What’s this? Dry skin already!
Dry Skin Rescue

by Penny Keay

You used to have soft and supple skin and now with the cooler, drier weather is causing you to see little patches of dryness.

You want to stop it before it gets any worse. For most folks the two areas that are most commonly affected are their hands and their lips. In addition, chapped skin is very uncomfortable.

Even if you have normal, oily or dry skin naturally, you will most likely need moisturizers in the winter. The humidity level in many homes tends to be low because of the need for heat.

First, let us talk about preventing dry skin. As you know, any time of year can be brutal to our skin.

To help keep your skin soft and moist you must do several things.

Preventative for Dry Chapped Skin

1) Protect your skin as much as possible from extreme temperature changes. Exposure even for a few minutes to subnormal temperatures can cause damage. A 20-30 degree drop from inside a building of 70 degrees to outside temperature of 45-50 degrees can start the process of drying your skin.

2) Help prevent moisture loss by applying a good lotion or body oil. You do not necessarily need a lot, but you should try to apply something to help "lock" in the moisture.

One of the best oils is actually a liquid wax – namely Jojoba. It absorbs quickly into the skin and you only need a few drops!

Therefore, our suggestion is to apply a few drops of Jojoba or your other favorite carrier oil, for your skin type, smoothed on after a bath or shower can help immensely.

3) Minimize exposure to harsh chemicals, especially soaps, detergents and alcohol. This part can be a little more difficult for some folks as their daily work may require their hands are being exposed to water, soap and detergents very frequently.

4) Drink plenty of liquids. Many folks forget to drink plenty of fluids in the cooler months. Did you know that in the winter, you could become dehydrated very fast? When it is cold, many folks lose their desire to drink cold drinks and water is best when served cool. So, it only holds true (and it is with me too) their water consumption drops.

The best beverage to drink is plain water. Yeah I know you have been told it before, but Water really is the best!

I knew a very wonderful and healthy ‘Finnish’ (Scandinavian) Lady that would drink plain hot water this time of the year. I always thought it was a little odd, but she knew she needed to keep herself hydrated.

Just like most of us, she did not like cold water in the winter and did not drink coffee or tea. So she drank hot water (she actually heated it on the stove in a teakettle).

She usually drank it plain, but occasionally she added a little fresh squeezed lemon juice and a little honey. I might add that She had the most beautiful skin. (Did I tell you she was in her 70’s the last time I saw her and her skin was just gorgeous. I saw photos of her in her late 80's before she passed and her skin was still beautiful. )

Once the skin is dry and chapped, you will really need to protect it from further damage.

To help heal and encourage the growth of new skin cells you should apply a cream or oil that has one or two of the following oils added. Carrotseed, Geranium, Lavender, Neroli, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Roman Chamomile, Jasmine, Rose, Helichrysum

Did you know a little Peppermint added to your lotion will help stimulate the skins own oil glands to produce more oil?

You may need to discontinue using soaps or use a very mild soap, if the dry skin is getting worse.

What should you do when cleansing your face especially if it is starting to show dry spots?

Did you know that any lotion or cream could be used to remove makeup, and it will also clean the skin?

Simply apply the lotion to your skin, massage lightly and then rinse off using tepid water. Try to avoid using lotions that have alcohols listed as an ingredient as they will continue to dry your skin.

Remember to apply lotions or creams several times a day and especially at bedtime. Lotion and creams are blends of oil and water mixed with an emulsifying agent.

This way when water is mixed with oils you can both moisturize and ‘lock’ in that moisture with the oil in the lotion!

You can add your favorite essential oils. We suggest you choose from one of these skin friendly essential oils.

For Normal skin, They include:

Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Rose and Ylang Ylang.

For sensitive skin:

try a few drops of Roman Chamomile, Lavender or Helichrysum.

For extremely Dry skin:

In addition to any oils mentioned previously - Carrotseed, Geranium, Lavender, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Sandalwood, Thyme–linaloo l and Vetiver. Adding a small amount of Bergamot, Peppermint, Jasmine or Geranium can sometimes stimulate your body’s own oil production.

For mature skin:

Carrotseed, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Myrrh, Neroli, Rose Rosemary.

Here are some simple to make Recipes to combat dry skin.

For Normal Skin

Lavender -15 drops
Geranium - 8 drops
Rose - 4 drops
carrier oil or lotion/cream - 2 ounces

For Dry Skin

Sandalwood - 10 drops
Geranium - 7 drops
Ylang-Ylang - 5 drops
carrier oil or lotion/cream - 2 ounces

For Oily Skin

Lemon - 15 drops
Cypress - 10 drops
carrier oil or lotion/cream - 2 ounces

For Mature Skin

Lavender - 15 drops
Frankincense - 5 drops
Neroli - 5 drops
Carrotseed - 5 drops
carrier oil or lotion/cream - 2 ounces

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© 2021 Penny Keay All rights reserved Worldwide.
Please do not use my information without my permission.

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