Tips for Dry Skin

Here are a few tips of what I do to help combat dry skin:

Dry Brush Exfoliate - at least once a week, I do a dry brush exfoliation. The dry brush can be purchased from the spa section of a drugstore. The bristles are a bit rough, but it feels like a good scratch. You'll want to brush in the direction of your heart. This will help with blood circulation.When you are doing the stomach area, you'll want to brush a little lighter and brush in a circular direction. Dry brush exfoliation will help get rid of dry, flaky, dead skin. I do this before I get in the shower and then I moisturize all over after the shower. I find if I don't exfoliate, my skin gets very itchy.

Wear Cotton Gloves - Before bed, I put heavy cream on my hands, then some jojoba oil, then I put on 100% cotton gloves. The gloves can later be washed and re-used. I also wear cotton gloves inside vinyl gloves when I do any kind of cleaning.

Balm - Use a basic balm, like a beeswax and olive oil combination, to cover dry cracked skin. The balm acts as a barrier since it doesn't absorb too quickly. It is also good for dry, chapped lips. Balms can be found in most health food stores or organic markets. It usually comes in a tin.

Jojoba Oil - Jojoba oil is a great moisturizer and I sometimes use it on my legs after I have shaved. The oil takes a bit of time to absorb in, but I usually put on a long pair of socks to avoid any mess. 

Winter Gloves - Winter brings us cold, dry air and it's very harsh on our skin. Our hands get roughed up a lot in the winter time, with shoveling snow, carrying groceries, getting snow off of the car, etc. Many winter issues that cannot be avoided and it's our hands that often take the brunt of it.

Avoid excessive hand washing - this is a tough one, especially when you hear of flu outbreaks; but excessive hand washing is very hard on your skin. If you are washing your hands a lot, definitely put moisturizer on after, and do this every time.