Danny as been writing about air purifiers for 10+ years. He is a major fan of home technology, which makes him the perfect person to test and evaluate products for HouseFresh
Many of us have to deal with the effects of dry skin. Although our skin is the body’s largest organ and the first line of defense from harmful bacteria, toxins, and UV rays, it can easily become dried out and without adequate hydration, it will be left feeling irritated, inflexible, and prone to infection.
Dry skin can occur for a variety of reasons, from coming into contact with an unagreeable substance to simply our age or genetics, however, it is often exacerbated by our environment. We notice our skin becoming particularly drier in the winter months due to the cold air being unable to carry as much moisture, similar to when we travel to regions with low humidity climates.
Common symptoms of dry skin include:
- flaky skin with a rough texture
- patches of itchy or scaly skin
- cracks in the skin
- skin that stings or burns
- loose, wrinkled skin
- peeling skin
Anyone with dry skin knows only too well the laborious rituals of applying lotion after lotion. But one easy way to help hydrate your skin is to invest in a humidifier. This often-overlooked skincare hack can work wonders by replenishing moisture in your home, which helps alleviate symptoms and restore your skin back to its best.
When purchasing a humidifier, it’s important to choose a machine capable of regulating the moisture in your space. Each humidifier will have a room size rating, so be sure to measure your space and choose accordingly. For larger areas, we recommend the Air Innovations MH-701BA, while smaller rooms will be well served by the budget-friendly Safety 1st Ultrasonic Humidifier.
Each of our recommended humidifiers has been selected due to their glowing feedback through Consumer Report and genuine customer reviews. Whether you suffer from seasonal dry skin or more severe dermatitis you can rest assured our recommended humidifiers will help relieve symptoms and help hydrate your skin.
Last update on 2023-06-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Air Innovations MH-701BA Aromatherapy Humidifier
It is easy to say goodbye to dry skin and welcome healthy and vibrant skin with the Air Innovations MH-701BA. This ultrasonic cool-mist humidifier is perfect for eliminating skin itchiness, flaking, redness, and other symptoms that arise from having dry skin. The unit even has an aromatherapy function for relaxation and an antimicrobial chamber for stronger immunity and general wellness.
Controlling the humidifier is easy with its SMART control panel, which seamlessly pairs with a wireless remote controller. Users can choose from five different mist settings (low, medium, high, turbo, and supreme) to fine-tune their room humidification needs. There is no guessing the device’s ongoing operation because of the bright and high-contrast digital display.
This humidifier’s antimicrobial tank and a permanent ceramic filter work together to ensure the air you breathe is healthier. You can also attach a 16-inch bidirectional 360-degree rotating extension nozzle to improve mist delivery throughout the room. Users can operate this humidifier for up to 96 hours continuously, quietly, and efficiently.
- Tank size: 16.3 pints
- Room size suitability: 600 sq. ft
- Weight: 3.83 pounds
- Special features: Five mist settings with timer
What we love
- It is easy to control the mist settings for optimum room humidification
- Effortless operation thanks to the digital interface and intelligent programming
- The multi-purpose design ensures healthy skin and overall health and wellness
- Elegant design and stable base for peace of mind during operation
We don't like this as much
- We wish the unit could be refilled without having to turn it over
- The addition of a child-lock feature would help prevent unwanted button presses
2. Hupro 773 Humidifier
Ensuring suppler, softer, and smoother skin is easy with the Hupro 773 Humidifier. Not only does this device protect the skin from dryness and irritation, but it also promotes a healthier environment for everyone by reducing static electricity, dust, allergens, and other airborne contaminants. Families will love the benefits this humidifier brings to everyone in the home.
This humidifier for dry skin can run uninterrupted for 40 hours, delivering a powerful 13.5 ounces/hour mist across a 500 square foot room. It is also extremely quiet, rated producing less than 30 decibels. This humidifier also has a ceramic filter to make the water safer to ionize and deliver throughout the room.
You can set the ultrasonic humidifier to run automatically, allowing its programming to adjust the humidity levels on the fly. Users can also operate it to deliver cool or warm-mist at a constant humidity or pick one of three fan speed settings for optimum results.
- Tank size: 11.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 500 sq. ft
- Weight: 6.96 pounds
- Special features: Sleep mode, ultra-quiet operation
What we love
- The dual mist capabilities make it an all-season device for dry skin
- Multiple programmable settings for effortless operation
- Quiet running for improved relaxation, concentration, and sleep
- The advanced air ionization technology ensures healthier and safer air for everyone
We don't like this as much
- The addition of Wi-Fi connectivity would be a plus
- We wish it has a 360-degree rotating nozzle for better room coverage
3. LEVOIT LV600HH Humidifier
The LEVOIT LV600HH is an ideal humidifier for dry skin, respiratory ailments, and overall wellness. It delivers cool and warm-mist to give people the room humidity for their health needs. The unit’s cool-mist is perfect for soothing dry, flaky, red, and itchy skin and the warm mist is suitable for relieving cold and flu symptoms.
Maintaining the 1.5-gallon water tank is a cinch because of its transparent design. Operating the humidifier is also a breeze since it comes with an easy-to-use digital interface. You can choose from different humidity settings to optimize room air moisture levels. Running the humidifier on high will last for 10 hours while operating it on low delivers healthy mist over 60 hours.
This humidifier has a remote controller, perfect for modifying the humidity and operational settings from the couch. As for the sound this unit produces, you won’t have any problems studying or resting thanks to its quiet operation.
- Tank size: 12.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 753 sq. ft
- Weight: 5.3 pounds
- Special features: 4x faster warm-mist technology
What we love
- The dual-mist capability is perfect for protection against dry skin all-year-round
- An intelligent humidity sensor automatically adjusts misting performance
- Filter-less design improves maintenance and offers better cost-savings
- Super-fast humidification for quicker respiratory relief
We don't like this as much
- We wish it had an antimicrobial chamber to give it an air-cleaning capability
- Recommended cleaning frequency is once per week
4. Pure Enrichment MistAire XL Humidifier
The Pure Enrichment MistAire XL is an affordable and effective humidifier that’s perfect for helping dry, flaky, and itchy skin. It is an excellent addition to other body hydration measures to combat skin dryness and other skin conditions.
People love this humidifier’s teardrop-shaped design, complete with a translucent 1-gallon water chamber and integrated night lights. You can choose from different colors to create a restful ambiance for kids at night time while relying on the humidifier’s quiet operation to make them fall asleep fast.
The cool-mist humidifier comes with a unique 360-degree rotating nozzle with one or two holes. Although it does not have digital controls, the knob is sufficiently straightforward to manipulate. You can humidify a 500 square foot room for 10 to 24 hours. It doesn’t matter if you forget to turn the device off thanks to its built-in auto-shutoff mechanism.
- Tank size: 9.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 500 sq. ft
- Weight: 1.1 pounds
- Special features: Optional night light
What we love
- Soothes dry and itchy skin and improves overall health year-round
- Choice of single or dual mist configuration for better room humidification coverage
- Ensures peaceful sleep, rest, study, and relaxation
- The humidifier is effortless to operate, clean, and maintain
We don't like this as much
- The addition of a remote control would be a plus
- We wish this unit had an intelligent humidity sensor for automatic adjustment
5. Elechomes SH8820 Humidifier
Families worrying about dry skin, coughs, colds, flu, and other ailments should consider the Elechomes SH8820 Humidifier. This elegant-looking device in an all-black finish comes with advanced technologies to make room humidity monitoring and management as effortless as possible.
With its 20dB noise level, this humidifier ensures that your sleep will not be disturbed by background noise. The touchscreen display is intuitive, while its blue-backlit digital humidity indicator looks superb on its black casing. The remote controller is hassle-free to operate, giving users the convenience they need to dial in their preferred humidity settings.
Its 1.45-gallon capacity is enough to humidify a large room for 55 hours. It has cool-mist functionality for the warm summer months and a warm-mist mode for delivering comfort in winter.
- Tank size: 13.9 pints
- Room size suitability: 755 sq. ft
- Weight: 8.18 pounds
- Special features: Cool and warm mist mode
What we love
- Warm and cool-mist interchangeability ensures healthy skin all year round
- Effective in soothing respiratory symptoms
- Quiet operation that won’t disturb your concentration or sleep
- Exceptional humidity management and device control for effortless operation
We don't like this as much
- The aromatherapy feature could better distribute the scent throughout the room
- We wish this unit had a companion app for more convenient control
6. Pure Enrichment HUME™ Max Humidifier
The Pure Enrichment HUME™ Max is a cool-mist humidifier worth bringing home to manage skin dryness and respiratory symptoms. Its advanced ultrasonic misting technology delivers plenty of moisture into a room, hydrating the skin and nasal passages to help improve everyone’s health and wellbeing.
Although this humidifier is smaller than other brands, it still manages to cover a 300 square foot living space for a maximum of 30 hours. It comes with three mist settings, lasting 12, 18, and 30 hours. You only need to dial the desired setting, and the device does the rest.
It has a quiet operation, complementing the blue LED strip serving as a night light. Refilling the 1-gallon tank is easy because it does not require disassembly, users can pour the water straight through the top of the humidifier. Never again will you worry about complicated cleaning and maintenance because of this humidifier’s exceptionally user-friendly design.
- Tank size: 9.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 300 sq. ft
- Weight: 2.4 pounds
- Special features: Three mist settings
What we love
- The advanced ultrasonic technology ensures effective room humidification for managing dry skin
- The design makes it convenient to refill, operate, and maintain
- Ideal humidifier for children’s bedrooms and small offices
- The five-year warranty gives peace of mind and confidence in the humidifier’s quality
We don't like this as much
- The addition of a humidity sensor and humidity level indicator would help provide useful information for the user
- For those who like to wind down at the end of the day, an aromatherapy tray would be a bonus
7. Pure Guardian H965AR Humidifier
One issue that can occur with humidifiers left unmaintained is the growth of mold and mildew inside their tanks which can undermine a humidifier’s health-giving benefits. The Pure Guardian H965AR Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is designed to help combat this issue. The Silver Clean coating on the tank helps fight the growth of bacteria, helping to keep your respiratory system healthy.
With its 1-gallon tank, this unit can provide up to 70 hours of humidification. It also comes with an aromatherapy tray for accommodating essential oils, allowing families to enjoy a more relaxing time while managing their dry and itchy skin.
Operating this humidifier is easy thanks to its two-button layout. A simple press is sufficient to let the machine do its work. If you suffer from dry skin, we highly recommend giving this unit a chance to help.
- Tank size: 8.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 320 sq. ft
- Weight: 2.4 pounds
- Special features: Silver Clean-protected tank
What we love
- It has a longer runtime than similar 1-gallon humidifiers for dry skin
- Excellent mold and mildew prevention capabilities, ensuring safer water vapors in the air
- Outstanding value for its features set and performance
- Soothes skin redness, dryness, and flaking while promoting optimum relaxation
We don't like this as much
- We wish you could manually set the desired humidity
- Due to the shape of the reservoir, it can be a bit tricky to refill in the sink
8. Safety 1st IH414 Humidifier
The Safety 1st IH414 is a cool-mist humidifier designed especially for a family’s youngest members – babies. It comes with a two-tip, 360-degree rotating nozzle ensuring humidification of the baby’s nursery or any other small living space.
Babies and young children will not only have healthier and suppler skin, helping to fight bacteria, but this device also guarantees the young ones’ sleep and rest routines are on cue. The IH414 emits a gentle hum that will not disrupt babies’ and young children’s sleep patterns.
Child psychologists say sleep is essential for optimum growth and development. Having this humidifier in their room can help to ensure healthy cognitive and psychomotor development.
This ultrasonic humidifier delivers moisture into the room for 24 hours. It does not require manual shut-offs as it automatically powers off by itself. Refilling and cleaning the 0.78-gallon water tank is never an issue thanks to the fill-tank light.
- Tank size: 5.2 pints
- Room size suitability: 100 sq. ft
- Weight: 3.2 pounds
- Special features: Two mist modes with 360-degree coverage
What we love
- Excellent humidifier for babies’ nursery rooms and other small living spaces
- Whisper-quiet operation for improved sleep and relaxation
- Improves baby’s skin condition while preventing dryness and flaking
- Easy to operate and clean because of its straightforward design
We don't like this as much
- The addition of an aromatherapy feature would be a plus, especially in a child’s nursery
- We wish the unit had automatic humidity control to reduce time spent adjusting
9. Everlasting Comfort Cool Mist Humidifier
The Everlasting Comfort Cool Mist Humidifier is sure to impress with its ultra-modern design. The unit features a soft-glow blue LED strip and water band that can add a touch of modernity to any room without reneging on its promise of balancing room humidity for improved skin health.
This 1-gallon humidifier does not have a filter, improving its operational cost. It also features an essential oil tray for people who want to perform aromatherapy for meditation and relaxation. This humidifier’s nozzle shoots moisturizing vapors into the air for up to 40 hours, although you can use it for shorter periods at the highest humidity setting.
Unlike other ultrasonic humidifiers that help tackle dry skin, this product does not produce a sound. The only thing that tells people the device is working is its blue LED power button. Users can say goodbye to itchy and dry skin with this cool-mist humidifier working in the room.
- Tank size: 9.6 pints
- Room size suitability: 300 sq. ft
- Weight: 2.23 pounds
- Special features: Silent and safe operation
What we love
- It delivers excellent room humidification for relief of dry, flaky, and itchy skin
- Stunning and ultra-modern looks for complementing a room’s aesthetics
- It works as an aromatherapy diffuser for better relaxation
- It comes with ETL certification for quality and safety of operation
We don't like this as much
- We wish the humidifier came with a handle for greater portability
- It does not have a wireless controller to make operation more convenient
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a humidifier help with dry skin?
According to Dr. Marina Peredo, a New York City dermatologist, humidifiers work by adding water vapors in the air, moisturizing the skin, and minimizing dry skin symptoms.
Dry skin reflects a loss of the skin’s protective barrier, allowing moisture to escape through tiny cracks or skin breaks. Humidifiers put water vapors into the air, allowing them to saturate the skin, improve skin hydration, and eliminate skin dryness and itchiness.
Not only is a humidifier excellent against dry skin. It can also minimize sinus irritation, improve flu and cold symptoms, alleviate allergies, and improve limp hair and cracked lips. Humidifiers are suitable for maintaining healthy skin.
However, you should not rely only on humidifiers to manage dry skin. You can augment a humidifier’s skin hydrating capabilities by drinking more water, taking short warm showers, and applying skin moisturizers as often as possible throughout the day.
Is cool or warm-mist better for dry skin?
Either a cool-mist humidifier or a warm-mist humidifier is excellent for dry skin because both products deliver moisture into the ambient air. However, cool-mist humidifiers are more beneficial in hydrating the skin in warmer months. On the other hand, many people might find a warm-mist humidifier more soothing on the skin during the winter season.
It is best to consider when you will require the humidifier to be used. If you are only planning on using it during the winter season, then a warm-mist humidifier is your best option. However, if you would like to use the unit year-round, then it is worth investing in a humidifier that can output both warm and cool-mist.
Is having humidity control in a humidifier beneficial for dry skin?
Yes, a humidifier with built-in humidity control is beneficial for dry skin. Not only does it moisturize the skin and prevent irritation and inflammation. Humidifiers with integrated humidity control also allow users to fine-tune their room’s humidity depending on their needs.
Dermatologists say that too much humidity can open the skin pores, increasing susceptibility to acne, eczema, skin breakouts, allergic reactions, and other skin problems. That is why integrated humidity control is necessary to ensure optimum room humidity levels.
Some people are comfortable with a 50% humidity level, while others prefer a 45% setting. Experts do not recommend setting the humidifier to more than 60% because it can produce adverse health problems.
Which Humidifier for Dry Skin Is Best for You?
We all know how uncomfortable it can feel to have dry and itchy skin. With plenty of touted solutions on the internet, it’s reassuring to know that the research is out there proving the benefits of using a humidifier to tackle this problem. But when it comes to choosing the right humidifier for you, there are some factors worth considering before diving in.
You’ll first want to think about whether you prefer a unit that produces warm or cool-mist (or both) depending on the time of year you plan to use it. Next, the size of the reservoir will usually dictate how frequently you will have to refill it, so if you’d rather go longer without tending to the unit, then you’ll want to opt for a larger tank.
Don’t forget about the ease of use offered by smart-compatible devices too. A remote control or built-in app functionality can help make operation a breeze and provide instant readings from a distance.
For those looking for quick recommendations, we have included a list of three fantastic humidifiers below
- Small Rooms: Safety 1st IH414 360 Humidifier
- Medium-sized Rooms: Air Innovations MH-701BA Aromatherapy Humidifier
- Larger Rooms: Elechomes SH8820 Humidifier