What Can You Do About Dry Skin?

It can be a depressing (and sometimes painful) experience to have dry skin. Looking at patchy white skin can be irritating, and it annoys even more when it starts to itch. But there are a couple of remedies you can try to relieve your condition, some conventional, others more traditional. The most common tip people would give you is to get a good body lotion. Body lotions come in varying hydrating properties, so choose one that would most benefit you. There is no tried and true lotion; some will work for you better than it may work for others. Glycerin-laced body lotions will hydrate your skin from the inside out, while petroleum-based or cocoa butter containing body lotions will help seal moisture and prevent the occurrence of further drying. If your skin is itching from all that dryness, an aloe or menthol based lotion will provide a cooling sensation and soothe the itch. Remember though, that body lotions don’t have to be expensive to be good. I personally use Watson’s Intensive Hydrating Lotion, which doesn’t cost much at all, and it works better than the more expensive lotions I’ve tried! For your face, get a good hydrating facial kit. Cleansing, toning, and especially moisturizing are very important to preserve moisture in your face and avoid a pale white look. Although the above can be good, but sometimes we just don’t have the money to invest in such products. It’s times like this that home remedies can work wonders. Trying a sugar scrub can be a good first step. Add some oil into some sugar in a bowl, and use this mixture to scrub away dry skin and calluses. It will be slightly uncomfortable, but try and do this wherever you have dry skin. Afterwards, wash away the scrub and moisturize with a good hydrating moisturizer or you can just rub on some sesame or coconut oil as these are great for the skin. In a few days your skin should look much better. If you can afford it, take a bath in milk and oatmeal, this will do your skin some good as well. You can also facilitating your skin hydrating process by changes in diet. Drink lots of water to nourish your body. Try taking fish oil tablets or vitamin E tablets as they help a lot in your skin’s renewing process. Put more spices into your cooking; spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric. Certain lifestyle changes can aid in your efforts too, like exercising more to open up pores, and quitting smoking, which is very bad for the skin. If your efforts are starting to take effect, don’t forget to go into “prevention mode”. Avoid taking hot baths for long amounts of time, as this will dry your skin again. Sitting in air-conditioning for long periods of time is also detrimental to your skin, as it takes away the moisture. If you have to sit in a dry environment, purchase a humidifier to keep near you, or a half-full bucket of water works as well. Remember, prevention is always easier than cure. There you have it, simple things you can try to repair your dry skin. May you have supple and beautiful skin always.