It's that Time of Year Again...Itchy Skin!

If you're like me, once October hits and the temperature dips, you wake up in the morning looking like you've been attacked by an angry cat. The scratching starts and you'll do anything to make it stop! Well, over the years I have found five products and remedies that can totally help you in the itchy/dry skin department, some you can even do in the kitchen yourself.

1. Hydration in/ Hydration out
Believe it or not, even though the air gets drier as the seasons change, we naturally do too. The average person goes from 10-12 beverages a day during warm weather to about 6 by the end of October. We simply aren't that thirsty when we're cool so we don't think we need as much. When you're dehydrated, all the water in your body will go to sustaining your vital organs, not leaving much for your skin. Be ure to sip water or herbal tea throughout the day, and steer clear of too much caffeine. It's a diruetic that robs your skin of moisture. Also an inexpensive cold mist humidifier running in your bedroom while you sleep can help too.

2. Eucerin Itch Relief Moisturizing Spray
If you want to kill the itch immediately and get some relief this is the best thing in the world. Lightweight, it takes the itch away and keeps it at bay for hours. The only bad thing is, if some of your rough spots have cracked or you've scratched yourself enough to break the skin it will sting like crazy. So be careful.

3. Jenn's Homemade Oatmeal/Olive Oil Scrub
Even though you read about how drying a hot shower is for your skin, nobody is giving up a hot shower on a cold winter day. Not me, anyway. So I came up with this fun scrub. I make a batch of it, leave it in the shower in a sealed container, and I think it costs a nickel a shower. It doesn't smell fruity or anything but it gets the job done.
Airtight container that holds 4-5 cups
2 cups of oatmeal, the cheaper the better...instant is ok.
1 cup of brown sugar
2.5 cups olive oil
Throw the ingredients into the container, mix up and using your hands, apply all over your body in the shower. The Sugar will exfoliate, the molasses in the brown sugar and the oats will help fight itching, and the olive oil will moisturize.

4. Aveeno Anti Itch Lotion
this is a great everyday lotion for your body. Again it doesn't have a wonderful smell that is half the fun of body lotion, but it really gets the job done. It's especially great if your legs tend to get that scaly look around your shins. Very inexpensive, and definitely an old stand-by for a reason.

5. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Throw away your soap! Soap is the worst thing you can put on your skin when it's dry. Stick to extra gentle Cetaphil. It'll work on your body or face, and the inexpensive generic store brands work just as well too if you're looking to save some money.

With these tips and products, dry and itchy skin can be a thing of the past. Be sure to check with your doctor if your skin condition worsens or doesn't get any better.