Today is still quite early here in California, so I still have on what I put on my face last night. I have very dry skin, it runs in my family. I need to keep it really hydrated, but I also need to clean and exfoliate dead cells so it doesn't "flake." Makeup loses it's appeal on dull, flakey skin.
I use Retin-A cream in the 0.05% concentration two nights in a row. That in itself on top of already dry skin does a lot of exfoliation of cells. I use a natural sea sponge when washing my face to get as much of the flakiness off as possible.
The following three nights in a row: I then use my "super magic potion cream" to moisturize and re-hydrate my skin. Using Retin-A seven nights a week? My face would likely disintegrate--too drying!
2-3-2 is my nightly regimen. Two nights of Retin-A, three nights of "magic potion cream," two nights of Retin-A cream again. Seems to be doing well on my face, and I've done it this way for two years now.
What, you ask, is this magic potion cream? Welll, here in the States, one needs a doctor's prescription for it. I can also tell you it definitely was NOT created to be used on the face!
A skin care expert on the Oprah Winfrey show recommends it highly. NOW you know what it is, don't you? 
"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December"