Essential dry skin remedies
Dry skin is a common skin disorder that affects many women. It can result from various factors such as poor diet, environmental pollution, exposure to sunlight, skin aging, lack of skincare, etc. Here are a few tips to take care of your dry skin.
Milk it down
If your itchy winter dry skin is driving you nuts, go to the refrigerator and get a quart of milk. Pour it into a bowl or basin. Dip a washcloth or a piece of gauze in the cold milk and apply it to your skin for five minutes. Milk has anti-inflammatory properties that often take the itch away. It stops the itch-scratch cycle. Milk is very soothing to the skin. Some milk contains lactic acid, which is beneficial to skin.
Grease up
For itchy, dry skin, the best moisturiser is one that’s thick and heavy. Watery, scented lotions are next to useless for dry skin. It’s recommended to use strong, thick creams or emollients. The least expensive is petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly may be too thick and greasy for some women. If so, warm it up in your hands first, then it’ll spread easier. If you find it messy, use it at night when you’re in bed.
Moisturise while damp
Moisturising dry skin is an important step in ensuring that dry skin looks glowing and radiant. It’s best to avoid using cosmetics and moisturisers that are heavily scented. Harsh chemicals and fragrances found in such moisturising creams can worsen dry skin. The best time to oil or cream your face and body is after a bath or shower, while you’re still damp and your skin is plump with moisture. Moisturising lotions are formulated to lock in moisture so that it doesn’t evaporate.
Take the overnight cure
This overnight treatment will make your dry skin feel markedly different when you wake up the next morning. First, soak in a lukewarm tub almost to the point where your fingers shrivel up like prunes. Your skin will be fully hydrated. Get out of the tub and pat yourself semi-dry, then apply a layer of oil. Then put on your pajamas and get into bed. It’s a little messy, so use old pyjamas and sheets. Do this when your skin is very dry. You’ll feel a difference.
Grease and seal super-dry spots
Often, the very driest of dry skin occurs on your heels, hands and elbows. But you can seal them with grease too. Wear gloves to bed over greased-up raw, sore hands. Wear socks over your cracked heels. And wear a long-sleeved pyjama top or t-shirt with snugfitting sleeves over chapped elbows.
Healthy lifestyle can reverse dry skin
Dry skin needs nourishment from within for it to heal and look healthy. Since dry skin lacks moisture you must ensure that you keep yourself well-hydrated. Drinking at least 10-12 glasses of water daily will ensure that your skin looks supple and maintains its elasticity. To reverse dry skin you’ll also need to consume a diet rich in healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fats will nourish your skin and make it look shiny.
Effective face masks to treat dry skin
Dry skin needs intense hydrating and moisturising to make it look healthy and counter problems such as itchiness, flaky skin, etc. Face packs made from natural ingredients can work wonders for dry skin if applied regularly. Honey is nature’s gift to treat dry skin. Honey has intense moisturising properties that can effectively heal dry skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which can soothe skin irritation and itchiness. Honey helps impart and even skin tone, healing flaky and itchy skin.
When you have flaky, itchy, dry skin, you want fast relief. Easing your dry skin isn’t just about what you put on it. It also depends on how you clean your skin, the air around you and even your clothes.