5 Tips For Fighting Dry Winter Skin

5 Tips For Fighting Dry Winter Skin

It’s that time of the year again: the time when skin decides to revolt. Your once-smooth skin can quickly become a red, blotched nightmare that makes you look like an accident victim. Luckily, there are several ways to fight dry skin and make your hands look like it’s the middle of July once again.

1. Watch your skincare products

While some of the fun, scented lotions can be good here and there, for really dry skin you’ll want to look into heavy creams and ointments. Highly scented lotions tend to be high in water content, meaning they don’t help as much as they could with dry, itchy skin. Heavy-duty creams and ointments with ingredients like jojoba oil, olive oil or Shea butter will deliver some serious wintertime relief. Also, opt for soap that is mild and fragrance-free for less possible skin irritants.

2. Get the milk

Believe it or not, a milk treatment can help. If your skin is crazy-itchy, milk will help with the inflammation and take away the urge to scratch that causes the red skin in the first place. Just dip a washcloth into a bowl of milk and hold it to the skin for five minutes.

3. Modify your shower regimen

Key culprits of dry skin in the winter include hot water, dry air and a lack of moisturizing. Take shorter, warm showers to reduce drying out the skin. Also, take showers with the door closed, and apply a quality moisturizer right after you’re done showering, or even washing hands.

4. Break out the essential oils

Essential oils are wonderful for their moisturizing benefits and have long been used on the skin to reduce wrinkles, add moisture, balance oil production and promote new cell growth. Try popular, common oils like lavender, rosemary, rose, Frankincense, and carrot seed essential oils. You can find lotions with these natural ingredients, or add about 6-15 drops of oil per ounce of unscented lotion.

5. Use coconut oil

Coconut oil is something of a superstar when it comes to natural health and beauty. With its wide range of uses, it’s no wonder moisturizing properties are one of its strengths. For extremely dry, chapped areas, add a layer of coconut oil to the affected area and cover the area with socks or other cloth coverings. Leave on for the night and rinse off in the morning.

When To See A Doctor

If your skin doesn’t get better with home remedies, you may have to see a dermatologist. Dry skin may be more than just a side effect of winter. It can be a symptom of a skin condition. That’s especially true if the skin is cracked, bleeding or scaly with no improvement after the home remedies.