Are you feeling like a reptile in your dry, scaly skin? Anyone can experience dry skin. In fact, this skin condition is more common than you may realize. When the body loses too much moisture, or can't retain moisture, the skin becomes dry. There are many factors that can cause our skin to get dry: age, environment, heredity, improper skin care, and even our lifestyle choices. Fortunately, there are many ways you can combat this unpleasant condition so you can revitalize your skin, restore your natural beauty, and feel comfortable again.
Skin Care Tips for Your Face
Many people experience dry skin on their face. Some people try to cover it up, which can often make the dryness worse. When skin is dehydrated, wrinkles, acne scars, and skin rashes usually become more noticeable or even exaggerated, which makes that ageless appearance disappear. So what can you do to get rid of dry skin on your face? Here are a few facial skin care tips that might help:
- Apply natural products such as natural oils like avocado, almond, olive, jojoba, coconut, or flaxseed to the skin after a shower or bath. While your skin is still slightly damp, apply a generous amount of your favorite natural oil to your skin. This will help trap moisture and will keep the skin moist longer.
- Honey helps moisturize, soften, and tighten the skin. Pour a small amount of honey onto your fingers and apply directly to affected area with a light tapping motion. After a couple minutes, rinse with warm water and pat the area dry with a soft cloth. You can also apply honey to dry patches on the face five minutes before a warm shower or bath. With the area still moist, apply a small amount of natural oil.
- Combine two tablespoons olive oil, four tablespoons brown sugar, and one tablespoon honey. Softly apply to dry facial area in a circular motion for a few minutes. Rinse gently with warm water then pat dry and apply a natural moisturizer.
- Apply a facemask using mashed avocado or bananas.
- Aloe Vera is often used to soothe irritated skin, but it also has the ability to moisturize even the driest, flaky skin. Apply a thin layer to the dry area. Let it sit for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Use warm water to rinse off any gel that wasn't absorbed into your skin.
Moisturizers and creams can also be a great remedy for dry skin. Before purchasing a moisturizer, be sure to read the label. Not all moisturizers are made the same, and some ingredients are more beneficial than others. Here are some ingredients to look for and why:
- Lanolin, petrolatum, dimethicone and mineral oil are all emollients. These ingredients add a protective oily layer on top of the skin that helps trap water in the skin.
- Glycerin, lecithin, and propylene glycol are humectants. Humectants work by drawing water into the outer layers of the skin.
- Hyaluronic acid helps the skin hold in moisture.
- Ceramides are fatty acid molecules naturally found in the outer layer of the skin. They help retain moisture and keep the skin supple. Low levels of ceramides in the skin can cause dry, scaly skin, making ceramides a critical ingredient in a rich moisturizer.
Facial Acne and Dry Skin
Having problems with acne? Your skin may be acne prone, which means your pores clog easily, due to the type of skin you have. You may have oily skin, dry skin, or a combination of dry and oily skin. Oily skin causes the pores to clog and dry skin creates a lack of moisture that leads to sensitive skin and break outs. Treating your oily, dry, or dry-oily skin with the proper remedies such as those mentioned above can help prevent and reduce facial acne. Microdermabrasion can help to reduce the appearance of acne scars and dry skin. As an acne treatment, microdermabrasion is also a great preventative tool.
Soothe Dry, Cracked Lips
Dehydration and cold weather are often the culprits for dry, chapped lips. If you are experiencing painfully dry lips, here are a few ways to soothe and hydrate them:
- Drink plenty of water during the day.
- For extremely dry lips create a gentle scrub by combining sugar, olive oil, and honey. Gently apply to your lips, rinse with warm water, then apply a natural lip balm.
- Make a natural, soothing lip balm with beeswax, essential oils, and cocoa butter. Combine 2 teaspoons of beeswax to 7 tablespoons cocoa butter. Melt in a small pot over low heat, stirring gently, until just melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Add 6-8 drops of lavender, grapefruit, peppermint, chamomile, or orange essential oil.
- Avoid picking at the dry skin on your lips.
- Make a habit of using lip balm often.
Treat Your Hands Right
Your hands are the most used part of your body, which means you will likely notice their dryness easily. To bring relief to your cracked hands, apply a rich moisturizer often. After each time you wash your hands, apply a liberal amount of moisturizer. Refer to the above list of key ingredients to look for to help you find a protective, soothing moisturizer. Use gentle cleansers and continue to wash hands regularly. Avoiding hand washing can lead to the contraction of contagious illnesses. At night apply petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or lanolin to your hands to help trap water in the skin.
Don't Neglect Your Eyes
The skin around your eyes is very delicate and often not recognized as areas of the body that get dry. However, the skin under the eyes and the eyelids are prone to dryness. Many people use harsh chemicals to remove eye makeup, not realizing they are drying out their delicate skin. The skin around the eyes can also thin with age and dark circles and wrinkles can form. When the skin around your eyes is dry, these flaws become more noticeable and harder to cover up.
Here are a few tips to help moisturize the skin around your eyes:
- Avoid rubbing your eyes, which removes moisture from the skin, to reduce bags under the eyes.
- Wear protective sunglasses when outside or exposed to UV light.
- Soak a bag of green tea in cold water. Lay the bag over your eyes for a few minutes before gently rinsing with warm water and patting dry. This helps reduce dryness and boosts cell regeneration. Finish by applying a small coat of natural oil.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals in your makeup remover.
- Apply raw milk underneath your eyes. Let sit for a few minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
- Apply natural oils under your eyes before bed to help lock in moisture.
- Get enough sleep to ensure your body has time to repair your dry skin.
Improve Skin Condition All Over the Body
Dryness over the body is uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are remedies that can bring comfort and relief.
- Apply moisturizer right after showers and baths.
- Shave right after bathing and use a gentle shaving cream or gel.
- Avoid dull shaving blades that irritate dry skin by changing your razor after every 5 to 7 shaves.
- Use gentle laundry detergents.
- Cover up your body when outdoors in the winter.
- Apply a generous amount of natural oils such as coconut oil all over your body before retreating to bed at night.
- Avoid hot, long showers. Hot water dries out the skin because it strips the skin of the oils necessary to keep skin supple and moist. Try switching to 5-10 minute warm showers instead.
- Use non-abrasive, fragrance-free facial cleansers. Many cleansers contain sodium lauryl sulfate which can draw moisture away from the skin.
- If you live in a dry climate, or experience dry skin in the colder seasons, consider installing or using a humidifier in your home or in your bedroom at night while you sleep. Humidifiers add moisture to the air which can soothe your dry, cracked skin and can also help smooth wrinkles.
Remedies for Dry Skin on the Feet
The skin on the bottom or your feet is the thickest on your body and is naturally dry. Dry, cracked skin on the feet can cause pain and discomfort. To get rid of dry skin on the feet, begin by soaking your feet in warm water or plain, undiluted lemon juice. Gently remove dead skin with a pumice stone. Rinse your feet with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel. Apply a foot cream or petroleum jelly and cover with a pair of clean, cotton socks. This remedy works well at night because the cream has time to enter into the skin. Drinking plenty of water each day and avoiding alcohol and caffeine will also help reduce dry skin on the feet. Avoid picking at or cutting away the dead skin. Removing too much skin can lead to infection and pain.
