Dry skin is tricky in my experience because not all shave product hydrate the same way.

To give a concrete example, in my case, I have used MWF, Tabac, TOBS sensitive, avocado, and rose, plus L'Occitane CADE, Proraso Green cream/green soap/white (sensitive) soap, and GFT rose soap.

All of these products have a good reputation for hydrating the skin. I have a dry skin, and suffer from occasional mild eczema on my fingers.

It turned out that only three of the above products really work with my skin. Can you guess which ones?

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Time is up! The answer is: TOBS rose, Tabac, and both Proraso green.

All the others leave me with a dry skin, and some irritation after shaving. Why does TOBS rose work better than TOBS Avocado (supposedly the most hydrating thing out there)? Why do I feel uncomfortable after Proraso white but not after green, even if the former is supposed to be more gentle? Why is TABAC heavens for me and MWF/L'Occitane making me itch?

I believe I have mostly eliminated technique as a variable, having compared those products under similar conditions.

The answer to those question is somewhere between my skin and its reaction to various products. A friend of mine is a dermatologist-in-becoming, so I might have an answer in a few years (after he finishes his residence!), but for now, I urge you to consider empirical evidence : never accept a product that makes you feel uncomfortable, even if everyone raves about it.