Reviewed by our founder, Samantha Ellis, MD, FAAD – board-certified medical and cosmetic dermatologist

Psoriasis-prone skin often presents as dryness, flaking, scaling, rough texture, and sensitivity. Skin may feel thick or uneven, with areas that feel rough or more difficult to smooth.

A consistent routine focused on gentle cleansing, hydration, softening rough or flaky areas, and supporting the skin barrier can help improve overall skin comfort.

As always, consult with your physician or dermatologist for any additional information for your particular skin type and needs.

What Is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition characterized by itchy, scaly patches and buildup, typically appearing on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp. As a chronic condition, it requires consistent management to support skin comfort.

Psoriasis-prone skin is associated with an accelerated skin cell turnover cycle. Instead of shedding evenly, skin cells can accumulate on the surface, leading to visible buildup, scaling, and rough texture.

This process can also contribute to dryness and increased transepidermal water loss, making it more difficult for skin to retain moisture and maintain a healthy barrier.

Because of this, skincare should focus on supporting hydration, helping soften buildup, and reinforcing the skin barrier.

What Helps Support Psoriasis-Prone Skin?

Psoriasis-prone skin benefits from a routine built around hydration, barrier support, and gentle smoothing of rough or flaky areas.

Consistent moisturizing is especially important. Ingredients that help attract and retain water, while also softening visible buildup, can improve how skin feels and looks over time.

Skin protectants can also play a role by helping reduce moisture loss and protecting compromised areas when skin feels dry or irritated.

What Ingredients Are Best for Psoriasis-Prone Skin?

Ingredients that support hydration, barrier function, and help soften rough, flaky skin are best suited for psoriasis-prone skin.

Hydrating Ingredients:

• Urea helps attract and retain moisture while softening rough, flaky skin and improving overall texture
• Glycerin helps attract and retain moisture

Barrier-Supporting Ingredients:

• Ceramides help support the skin barrier and reduce moisture loss
• Ectoin helps protect against dehydration and environmental stress, supporting compromised skin

Skin-Protecting Ingredients:

• Petrolatum and dimethicone help protect compromised skin and reduce moisture loss

What Ingredients Should You Avoid for Psoriasis-Prone Skin?

Certain products can increase dryness or irritation in psoriasis-prone skin. Harsh exfoliants, fragranced formulas, and overly aggressive active ingredients may disrupt the skin barrier and worsen sensitivity.

Keeping the routine focused on hydration, gentle smoothing, and barrier support is typically more effective than over-exfoliating or using too many active treatments at once.

Step-by-Step Skincare Routine for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

A skincare routine for psoriasis-prone skin should focus on cleansing gently, replenishing hydration, softening rough texture, and protecting areas that feel dry or compromised.

Step 1: Gentle Cleansers for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

Cleansing should remove dirt and buildup while maintaining hydration and barrier function.

Gleanser Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser is a gentle, non-stripping cleanser for the face and body formulated with 50% glycerin to help maintain moisture during cleansing. It removes impurities while supporting the skin barrier and can be used on both the face and body.

Gleanser + Salicylic Acid is a non-stripping cleanser formulated with glycerin and salicylic acid that gently exfoliates to soften and renew. This can be used when needed, depending on skin tolerance.

Step 2: Calming Spray for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

A calming step after cleansing can help support skin comfort.

Universal Skin Solution is a hypochlorous acid spray that helps calm and soothe reactive, sensitized, or compromised skin. Spray directly onto dry, cleansed skin as needed and allow it to dry before applying the next step.

Step 3: Soothing Serum for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

Serums can help support skin comfort and hydration before moisturizer.

Redness Reform Soothing Serum helps calm visible redness and irritation while supporting the skin barrier. Apply evenly to clean, dry skin and follow with moisturizer.

Step 4: Moisturizers for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

Moisturizing is a key step for psoriasis-prone skin, especially when addressing dryness, flaking, and visible buildup.

Urea Advanced Relief Moisturizing Milk is a face and body moisturizer formulated with 10% urea. At this level, urea functions as both a humectant and a mild keratolytic, helping to attract and retain moisture while softening rough, flaky skin.

It also supports the skin barrier and helps improve overall hydration without a heavy or greasy feel. Apply to clean, dry skin and massage until fully absorbed.

AND/OR

Skin protectants are over-the-counter moisturizers formulated with FDA-recognized active ingredients that temporarily protect compromised skin and reduce moisture loss.

They are especially useful when skin feels dry, irritated, cracked or reactive. Different formats provide different levels of protection, from lightweight hydration to higher occlusion depending on skin needs.

Skin protectants are typically used as the final step in a routine and can be applied across the skin or targeted to specific areas that feel dry or irritated. They can be used as a stand-alone moisturizer or as needed when skin feels dry, irritated or compromised.

Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Cream helps alleviate minor irritation and itchiness due to dryness and eczema. It contains 1% colloidal oatmeal, a recognized skin protectant active that helps temporarily relieve irritation while moisturizing and supporting the skin barrier. Apply as needed from head to toe.

Barrier Therapy Rich Skin Protectant Cream provides the same benefits in a richer, more balm-like texture for dry-to-very-dry skin. Apply as needed from head to toe.

Skin Utility Ointment is a multi-purpose ointment formulated with petrolatum that creates a protective barrier to help prevent moisture loss and protect compromised skin. Apply as needed.

Skin Utility Balm is an occlusive balm that helps lock in moisture while supporting the skin barrier. Apply as needed.

Not every routine requires a skin protectant daily, although they can be used as a daily moisturization step. Use as needed when skin feels dry, irritated, or compromised.

Step 5: Targeted Support for Reactive or Compromised Skin

During periods of increased sensitivity, some areas may need targeted support.

Reactive Skin Solutions 5% Ectoin Cream is a steroid-free cream formulated with ectoin, urea, hydroxyethyl urea, and allantoin to help alleviate sensitivity, scaling, roughness, and irritation while moisturizing compromised skin.

Gently massage onto targeted areas of the face or body daily or as needed. This is a targeted step for symptomatic or reactive skin and is typically applied as the last step in your routine before sunscreen.

Step 6: Sunscreen for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

Daily sunscreen helps protect the skin from environmental stressors.

Sun Barrier SPF 50 is a mineral-based sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection while supporting the skin barrier. Apply as the last step in your morning routine.

Prequel Products Recognized by the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation Seal of Recognition is awarded to select Prequel formulas reviewed for their non-irritating ingredient profiles and suitability for those living with psoriatic disease or severe sensitive skin. Products with the seal complete a full toxicology review to assess safety by evaluating any potential ingredient risks. Once completed, an expert panel analyzes the results along with completed safety testing reports. These formulas are confirmed to be suitable for those with psoriatic disease and can be used as part of a daily skincare routine for psoriasis-prone skin.

Products with this designation include:

• Gleanser + Salicylic Acid Cleanser
• Universal Skin Solution Dermal Spray
  
• Urea Advanced Relief Moisturizing Milk
• Skin Utility Ointment Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant
• Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant
• Reactive Skin Solutions 5% Ectoin Cream
• Sun Barrier SPF 50

These designations can help guide product selection for those looking for well-tolerated options for psoriasis-prone or sensitive skin, but they are not intended to treat psoriasis or replace medical care.

Building a Consistent Routine for Psoriasis-Prone Skin

A consistent routine focused on hydration, gentle smoothing, and barrier support helps maintain skin comfort over time. Using a moisturizer that both hydrates and softens rough texture, along with protective steps when needed, can help improve how skin feels and looks.

Introduce new products gradually and adjust based on how skin responds. With continued use of gentle, well-formulated products, psoriasis-prone skin can feel more comfortable and supported.

All skin care articles are intended to help educate on specific ingredients and skin care topics. Our articles are written to be informative and informational. Any reference to a specific patient experience is not a medical suggestion for treatment. Please note that any Prequel products with referenced ingredients are formulated for Cosmetic Use Only and NOT intended as replacements for physician advice and/or pharmaceutical product recommendations.