One lacks water, the other lacks oil — and treating the wrong one is why your routine is not working.
Dry skin is a skin type: it under-produces oil, usually lifelong. Dehydrated skin is a state: it lacks water, and even the oiliest skin can suffer it — especially in air-conditioned Gulf summers.
The tell
Pinch your cheek gently. Fine crepe-paper lines that vanish when you release suggest dehydration. Flaking, tightness after cleansing and a matte look all day suggest true dryness.
Treating each
Dehydration wants humectants — glycerin, hyaluronic acid — sealed with a light moisturiser, applied to damp skin. Dryness wants richer occlusives: ceramides, squalane, and a gentler cleanser than you think you need.