How to Naturally Take Care of Dry Skin

Few things are worse than dealing with chronically dry, flaky skin. Not only is it uncomfortable and unsanitary, but it can also make us feel self-conscious and keep us from fully expressing our personalities.

To win the long-term battle against dry skin, you’ll need a few tools in your arsenal. As with every aspect of health, it’s always better to choose natural products over man-made ones.

Here are a few ways to naturally take care of dry skin and maintain the perfect level of moisture at all times.

Eat the Right Foods

Diet is the foundation of health, and maintaining healthy skin is no different. To defeat dryness, your diet should focus on restoring strong cells and protecting against damage.

Antioxidant-rich foods will be your best friend, so reach for bold, colorful fruits and veggies like blueberries, carrots, tomatoes, legumes, peas, and leafy greens.

Also, make sure to boost your protein intake and get enough healthy fats to build and protect those skin cells for the future. Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon and monosaturated fats from olive oil are a great start, according to OliveOil.com.

Use Water Correctly

You’d think that more water = more hydrated skin, but that’s not entirely right. You need to use water the proper way to retain moisture in your skin and keep it from going dry.

When you shower, for example, reduce the heat a bit and do your soaping and shampooing in lukewarm water instead. When water is too hot, it can end up damaging the skin and leave you dried out all day.

If you’re feeling extra bold, try a contrast shower where you flip the water cold for a few minutes and get a strong invigorating effect for your skin. As a general rule, try to spend less time in the shower or bath overall to retain moisture within.

Sometimes, your home will become too dry and compromise your skin. That’s why you should always have a humidifier ready to go with some clean water and healing essential oils.

Combat Allergens

The cause of your dry skin could be environmental, and this is more common than you might think in a world with so many strange chemicals and materials in our daily lives.

Do your best to eliminate any potential causes of allergic reaction in your immediate environment, whether it’s cleaning products, clothing fabrics, plastics, or cosmetics.

With some experimentation and observation, you can detect which activities and compounds are making your skin dry and scratchy. Look online to see if you can find chemical-free alternatives to the products you use at home.

Keep pillowcases, sheets, and surfaces clean with weekly scrub downs, even if you don’t see any dust accumulation.

If that doesn’t work, check in with your doctor and see if you can have some tests run to determine your allergic profile. It may be something as simple as changing the kinds of clothes you wear or getting different linens to sleep on.

Moisturize Naturally

Many of us use moisturizing products from the store to combat dry skin, but natural solutions may the missing link in your routine.

Petroleum jelly is an old-school product that works wonders on dry patches and has many strong minerals to fortify your skin. Coconut oil and olive oil can also do the trick if you need an extra layer of moisture-locking capabilities.

When it comes to olive oil, just be sure to stick with the purest, most organic EVOO you can find, since it will have the highest concentration of healthy moisturizing properties. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly and enjoy the glow.