will suffice here).
The included features
It’s nice to have features like:
- Humidistat (hygrostat)- monitors and automatically maintains moisture at the preferred level.
- Auto shutoff- shuts down the unit to protect it from getting burned when water drops below safe levels (or if the tank is removed).
- Low water warning– alerts you when it’s time to refill the tank.
- Antimicrobial technology– kills harmful toxins.
- Filter sensor– Let’s you know when a filter change is due (for those using filters).
I cannot promise that you will get a humidifier for dry skin that meets all these conditions- our needs will always be different anyway.
However, there are brands that make humidifiers that satisfy a larger percentage of the above requirements and you’re obviously better off targeting them.
We review them next.
Best humidifier for dry skin Reviews
The following units have what it takes (in our opinion) to regulate room moisture and prevent air dryness from wreaking havoc on your skin.
TaoTronics TT-AH002 Humidifier
This outputs copious amounts of mist when moisture falls to 30% (or below) and will help bring humidity levels up again to ease itchy cracked skin.
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The built-in ceramic filter helps purify the water in the tank and battle bad odors for lasting room freshness and cleanliness.
Use it for rooms sized between 107- 322 square feet.
Features
This has plenty of features that made us fall in love with it right off the bat.
For example, the twin mist nobbles rotate 360° to help you direct the mist to all corners.
And controlling the amount of mist is quite straightforward thanks to the simplified knob control.
Coming to the tank, it has a capacity of 3. 5 Liters which is enough to give you 10 hours of continued rehydration without refilling.
Refilling is easy too (the tank has a handle) not to forget that they have included a low-water LED warning and an auto shutoff to protect it.
The sound is really silent- less than what you experience when in a library and you should sleep like a toddler.
The included light is also dimmer to help you doze off quickly (and keep dreaming) at night.
Pros
- Amazingly quiet.
- A breeze to refill.
- Cute unit.
Cons
- You’ll be incurring filter replacement costs every 4-6 months.
Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultra-sonic Cool Mist Humidifier
This moisturizes nonstop for a staggering 16 hours to help relieve chapped skin, dry lips, and related problems.
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You once again receive bountiful amounts of mist and it works brilliantly for bedrooms, living rooms, condos, or offices up to 250 square feet big.
It’s a cool mist unit hence we highly recommend it for homes with children and pets.
Features
Aside from the powerful mist that leads to quick restoration of appropriate moisture levels, it has a cap (with a hole) that lets you redirect the mist flow to where you wish.
Plus, it has only two speeds – high and low- which you swiftly adjust by just touching the button (the blue light will indicate the set speed) to your comfiest level.
The sound is nothing to worry about and the optional night light will help nudge you to a restful sleep.
The tank is also impressive- from the reasonable capacity (1.5 liters serves medium-sized rooms for up to the aforementioned 10 hours) to a slicker design for a quick refilling operation, you’ll love everything about it.
The tiny size makes it great for small apartments while the pretty looks add more beauty to the existing interior décor.
Pros
- Seamless operation.
- The automatic shut-off brings peace of mind.
- Lengthy 5 –year warranty.
Cons
- The tank is without a grasp handle.
Air Innovations MH-701BA cool mist Platinum Humidifier
This is probably the best option if you’re after a humidifier for dry skin in large rooms (up to 600 square feet) including a larger children’s bedroom (which produces a cool mist).
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Indeed, it offers more than just relief from skin troubles- it packs a magical anti-microbial that kills nearly 100% of potent germs hanging around your space ensuring healthier air.
Features
It has more cool functions than the previous two humidifiers.
For example, it comes with a handy remote control for easier operation along with a convenient digital display to keep you updated about the prevailing moisture and temperature situation.
There’s even a feature that allows you to add a scent to the ensuing mist for easier, fresher breathing.
There’s as well an on/off feature to help maintain the humidity at the right level.
The elongated neck attachment should help you distribute mist to the farthest corner.
The humidity also feels quite comfortable all around.
Meanwhile, the 1.7-gallon tank lasts up to 96 hours according to the manufacturer!
It’s in truth a wonderful unit for extra-large spaces.
Pros
- Super quiet.
- Easier mist control.
- You can dim the lights to sleep at night.
Cons
- A bit pricey.
Honeywell HCM350W Germ-Free Cool Mist Humidifier (White)
This humidifier for dry skin from Honeywell will not bring annoying white dust like some other units built to serve its recommended 360 sq. ft. space.
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Plus, the UV light keeps bacteria at bay while releasing a relaxing cool breeze throughout the environment.
Your skin will thank you for this.
Features
Being a Honeywell, you would expect a top-quality model and that’s what it is:
First, the mist output is up there with the best and the water reservoir can last even up to two consecutive nights depending on the speed setting.
Tank refills (as well as cleaning) are quick thanks to the removable cap and handle.
There’s no remote but the control knob on the unit’s top should help you easily set a comfortable humidity level (from the three speeds).
Moving on, it’s virtually silent – even at the highest speed- and the light is again soft for calmer shuteye.
The unit is itself sturdily constructed and is likely to outlast cheaper models.
Pros
- Very lightweight unit.
- Excellent quality control.
- Does its job superbly.
Cons
- Pricey replacement filter.
LEVOIT LV550HH, 5.5L Warm & Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifiers
This reminds me of my earlier advice on picking a humidifier for dry skin with both warm and cool mist functionality if you want to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Now, we believe that the best dual-function humidifier for dry skin is this Levoit LV550HH and we highly recommend it to you.
You see, it achieves an incredibly high mist output of up to 450ml/hr and will certainly rehydrate your dry skin faster than most other units serving rooms up to 750 square feet.
Features
This unit packs an array of amazing features including a humidity sensor and auto mode- it can, therefore, manage the moisture levels without bothering you based on changes it detects in the room.
The intuitive touch control panel and remote control enable a convenient operation if you want to control it manually.
Then, not only does it humidify rapidly but it also disperses cool or warm mist – simply press the warm mist button to engage the latter function- in all directions thanks to the two easy-rotating nozzles (moves 360°).
You actually have more settings to choose from (there is a total of 5 cool/warm mist speeds).
It’s also an aroma diffuser and you can safely add your favorite essential oil if you’re into aromatherapy.
The 1.45 Gallon (5.5L) serves continuously for about 36 hours (maximum)- this may vary with the setting- and it remains impressively quiet.
Pros
- So quiet a baby won’t hear it.
- Easy to assemble.
- Lifetime support.
Cons
- Delays before heating up (10-15 minutes).
Final thoughts
Use the humidifier for dry skin in moderation- too much humidity can help infection-causing bugs grow indoors.
Also, be sure to keep the humidifier clean lest it suffers mineral buildups (this can cut its lifespan) and again boost the growth of pollutants.
Finally, don’t overlook other hacks that help you ease skin dryness such as taking enough water, applying high-quality moisturizers, and shortening the shower time even as you use the humidifier.
