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Winter may have come and gone, but many of us are still dealing with its annoying side effect: dry skin. Not only is it rough to touch, but it can also look dull, patchy and scaly. Regular moisturisers don’t seem to work as well, and makeup doesn’t glide on like usual. The good news is, with the help of a few products – many of which you probably already have in your kitchen – parched skin is pretty easy to fix.
Why does skin dry out?
Our skin produces oil (sebum) to protect from moisture loss, but everyday actions like washing our hands and walking outside in the wind can strip those natural oils. That’s where we need to step in and give our skin some TLC to put up that protective barrier again. If you’re looking for a dry skin solution, try going down the natural route first because the chemicals and fragrances in commercial products can exacerbate dryness.
Natural ways to cure dry skin
1.Go for grease
For soft, supple skin that screams health, slather on oil. Coconut oil is fantastic. Packed with fatty acids, it absorbs quickly to deeply hydrate skin and leave it smooth. For the best results, apply it after a shower (when your pores are open), and hop into bed to let the oil work overnight. Extra virgin olive oil is another great option. Thanks to antioxidants and fatty acids, it soothes and protects dry, itchy skin, and works wonders on cuticles and rough spots, like elbows. Use a cotton ball to dab a thin layer on your skin, then apply your moisturiser over the top. A little goes a long way! Just wait for the compliments to roll in the next day.
2.Lather up
Skin is an amazing organ, but sometimes it needs a little help. Speed up the hydrating process by putting moisture back into your skin whenever you can. For instance, treat your mitts to hand cream every time you wash your hands. Soon enough, it’ll become a habit and you’ll be the proud owner of smooth, soft hands year round. (As a bonus, your hands are a dead giveaway of your age, so this will keep yours looking youthful for longer). We’re loving Natura Siberica’s Oblepikha Hand Cream. With Altai sea buckthorn cream, amaranth oil, and cranberry seed oil, it heals and nurtures skin while protecting it from environmental influences. It’s also eco-certified and free from parabens, PEGs and mineral oils, which is impressive.
Don’t forget about the rest of your body! Look for a cream containing natural ingredients to soothe and prevent dry skin, like shea butter, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, and apply it whenever you’ve been exposed to the elements.
3.Scrub away
Often, dryness is caused by a build-up of old skin cells. It sounds icky, we know, but a good exfoliation will sort that out! Make a nourishing skin scrub at home with ingredients you already have handy, like fine brown sugar and that good ol’ multitasker, olive oil. You can also add a teaspoon of lemon juice or a few drops of lavender oil. Apply the paste to your body and rub it in using gentle, circular motions. When you’re done, shower and apply a rich moisturiser to lock in the hydration. And while we’re on the subject of kitchen beauty staples, honey is brilliant for healing chapped lips and cracked heels.
4.Soak in oats
Oats are a weird and wonderful remedy for dry skin. Inflammation is one of the major culprits of parched skin, and oats contain compounds called avenanthramides that nix that. To reap the benefits, add a cup of oatmeal to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. This will hydrate your skin and help it to retain moisture, and soothe it at the same time. For less mess, pop the oats into a mesh bag or washcloth that you can throw away when you’re done.
Lastly, hydrate your skin from within by upping your water intake, avoiding long, steaming hot showers, and eating omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, walnuts and avocados.
Do you suffer from dry skin? Which of these natural remedies do you want to try?