UPDATE: This post originally ran on November 13th 2012 but now that we’re in the midst of winter we needed to remind ourselves of these great natural remedies!
One of my biggest annoyances come winter is dry skin. I literally will not go anywhere without a small bottle of lotion, because in my opinion there are few things worse than when my hands are dry – it drives me crazy. The thing with store-bought lotions, though, is that within a half hour of applying them my hands feel dry again. I’ve been looking into some natural alternatives and it turns out there are some awesome dry skin remedies that I already have in my kitchen!
1. Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of those miracle substances that seems to have endless uses (just see this post…this post…and this post…). It works wonders for dry skin, and is actually the base ingredient for many store-bought moisturizers. By using it on its own, you eliminate chemicals and other ingredients in lotions that can actually counteract the power of the oil. Olive oil is packed with antioxidants that can repair dry, irritated or inflamed skin, and can help prevent and repair damage that can lead to wrinkles or sun spots. Soak cotton swabs in the oil and apply to dry patches of skin; let sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.
2. Olive Oil, Lemon, & Salt Scrub
If the thought of applying oil directly to your skin freaks you out a bit (which I know it might for some people!) this is a great alternative. Mix the juice from 1 lemon with 5 tablespoons of sea salt and one tablespoon of olive oil to create a luxurious body scrub. The fresh lemon scent is invigorating and with the addition of olive oil, this scrub will leave your skin feeling fresh and moisturized and incredibly soft.
3. Honey
Honey softens and moisturizes dry skin, and can be applied directly to problem areas – massage gently into skin and let sit for 2-3 minutes and rinse. Repeat daily and you will experience noticeably softer skin!
4. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another wonder oil, and one of its specialties is moisturizing! There are so many ways you can use it – lather it right onto the skin, apply to problem areas like your hands, cuticles, and joints, or add a few spoonfuls to your bath! It leaves skin feeling incredibly soft and it also smells amazing.
5. Aloe
I got an aloe plant this summer and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made! They live for a very long time and are easy to maintain. When you need aloe, simply cut one of the tentacles off the plant and squeeze the gel directly out – the gel is the clear, jelly-like substance found in the inner part of the aloe plant leaf (not the yellowish substance just under the skin, which is aloe latex). Cutting the plant won’t harm it either, which is evidence of aloe’s amazing healing powers – the plant will seal itself back up and continue to grow!
Photos by Julia.
What’s your favorite remedy for dry skin? Let us know in the comments!
Comments
Amazing chemical free solutions! Thank you for sharing.
I have only used previously used Coconut Oil, which for some strange reason leaves my skin much dryer later.
I hope you don’t mind if I reblog your post (crediting you of course)?
Nikki – of course! please just credit us and link to our blog :) thanks!!
Can these be used on the face? Or better as body moisturizers?
Hi Ashley! They can definitely be used on the face but those with skin prone to breakouts may want to use caution :)
Going to try these tricks! My hands and face are always dry in the winter and I’ve never found a good store bought remedy.
hi ladies! this is a great post! i’ve tried for a long time to find a solution to dry skin on my face, and also things that won’t aggravate my sensitive acne-prone skin. i tried using olive oil for a while, but it can be very hard to get the greasy feeling off since it sinks right into your pores. i’ve actually found a really great face moisturizer that also clears up dark spots, it’s totally organic and i get it at whole foods. i use the “daily cream” and the “night cream”. it’s full of fruits and veggies you wouldn’t think your skin would crave, and has a lot of natural sea elements too! i don’t know much about the other products on this line, but so far the “acne-dote face and body scrub” has also proved to be a miracle. it’s super refreshing with citrus, peppermint and willow-bark!! sorry for the long comment, it sounds like i’m trying to sell it, haha. good luck!!
http://www.albabotanica.com/collections/natural-even-advanced.html
http://www.albabotanica.com/face/whats-your-worry/acne-care/face-body-scrub.html
One great addition to this list is actually milk. For super soft, moisturized skin do a combination:
seal salt scrub and rinse, then apply warmed honey (not hot, but warmed a little lets it spread easier) and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes and rise with warm skim milk (either in hot water/milk bath soak or just poured over your body depending on preference). The higher lactic content in skim milk makes it a good skin conditioner. This was an ultra-luxe treatment at the 5 start spa I worked at and it leaves your skin feeling amazing.
woooow great idea!
DIY and more:
diyearte by L & S
Gowa & Kasha, thank you so much for the recommendations!!
Can you do this on you face!?
These are great, but just be warned that lemon juice makes your skin photosensitive, so don’t go outside for a while if you use it!
I would stay away from most of these if you are acne-prone. Do your research on non-comedogenic products!
We are on the same page. Use an olive oil and castor oil combo for cleansing. Love my raw honey mask (actually wearing it now) and mix coconut oil with almond oil as a moisturizer. Chemical free, DIY and inexpensive and all excellent for your skin. Check out my blog for other recipes!
xo
E
I have been using pure argan oil on my face as a moisturizer for almost a year, and it has actually done wonders for my acne-prone skin! All those chemicals were drying it out so bad, my skin was producing excess oil- hence the acne :( Just a suggestion…
Nice post..Thanks for sharing the post..
Homeopathic Clinic in Chandigarh
:)
Great post! Love natural skin care. I get dry skin in the winter and use an all natural product call “Winter replenishing body cream” it is sold by a company call purely northwest http://www.amazon.com/Purely-Nothwest-Dry-Skin-Cream/dp/B00AR1FU20/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358487396&sr=8-2&keywords=purely+northwest if you suffer from extra dry skin you should try their body cream. It can be used on the face and does not clog pore or cause breakouts, this was a big plus for me. Leaves my skin velvety smooth all day long. Just love it!!!
What is the better time for using these ingredients or we can use these when we require?
PLZ HELP – can you use cooking olive oil ?
PLZ HELP – can you use cooking olive oil ?
Having dry skin is really itchy. I’d better start putting honey on my skin. I’m so excited for the result. May I ask if honey can be a cure to acne? Help me with my problem. Thanks!
I have extremely dry skin, so dry my feet, hands, elbows and knees crack year round. Pedicures are torture because my skin is so dry is looks like my foot grew out of a callus :/ I soak my feet in warm water & olive oil for 10 minutes (or longer if I fall asleep lol) and then rinse whilst using a pumice stone. I swear by this, if I was more diligent I suppose my skin would improve but due to time constraints it’s something I do every other week. It is said that this also aids in toenail health as my toenails (neuropathy) are a bit thick and somewhat hard to trim.
I have more recently found a product that treats my dry skin more effectively than any other topical remedy has to date, it is called Prosanol by Swedish Skin Care. It keeps my skin hydrated for such a long time and after a few days the flaky patches were diminishing greatly.
I am always looking for things that are quick and have no sulfates, steroids, dyes or perfumes and this product qualifies.
hi ladies!
I want to add some information modest !
You can use oatmeal as if it were a soap substitute, for instance. Tie little bit of mixture oatmeal into a flannel or hanky, then dunk it within the water, squeeze the surplus water out and so use it a bit like you’d use a typical flannel for a pleasant soothing impact.
For more information, visit —–) http://omario-relations.blogspot.com/2013/04/remedy-for-dry-skin-overcome-your-dry.html
my skin has become very dry,especially my hands. i tried raw shea butter and extra virgin coconut oil.both of these products did nothing for my hands.the coconut oil made me break out on my face.the shea butter was nice on my face.i dony have dry skin on my face.im going to give the olive oil a try.
You got to fillet the Aloe Vera just like you would fillet fish. I buy them at supermarkets. If it is too long you can cut it off and make 2, or 3 pieces. Split in half with a sharp knife scrape it off on a large dinner plate. that way i can scrape off almost 99% of edible, or usable Aloe Vera. Then i pour it in a plastic container with cover, and put it in my refrigerator for later use. With one leave i can make about 5 Oz. 100% pure Juice.
Tried it, and loved it!
good medicn
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Hi everyone!! I have 2 great products that you can use to exfoliate the body and face. Each product exfoliates the skin while penetrating deep within to release clogged oils and pores. The products are both made by the company called GLYTONE. one is the Glytone exfoliating body washy and the other is the exfoliating gel cleanser. I came across a website called Dermpoint.com. This website is convenient, reliable, and excellent when it comes to skin problems! I highly recommend this site so please check it out!
Thank you so much for the olive oil one it was very helpful. I have had trouble with dry skin for at least 2 years now and it has been irritating the crap out of me but thanks again it works AMAZING!!!