The short answer
Apply your moisturizer within a few minutes of getting out of the shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. It is a simple habit, and it costs nothing. The moisturizer then has some water at the surface to hold in, and the skin tends to feel softer for longer.
Why it happens
Skin does not stay wet for long after you leave the water. As soon as you step out, water starts evaporating from the surface, and a towel takes more of it. If you also used hot water or a strong soap, some of the natural oils that slow water loss have been washed away too. That is why skin often feels tight within minutes of drying off.
A moisturizer works with whatever water is left. A thick product, such as a butter or a balm, sits on top of the skin and holds in the moisture that is already there. It does not add water by itself. If you wait until the skin has dried completely, there is less to hold in, and the same product has less to work with.
You may hear this called the three minute window. Do not read that number as a stopwatch. Nobody has a precise deadline, and your skin will not turn on the third minute. The idea is only that sooner is better. Think of it as a habit with a loose time limit: after the towel, before the rest of your morning begins.
Most people skip it for ordinary reasons. The phone rings. The kids need breakfast. Moisturizer sits on a shelf in another room. The answer is to move the jar to where the habit happens, so there is nothing to remember.
What helps
Make the setup easy. Keep your moisturizer within reach of the shower, on the counter or in a basket on the shelf. If you use a solid butter or a thick balm, take the lid off before you get in, so you are not working with wet hands and a stuck jar.
Keep the shower itself gentle. Warm water, not hot. Keep it brief, and use a mild cleanser only where you need it. Hot water and long showers undo much of what a moisturizer can do afterward.
Pat dry, do not rub. Use the towel to take off the drips, and stop while your skin is still damp to the touch. Rubbing roughens the surface and removes moisture you want to keep.
Then apply right away. Scoop a small amount, warm it between your palms and press it onto your skin. Work from your legs and arms toward the places that get the driest. Knees, elbows, shins and hands usually need the most. Use less than you think. Thicker products spread a long way, and a thin layer is enough. If your skin feels greasy after a minute or two, you used more than you needed.
Give the product a moment before you dress. Thicker moisturizers sit on the skin longer than lotion, and clothing can take some of it off. A short pause lets it settle. Dark clothing is easier to wear if you use a little less and give it time.
The same habit works beyond the shower. Wash your hands, pat them dry and moisturize while they are still slightly damp. The principle is the same each time: water on the skin first, moisturizer on top soon after.
Put a little more on at bedtime for the places that bother you most, such as hands, heels and elbows. Night is a long stretch with nothing rubbing against the skin, so a thicker layer has hours to work.
If mornings are rushed, the habit still works in a smaller form. Do just the hands and shins, the places that dry out first, and add the rest on days when you have time.
Be patient. Skin that has been dry for a long time does not change in a day. Many people notice that after a couple of weeks of steady use, their skin looks smoother and feels more comfortable, and they find the habit takes less thought. If you miss a day, pick it up again the next day. There is nothing to start over.
When to ask for help
A good routine helps skin that is ordinary dry. It is not meant for everything. Ask your doctor if your skin is red and painful, if it bleeds or weeps, if itching keeps you awake, or if dry patches keep returning despite steady care. Ask too if one patch looks different from the rest or changes quickly.
Your pharmacist can look at what you are using. Some medicines can dry the skin, and some soaps and body washes are harsher than they need to be. A quick conversation at the counter can sort out whether something in your routine is working against you.
The AHOTO note
Golden and Pure Shea hold no water, so they stay on the skin longer than a lotion and fit the damp skin habit well. Golden contains oats and soy and a light essential oil blend, and a patch test on your inner forearm is recommended before first use.