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8 Low-cost Home Remedies For Tackling Dry Skin

Most people have severely dry skin during the winters. But there are some people who have dry skin throughout the year, making winters exceptionally painful for them. Their skin tends to get even more dry during winters.

Dry, flaky skin is not just about the appearance. It can be considered a health condition and even be seen as a symptom of several health conditions, like thyroid problems or anaemia, so make sure you get tested for any of the aforementioned diseases if you have dry skin.

what to do when you have dry skin

Flaky skin may look unattractive, but it feels a lot worse than it looks. And no matter how many fancy moisturisers you buy, it never seems to go away, and you have to keep reapplying it. What is worse is that dry skin can feel tight and even itchy. And if you itch too much, it can turn into a rash that may even bleed.

So, certain precautions must be taken to avoid the worst from happening, if you have dry skin throughout the year. Here, we will give you some tips on what to do if you have severely dry skin. Take a look.

1. Shower With Cold Water Or Lukewarm Water

1. Shower With Cold Water Or Lukewarm Water

We know it can be really comforting to take a hot bath, especially during the cold months, but if you have dry skin, your skin will start flaking even more if you shower with hot water. It is best to stick to cold water if you want your pores to remain closed and retain moisture while you bathe. If you must have some type of warmth, use lukewarm water. An added bonus is that using cold water for baths also delays the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as one of the reasons of early signs of ageing is dry skin.

2. Use A Gentle Body Wash

2. Use A Gentle Body Wash

Body soaps and washes that are strongly scented can be more harmful for dry skin. Use a moisturising body wash that is unscented or lightly scented. It is a trend to use heavily scented body washes; but it is best for your skin to avoid these. Use enough only to get rid of the dirt on your skin, but not so much that it becomes a lather. Making a lather out of it would strip your skin of natural oils that it is already lacking.

3. Oil Before Shower

3. Oil Before Shower

Use an oil before heading into the shower. This is a tip that we have found to be really helpful, as using an oil locks in the moisture into your skin before you take a shower. It even provides your skin with a protective barrier from the water. You may use something as thick as a coconut, castor, almond or olive oil. All these oils are deeply penetrating and are very good for dry skin. Or you may use something lightweight, like baby oil. Baby oil is really light and can be used even after a shower, as it does not stain the clothes.

4. Use A Body Scrub

4. Use A Body Scrub

Exfoliation is not just necessary for your face. Your body has a lot of dead skin cells as well. Exfoliation for the body often gets ignored. Sloughing away dead skin cells and those flakes is really important, for new and healthy skin to take its place. You can either use a store-bought scrub or make one yourself, using ingredients you find in your own home. We like making a scrub out of coffee powder and olive oil. This scrub will hydrate your skin and make it baby soft. Coffee is also known to make the skin firmer. So if you have cellulite, this may be the dream ingredient for you. You can also make a scrub with sugar, lemon juice and olive oil. Here, the lemon juice will help lighten the skin and help in removing skin tan as well.

5. Moisturise Right After A Shower

5. Moisturise Right After A Shower

Do not let the air dry out your skin after you take a shower. Apply a moisturiser right away, ensuring that the moisture is retained in your skin. We recommend using a heavy or intensive moisturiser, like the one containing cocoa butter or shea butter. Using these would ensure that you do not have to keep reapplying your moisturiser.

6. Oil Massages

6. Oil Massages

Massage your skin with a light, non-greasy body oil every night before you go to bed. This increases blood circulation in the skin and ensures that the oil penetrates into the skin deeply. Make sure you use a fast-absorbing oil, because oils do tend to stain the clothes we wear. Do this every night and your skin will not give you any pain any more.

7. Use A Lip Balm

7. Use A Lip Balm

We are pretty sure that if you suffer from dry skin all year round, your lips get dry to the point of bleeding as well. For this, coat your lips completely with lip balm, especially before you sleep.

We hope our tips end your dry skin woes. For more updates, keep reading Boldsky!

8 low-cost home remedies for tackling dry skin

We do so much to avoid dry skin - we try this cream or that lotion and most of the time nothing seems to work. What we don't realize is that the same products can backfire and make our skin drier because of the harsh chemicals present in them, especially if you have sensitive skin.

But then, Mother Nature is always at your service - she has a solution for every problem. Once again, just turn towards the kitchen and you can find better alternatives to commercial products that help you manage dry skin.

Read on to find out more about 8 simple and economical home remedies to prevent skin from drying out.

1.) Banana, Honey and Olive Oil/Yoghurt

2.) Oats, Papaya, Lemon and Egg Yolk/Honey

3.) Banana, Honey and Milk/Rose Water

4.) Aloe Vera and Almond Oil

5.) Avocado, Honey, Lemon and Egg Yolk

6.) Cream and Aloe Vera

7.) Virgin Coconut Oil

8.) Cucumber and Yoghurt

1.) Banana, Honey And Olive Oil/Yoghurt

Banana is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E which is very beneficial for the skin. It has the ability to heal and moisturize even extremely dry skin.

Honey makes a good combination with it as it locks in that moisture and gives the skin a healthy glow.

The benefits of olive oil are already very well-known. It nourishes the skin, helps to regain the elasticity of chapped skin (dryness leads to chapped and flaky skin) and contains antioxidants which will regulate your skin's natural sebum production process.

But if you're not a big fan of olive oil or oils in general, you can replace it with yoghurt which, again, moisturizes the skin and helps to heal dry, chapped skin. Along with that, it also helps reduce blemishes and pigmentation. Your skin is going to love this face mask.

Things you'll need

• One ripe banana (mashed)

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or 2 tablespoons of yoghurt

Mash the banana well and add the other two ingredients to it. Mix it properly and make a smooth paste out of it. Apply it on your clean skin and let sit for 15 minutes. Wash it off, preferably with lukewarm water. You can do this once a week.

2.) Oats, Papaya, Lemon And Egg Yolk/Honey

Oats are rich in amino acids and antioxidants, at the same time, possess anti-inflammatory properties as well. Oatmeal not just helps in exfoliating the skin, it also moisturizes and heals it.

Papaya contains vitamin A and an enzyme called papain which nourish and moisturize the skin, and remove dead skin cells.

Lemons are, well, lemons - they clean the skin, render it a healthy glow, fight acne, help improve complexion, and what not.

The main contents in egg yolk are fats and water. That's why it can bind moisture to the skin. But if you're using honey, that's also fine as honey lives up to the moisturizing properties of egg yolks.

Things you'll need

• 2 tablespoons of powdered oats

• 1 tablespoon of mashed papaya

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

• 1egg yolk or 1 tablespoon of honey

Mix the ingredients well in a bowl and make a smooth paste. Make sure the oats are powdered finely enough to not scratch your face. Apply the paste on to your skin and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Wash off with water.

3.) Banana, Honey And Milk/Rose Water

Apart from the benefits of banana and honey mentioned in the first remedy, milk contains vitamin B, antioxidants and has multiple skin benefits apart from acting as a good hydrating agent.

Alternatively, you can replace milk with rose water. Rose water is usually suitable for those of us who have oily skin, but it works its magic on oily skin as well.

Things you'll need

• 1 tablespoon of mashed banana

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• Milk or rose water according to consistency

Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl until they form a smooth and considerably thick paste. Apply it on your skin and let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water. This is a great hydrating mask and you can do this once a week for best results.

4.) Aloe Vera And Almond Oil

The moment we see the word aloe vera, we know that there's no need to second guess. It has some great benefits to offer all skin types, be it oily, dry or combination skin.

Even better is the fact that aloe gel has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties and can be safely used on the skin even if there are small wounds. Aloe vera is an amazing moisturizing agent as well - it's rich and thick gel is proof to it. Okay, enough said about aloe.

Almond oil is a boon to our skin. It is rich in vitamin E, has trace amounts of vitamin K, has antifungal properties and seeps deep into the skin to provide nourishment and hydration. Moreover, it doesn't clog pores.

Things you'll need

• 1 teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel

• 0.5 ml of Almond oil or about 8-10 drops.

Mix the two ingredients properly until they've blended well. Rub them in your palm and massage them on to your skin. You can either let sit for about 15 - 20 minutes or leave it overnight for best results. Doing this once or twice a week will hydrate your skin effectively and prevent it from drying or breaking out.

5.) Avocado, Honey, Lemon And Egg Yolk

The benefits of egg yolk, lemon and honey have been discussed above. What makes avocado a great combination with the trio is that it contains beneficial vitamins like vitamin E, A and D which keep the skin soft and hydrated, and prevent it from becoming flaky.

Things you're going to need

• 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado

• 2 tablespoons of honey

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon of egg yolk (or as is needed)

Mix the ingredients together until they form a smooth paste. Apply it on your clean skin and let it sit for half an hour. Then rinse it off with water. You can do this once a week to achieve optimum results.

6.) Cream And Aloe Vera

Since aloe gel needs no formal introduction to you, let's talk about milk cream. Milk cream works almost like milk does - it nourishes and hydrates the skin and can be used to replace milk in any of the home remedies mentioned, except that milk would give you a thinner consistency than when cream is used. This is an excellent moisturizing face mask for all skin types.

Things you'll need

• 4 tablespoons of cream

• 2 tablespoons of aloe gel

Mix the two ingredients well to form a paste. Apply the paste on your skin and let sit for half an hour. Then wash it off with lukewarm water. You can repeat this twice or thrice a week.

7.) Virgin Coconut Oil

This is hands down the easiest method to keep your skin moisturized and healthy. From the fact that it is used in multiple beauty products, we can easily understand its nutritious value for the skin. It contains potent antioxidants and fatty acids, has antifungal and antibacterial properties, gets absorbed easily by the skin, and is a great hydrating agent.

You can apply it directly to your skin and then leave it overnight or wash it off after 20 minutes - it's left to you. But if you have really oily skin and you're worried that coconut oil will add to it, you can blend it with mashed banana, apply the paste on your skin and wash it off after 15 minutes.

8.) Cucumber And Yoghurt

I've already mentioned about the benefits of yoghurt in this article. Why cucumber compliments it is because cucumber contains vitamin E and remarkably huge water content.

For the same reasons that it is used to get rid of dark circles and blemishes, cucumber can act along with the yoghurt to moisturize the skin deeply, keep it soft & free of infections, give it a healthy glow and prevent it from getting chapped.

Things you'll need

• Pulp of one quarter of a cucumber

• 1 or 2 tablespoons of yoghurt

Mix the ingredients well in a bowl and apply the paste on your face. Let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then wash it off with water. You can repeat this once or twice a week. Your skin is sure to feel the difference after a few uses.

Please note that wherever yoghurt is mentioned, it refers to plain unsweetened yoghurt only. Even in the case of honey, it's best if you can get an organic one. But even if you don't, that's fine.

Aloe vera gel needn't be extracted directly from the plant. You can buy aloe gel over the counter, but make sure it is pure and unadulterated.

Treat your skin to these easy, inexpensive, natural home remedies and spare your skin the hassle of tolerating chemically treated products.

Read more about: skin care dry skin