6 Natural Ways To Remedy Winter Dry Skin

Winter is a terrible time for many of us with dry skin. Harsh weather and forced air heating can bring on itchiness, dryness, discomfort and even cracked or chapped skin. I’ve tried using so many creams or lotions through the years. Dehydrated skin makes wrinkles and other signs of aging more visible. If you have a similar problem with dry winter skin, let’s discuss natural ways to try and prevent dry skin.

I. Limit Showers

A steamy shower is a wonderful way to warm up and wake up on a cold day. Unfortunately, hot water strips away the natural oils in your skin. Although the hot water is soothing while it happens, it can cause excessive dryness later. What can you do besides giving up showers in the winter?

Try limiting your shower length, or alternating with warm/cool temperatures. Make it a quick shower with warm water.

Then the second step is to immediately moisturize right after you get out of the shower. While your skin is still moist smooth on a great moisturizer. Lotions and creams are designed to help lock-in moisture in your skin; using them while skin is still damp, makes that job easier. I suggest you think about using a moisturizer like Heavenly Homemade Whipped Body Butter I shared some years ago.

There are many simple recipes for body butter but this one is so luxurious. Start with coconut oil, a great moisturizer. Add shea butter which has so many benefits for the skin and is great in homemade beauty products. Throw in some cocoa butter with antioxidant qualities that take care of most signs of aging, and also protects the skin from outside agents as well. The antioxidants and beneficial organic molecules protect the skin from environmental, internal, and external forces that can cause irritation or damage to the skin.  Finally add some almond oil (or other favorite oil such as avocado or grape seed oil) and Vitamin E and you have a perfect delight for your dry skin. And the best part, it smells like chocolate.

II. Use a Humidifier at Night

When I lived up north, I had a humidifier going 24 hours a day in winter to help relieve the dry air. The dryness not only made my skin too dry, it also dried out my sinuses and I would get nose bleeds. Experts say that using forced-air heating in your house, can decrease the humidity level to 10 percent. The skin needs humidity levels of at least 30 to 40 percent to stay healthy.

You can use heated-mist or cool-mist humidifiers to increase humidity levels while you’re snoozing. I personally love the cool mist humidifiers. Cool mist humidifiers emit a cool vapor which is safer for children and pets. There is easy cleaning and little maintenance required. They filter out waterborne impurities. You can add inhalants, making them good for cold and flu sufferers. They’re cost-effective and reduce static in the air. As someone with both allergies and asthma, I found the cool mist humifier very helpful, but that is a personal preference. I do know my mother always used the heat mist humidifier when any of us had a cold or flu.

III. Use Oils in Your Skin Care

Oils can be an effective way to treat winter dryness without the use of harsh chemicals or heavily processed skincare products. There are many oil options, but here are three that are perfect for dry skin:

• Sunflower seed oil is high in vitamin E and has calming properties that can bolster the moisture-retaining ability of your skin. There are also clinical studies that back up both the anti-inflammatory and moisturizing qualities of sunflower oil.
• Coconut oil is a lighter moisturizer, good for those with sensitive skin. Studies have shown coconut oil is an effective and safe way to improve skin hydration and even treat eczema.
• Argan oil is often used in hair products for its moisturizing properties, but also has benefits for your skin. “The fatty acids help our skin cells make healthy membranes, reduce inflammation and promote healthy collagen,” explains professor of dermatology Joshua Zeichner, assistant professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

IV. Take A Bath

Baths are not only a way to relax and unwind, but can help you fight dry winter skin. Besides bath oil, you can add common household ingredients to help tackle winter dry skin.

Milk Bath

To make a milk bath, dilute milks into your warm bathwater: Cow’s milk is used most often in milk baths, because it’s common, inexpensive, and nearly everyone has it on hand. Full-fat or whole milk will give you the best feel on your skin. Goat’s milk is another common milk bath addition. Adding a few cups of milk to a warm bath has multiple benefits for dehydrated and bothered skin. The lactic acid is soothing, with both cleaning and softening properties, which works to remove dead skin cells. Fats and proteins in milk also leave skin feeling soft and supple.

Oatmeal Bath

This classic home remedy was often prescribed for severe rashes, itching or eczema—you may have sat in an oatmeal bath when you had chicken pox as a child. Oatmeal can also combat general dry skin. Studies have shown that oatmeal can improve scaly and rough skin caused by dehydration, as well as maintain a healthy skin surface pH. Be sure to only soak for about 10 minutes, though, as too much exposure to oatmeal can have the opposite effect.

According to Quora, Cleopatra’s milk bath included more than milk:

1. Fill a large jar with 1 to 2 cups (240 to 475 milliliters) of milk.
2. Add ½ cup (175 grams) honey for extra moisture.
3. Close the jar and shake it to mix.
4. Plug your bath tub and start filling it with warm water.
5. Pour the milk and honey mixture under the running water.
6. Get into the tub, and soak for no more than 20 minutes.

That sounds exotic and wonderful. For those who do not want to use animal milk, try the recipe for a plant-based milk bath from LifenReflection:

1. ¼ cup Epsom salts.
2. 2 ⅛ cups coconut powdered milk.
3. ¼ cup pink Himalayan salt.
4. ¼ cup baking soda.

Mix ingredients and add to running water into bath tub.

V. Take An Overnight Treatment

Covering your feet with lotion or oil, then putting on cotton socks before bed is a common overnight treatment for dry heels or rough feet. You can also use this to treatment with moisturizing gloves for dry or cracked hands.

A similar treatment for the whole body is an overnight oil soak for your entire body. Directly after taking a bath or shower, lather up with oil like sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, or your favorite oil. Then put on old pajamas (oils can stain) and head to bed. The oil will soak in overnight with the pajamas helping to lock in the moisture, you’ll wake up with soft and refreshed skin.

With my arthritis, I seldom make my body cream. My favorite lotion is for hands and body, RaGaNaturals’ Soo Shea Hand and Body Lotion. They also have it in a cream. It’s fragrance free and made with Shea Butter, Argan Oil, Vitamin E, B-5. It’s All Natural, Vegan, Cruelty-Free. It’s available on Amazon.

VI. Avoid These Ingredients in Skin Care Products

Certain scented skincare or non-natural products have a long list of active ingredients that can actually make dry skin worse. Even if a product promotes dry skin relief, always check the ingredient list. Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur suggests steering clear of products that contain any of the following ingredients:

• Isopropyl alcohol
• Sodium chloride
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Sodium laureth sulfate
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate
• Soaps such as sodium tallowate or cocoate
• Salicylic acid
• Willow bark (the natural version of salicylic acid)
• AHA acids

I hope I’ve provided inspiration to support your healthy skin this winter. God bless.

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