One of my biggest annoyances come winter is dry skin. I literally will not go anywhere without a small bottle of lotion, because in my opinion there are few things worse than when my hands are dry – it drives me crazy. The thing with store-bought lotions, though, is that within a half hour of applying them my hands feel dry again. I’ve been looking into some natural alternatives and it turns out there are some awesome dry skin remedies that I already have in my kitchen!
1. Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of those miracle substances that seems to have endless uses. It works wonders for dry skin, and is actually the base ingredient for many store-bought moisturizers. By using it on its own, you eliminate chemicals and other ingredients in lotions that can actually counteract the power of the oil. Olive oil is packed with antioxidants that can repair dry, irritated or inflamed skin, and can help prevent and repair damage that can lead to wrinkles or sun spots. Soak cotton swabs in the oil and apply to dry patches of skin; let sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.
2. Olive Oil, Lemon, & Salt Scrub
If the thought of applying oil directly to your skin freaks you out a bit (which I know it might for some people!) this is a great alternative. Mix the juice from 1 lemon with 5 tablespoons of sea salt and one tablespoon of olive oil to create a luxurious body scrub. The fresh lemon scent is invigorating and with the addition of olive oil, this scrub will leave your skin feeling fresh and moisturized and incredibly soft.
3. Honey
Honey softens and moisturizes dry skin, and can be applied directly to problem areas – massage gently into skin and let sit for 2-3 minutes and rinse. Repeat daily and you will experience noticeably softer skin!
4. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another wonder oil, and one of its specialties is moisturizing! There are so many ways you can use it – lather it right onto the skin, apply to problem areas like your hands, cuticles, and joints, or add a few spoonfuls to your bath! It leaves skin feeling incredibly soft and it also smells amazing.
5. Aloe
I got an aloe plant this summer and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made! They live for a very long time and are easy to maintain. When you need aloe, simply cut one of the tentacles off the plant and squeeze the gel directly out – the gel is the clear, jelly-like substance found in the inner part of the aloe plant leaf (not the yellowish substance just under the skin, which is aloe latex). Cutting the plant won’t harm it either, which is evidence of aloe’s amazing healing powers – the plant will seal itself back up and continue to grow!
