Skip to article
DOCEBAThe skin guide

By Anita · founder and product developer at DOCEBA, Bielefeld4 sources

Ashy skin: why dark skin turns grey in winter and how to fix it

Your shins look chalky by lunchtime, your knuckles have gone dull, and the lotion you put on this morning seems to have vanished. That's ashy skin. It's common, it's fixable, and once in a while it's a sign of something a moisturizer can't handle.

The short answer

Ashy skin is dry skin. On deeper skin tones, flaking, discoloration and rough texture are simply easier to see than on lighter skin. The dead cells sitting on the surface are lighter than the skin underneath, and rough skin scatters light instead of reflecting it, which gives that grey cast. To fix it: shorter, warm (not hot) showers, pat dry, and moisturize straight away with a cream or ointment rather than a lotion. You should see some improvement within about two weeks. If you don't, see a board-certified dermatologist, because dryness that won't quit can be eczema, ichthyosis or psoriasis. [S1][S3]

  1. Why dark skin looks ashy
  2. How to get rid of it
  3. When to see a dermatologist
Read the guide
Why dry skin looks grey
Cross-section of brown skin. At first the surface is smooth and reflects a beam of light. Then small pale flakes lift, the light scatters in many directions, and a grey haze settles over the skin.Smooth: light reflectsDry: pale flakes liftLight scatters, skin looks ashy

Schematic illustration · not a before-and-after or a treatment result

Why dark skin looks ashy

"Ashy" isn't a diagnosis. It's the everyday word for how dry skin looks on brown and Black skin. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) puts it plainly: on melanin-rich skin, dry skin is often visible.

Dermatologist Susan C. Taylor reviewed what's known about ashy skin in the journal Cutis in 2005. Some dermatologists see it as ordinary dry skin that stands out more on skin of color because of how the surface reflects light. In one study of 37 African women, ashy legs in winter came down to dryness and changes in skin texture, not inflammation. Another explanation is that the dead skin cells left on the surface are paler and show up more against darker skin.

It tends to show where there's friction and over the outer side of joints, like knees and elbows. Rubbing or scratching can bring the ash back, even after you've applied moisturizer. Taylor notes that little is known about exactly what drives it.

[S1][S3]

What dries skin out in winter

  • Hot water and long soaks. Both make dry skin worse.
  • Harsh soap. Deodorant soaps and products with alcohol or fragrance irritate dry skin. Surfactants can strip lipids from the skin and disrupt its barrier. In a small study Taylor describes, Black skin looked visibly ashy within about a minute of washing with soap, white skin after about two.
  • Rubbing yourself dry. Rubbing irritates. Pat instead.
  • Wool and tight clothes. Tight pieces like leggings and rough fabrics like wool irritate dry skin.
  • Dry air. The AAD suggests running a humidifier in your bedroom, because dry skin needs moisture.
[S1][S3][S2]
Where the water goes after a shower
Two skin cross-sections side by side. On the left, steam rises after a hot shower, water droplets drift up out of the skin and disappear, and flakes lift on the surface. On the right, a layer of cream settles over the skin and the droplets rise only as far as the cream and stay in.Long, hot showerWater evaporatesPatted dry, moisturizedWater stays in

Schematic illustration · not a before-and-after or a treatment result

How to get rid of ashy skin, step by step

1. Shorter, warmer showers

Five to ten minutes, warm water, not hot. Long hot soaks dry skin out further.

[S1]

2. Pat dry, then moisturize right away

Pat with a towel and leave your skin a little damp, then moisturize to lock that water in. For very dry skin, reapply a cream or ointment through the day, and use a fragrance-free hand cream every time you wash your hands.

[S1]

3. Swap lotion for a cream or ointment

Creams and ointments add more moisture than lotions. Dermatologist Chesahna Kindred, quoted by the AAD, recommends moisturizers with ceramides, which can cut down the whitish, greyish look of dry skin. Other ingredients on the AAD's list: glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, shea butter, dimethicone, lanolin, jojoba oil, mineral oil and petrolatum. Look for "fragrance-free" on the label. "Unscented" isn't the same thing and can still contain irritants.

For very dry skin, dermatologist Caroline Robinson suggests petroleum jelly on still-damp skin or over your cream. Butters and oils on their own melt on the skin and moisturize less well than a thick cream or ointment, says dermatologist Shani Francis.

[S2][S1]

4. Change what touches your skin

Loose cotton next to your skin. Keep wool and polyester off dry patches. If you use a humidifier at night, clean it regularly so mold doesn't grow.

[S1][S2]
Four steps against the grey cast
A round patch of brown skin with a grey haze. Four icons appear beside it one by one: a shower, a towel, a jar of cream and a T-shirt. The haze thins with each icon until the skin has a soft sheen.5–10 min, warm waterPat dry, leave it dampMoisturize right awayCotton next to skinSheen is back

Schematic illustration · not a before-and-after or a treatment result

Dry skin and dark spots

This is where ashiness meets pigment. Dry, itchy skin can be a sign of eczema. Eczema can leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) behind: a dark patch where the skin was inflamed. PIH is more common on darker skin, looks more intense and lasts longer.

So on melanin-rich skin, treating dryness early pays off twice. Calm skin itches less, and skin that doesn't get inflamed doesn't leave a mark. If you're already dealing with dark spots, here's how they fade: Hyperpigmentation on dark skin.

[S1][S4]
Two paths from the same dry patch
A dry, greyish patch of skin splits into two paths. On the left the skin itches, turns red and ends with a dark mark. On the right cream goes on and the skin stays calm and even.Dry patchItchingDark mark (PIH)MoisturizeSkin stays calm

Schematic illustration · not every dry patch turns into eczema

When to see a dermatologist

The AAD says these steps should bring some improvement within about two weeks. If your skin is still dry after that, see a board-certified dermatologist. You may need a prescription-strength ointment.

Dryness that doesn't respond can point to an undiagnosed condition such as eczema, ichthyosis or psoriasis. The AAD notes that some people with darker skin live with one for years, thinking their skin is just too dry for moisturizer to help. Dry skin is also linked to conditions like diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Go sooner if your skin itches, cracks or looks inflamed despite moisturizing. This is a skincare guide, not a diagnosis.

[S1][S3]

From our lab

With ashy skin, we wouldn't start with an active ingredient. Skin first needs water and lipids, and less of whatever washes both away. Once it's calm again, dark spots are worth a look.

A shelf product stays the same in winter and summer. Your skin doesn't. Because Anita formulates in our own lab in Bielefeld, we can adjust a product when your skin needs something different. That's what Skin Protocol is for.

Your next step

Both routes are fine. Pick the one that fits you today.

  1. For two weeks: short warm showers, pat dry, moisturize straight away.
  2. Cream or ointment instead of lotion, everything fragrance-free.
  3. Still dry, itchy or inflamed after that? See a dermatologist.

Matching product from our lab:

Skin Protocol: a plan for your skin and a team that adjusts it

You get a plan built around your skin and everything you've already tried. We check in regularly and adjust products from Anita's lab when your skin needs something different. In English or German.

It starts with a free 20-minute call. We ring you and listen to your skin story, including skin that goes ashy every winter or dark marks left behind by dry patches.

Book your free skin call

Cosmetic advice, not a diagnosis. If you think you have a skin condition, see a doctor first.

Questions you might still have

What does ashy skin mean?

It's the everyday term for dry skin on a deeper skin tone that looks grey, dull or chalky. It isn't a medical diagnosis. Flaking and rough texture are just easier to see on darker skin. [S1][S3]

Why are my legs so ashy?

Legs and the outer side of knees and elbows get a lot of friction and dry out easily, and ashiness shows up most in those spots. In winter, dryness and changes in skin texture are the main reason. [S3]

Does coconut oil or shea butter help?

Shea butter is on the AAD's ingredient list as part of a moisturizer. On their own, butters and oils melt on the skin. Dermatologist Shani Francis says a thick cream or petroleum jelly works better. [S1][S2]

How long does it take to get rid of ashy skin?

With short warm showers and moisturizing straight after, the AAD says you should see some improvement within about two weeks. If not, see a dermatologist. [S1]

Can dry skin cause dark spots?

Indirectly. Dry, itchy skin can be eczema, and eczema can leave PIH, which tends to be darker and last longer on deeper skin tones. [S1][S4]

Sources
  1. [S1] AAD: Dry skin remedies for darker skin tones ↗
  2. [S2] AAD: Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin ↗
  3. [S3] Taylor SC: Enhancing the Care and Treatment of Skin of Color, Part 2: Understanding Skin Physiology. Cutis 2005;76:302–306 ↗
  4. [S4] DermNet: Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation ↗
  5. [P1] DOCEBA: Barrier Lipid Shield Cream ↗

General skincare information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan.

Your bag

Review your items before continuing.

Your bag is empty.