Our bodies are under assault at all times. They have to contend with the elements, clothes, scents and smells, liquids, people touching them, diseases, bugs, etc. Let’s face it; we’re lucky our skin is as resilient as it is with all the things that come our way.
One thing that’s a result of all these external, and internal things, is dry skin. Dry skin can be very irritating. It can be really itchy. It can be cracked. It can break out into hives. And it can just feel miserable, which makes us miserable.
Of course, there are many things we can do to help take care of our skin, and make us feel alive again. Here are some tips that will help you to feel better.
1. Drink lots of water. We’ve all heard that the body is mostly water. While that’s true, another truth is that most of us are seriously dehydrated. That’s because we don’t drink enough water. Sure, we may drink a lot of liquids, but many of those liquids either contain things that help dry us out or force water out of us, such as tea, which is diuretic that makes you go to the bathroom more.
Although we’ve also heard that 8 glasses of water a day can help appetite suppression, and that we can get water from other foodstuffs, it’s probably not a bad thing to try to drink closer to 9 cups a day for women, 13 cups a day for men. But take heed; that’s inclusive of all the other liquid items you’re drinking, so make sure to balance it all out.
2. Use lotion without alcohol in it. Alcohol will dry your skin, which means that no matter how much lotion you put on, you’ll always feel like you need more. In today’s world, the best lotions seem to have either aloe or shea butter in them.
3. Bathe in oils rather than salts for calming. Though there are wonderful scented bath salts, salt dries the skin, and any of those crystal bath additives that have the word “sodium” in them will potentially dry your skin. There are plenty of bath oils that will help you take care of dry skin, and some women actually add baby oil to their baths.
4. Try to use moisturizing soap to wash with. There are plenty of both liquid and bar soaps that contain either oils or moisturizers that are good for your skin. If you wash too often, though, even moisturizing soaps will dry you out, as your body’s natural oils need time to come out and help take care of your skin.
5. Wear cotton clothes more often. Though there are other fabrics that might make you feel comfortable, cotton is the best “breathing” fabric, and therefore your skin won’t get overheated too often. You don’t want to sweat too much because sweat contains salt, which of course dries your skin out.
Of course, there are other things you probably do to your body that contributes to dry skin, such as shaving, too much sun, and exposing your body too often to the elements. If you follow the tips above, your skin will thank you for it.
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