Have Dry, Flaky Skin? Tips and Home Remedies to Help Your Skin Out!

While some of us are cursed with oil slicks for skin, there are others on the other side of the spectrum that deal with dry and flaky skin on a daily basis. Come winter, however, and almost everybody will have a bout of dry skin due to the low humidity and cold weather. With dry skin, the skin feels a little tight, especially after washing or showering. In a nutshell, dry skin is a result of an inadequate amount of oil being produced, which is necessary to keep the skin hydrated and lubricated. Fortunately, there are ways to help control your dry and flaky skin.

Of course everybody should wash their face on a daily basis to clean any grime or buildup that has accumulated on the skin. Those with dry skin, however, need to learn a different method and technique to wash their face that will prohibit an excessive drying of the skin. If you can do it, avoid using normal tap water when washing the face. The mineral deposits in normal tap water can cause your skin to become even drier. Instead, try using mineral water when cleansing your face. Mineral water can be purchased very inexpensively at almost every grocery store, so keep a supply handy. Also, never wash your face with hot water, which can also serve to dry out the face. Finally, never use normal soap to wash your face. Instead invest in a cleanser that is made for dry skin users. When cleaning your face, do not use anything that could irritate your dry skin, like a washcloth. Instead use your fingers and rub the cleanser into your skin using a gentle and circular motion. Instead of roughly drying your face with a towel, pat your skin dry, leaving the skin a little damp. Be sure to wash your face both day and night.

One very important step that anybody with dry and flaky skin never wants to miss is moisturizing. Again, you will need to invest in a moisturizer that is made for dry skin. Apply the moisturizer to your slightly damp skin immediately after washing. You will want to apply the moisturizer all over your face, as well as your neck area in upward strokes. Remember, moisturizer is not only for the daytime. You will also want to apply the moisturizer to your skin after washing your face before going to bed.

You will want to use a facial mask designed for dry skin once a week. This will help remove the dry, dead skin cells that have accumulated on your face. If your entire body feels dry (as it might in winter), you can use a salt scrub to help exfoliate your entire body, which will rid your body of the dead cells, causing fresh new cells to surface.

Have you ever seen the face of somebody who has smoked for years? It often has a leather-like appearance. Avoid smoking at all costs. The nicotine found in cigarettes causes the small blood vessels and capillaries to become smaller which, in turn, deprives skin of nutrients.

Try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Sunbathing dries out the skin, causing irreversible damage and drying. When out in the sun, always use sun block and reapply according to the directions.

The home remedies found below are easy to locate in your own home kitchen, and will relieve you from some of the discomfort that comes from dry skin.

From the Home Remedies Cupboard

Baking soda. Instead of using an abrasive dishwashing cleanser, try sprinkling skin-friendly baking soda in your dishwater. Baking soda is also a skin-friendly alternative to jumping in a hot shower. Try a sponge bath using 4 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart water. A baking soda soak is a folk remedy to relieve itching. Add 1 cup baking soda to a tub of hot water. Soak for 30 minutes and air dry.

Cornstarch. You may think cornstarch can only be used to thicken your gravy, but it's also useful in easing itchy, dry skin. Sprinkle a handful in the bathtub and have a soak.

Oatmeal. Adding instant oatmeal to your bath will soothe your skin. The oats are packed with vitamin E, a nutrient vital to healthy skin. Oatmeal is also used as a folk remedy for treating dry, chapped hands. Rub your hands with wet oatmeal instead of soap. Dry your hands with a towel, then rub them with dry oatmeal.

Salt. Massage a handful of salt onto wet skin after a shower or bath. It will remove dry skin and make your skin smooth.

Vegetable oil. Coating yourself with vegetable oil may make you feel like a French fry, but your skin will love you. In fact, experts say that any oil, from vegetable to sunflower to peanut, offers relief from dry skin.

Vinegar. Try this folk remedy for chapped hands: Wash and dry hands thoroughly, then apply vinegar. Put on a pair of soft gloves and leave them on overnight.

From the Home Remedies Drawer

Vinyl gloves . Whenever you wash dishes, clean the bathroom, or dust the furniture, wear vinyl gloves to protect your hands from chapping, chaffing, and harsh chemicals.

Do Remember

Be cool. Take lukewarm or cool showers. This may not sound very appealing if you like lounging in the hot steam, but your skin will thank you. Hot water draws out skin's valuable oils, which will dry out your skin.

Be selective about soap. Pretty, perfume-laden soap may look and smell nice, but it can leave your skin screaming. Try soaps with fat or oil in them, such as Dove or Basis. Liquid soaps tend to be milder than bar soaps.

Douse while you're still damp . Slathering lotion on damp skin is your best bet for retaining moisture. When you get out of the bath or shower, pat, don't rub, to get rid of just enough water so you don't leave a wet trail to the sink. Then spread on your lotion while you've still got droplets clinging to your skin. This will help seal in the moisture.

Avoid alcohol. That means both the kind you drink and the kind you use to cleanse. Drinking alcohol can cause your body to soak up water from skin. Limit yourself to no more than 2 ounces a day to keep your skin healthy. Alcohol-based cleansing products (such as astringents) dry out your skin, too. It's best to skip them altogether.

Watch the sun .Though a little bit of that evaporation is healthy (sweat evaporating keeps you cool when you exercise), too much can be a problem. So protect your skin by wearing sunscreen and moisturizing lotions if you spend lots of time in the sun.

Rehydrate your skin with lotion after using any degreasers or solvents when painting around the house.

Just a few simple home remedies could have you feeling smooth in no time, and ready to take on the worst the sun and wind can throw at you.