We all hate when our skin is not as we would like it to be. Having dry skin is actually a condition that is not rare at all. It can be caused by a poor diet, environmental factors such as the sun, wind, cold weather, excessive bathing (specially with harsh soaps), inappropriate cosmetic use, or conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, or psoriasis. The main symptoms of dry skin are that the skin feels rough and tight, because there is a low level of sebum and the skin is not able to retain moisture. There are many home made remedies that help relieve dry skin and we will look into a couple of them

One of the things that you can do is to apply essential oils on your skin. A few of these oils are lavender oil, chamomile, sandalwood oil and rose hip oil. Rose hip oil, for example, is rich on vitamins A and C, which are very good for the dermis. Another use for it is to reduce photo aging and scarring.

To drink lots of water is a must-do. If not, what you apply on your skin is irrelevant because you will never get long lasting results. Another idea is to take a bath and mix the water with a cup of baking soda, or make the following ingredients: Blend 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1/2 a cup of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Pour this paste under the water that runs to fill the tub. You will see how soothing it can be.

Other Options to Fight Dry Skin

Making a cucumber paste also helps. Apply the mashed cucumber on your skin and leave the mix there for about 10 minutes. Repeat at least one more time during the week and you will see the excellent results you will get. Two very effective recipes, even though they might not sound very appealing, are to apply mayonnaise mixed with baby oil in a ratio of 2 to 1 (tablespoons) on your most affected areas and also to apply a thick layer of Vaseline on your skin. For both tips, you have to leave them on approximately 20 minutes and then rinse.

If you feel that your skin is not as dry as to have to follow these home made treatments, here are some tips for you: drink plenty of water, like we mentioned before, avoid very hot water when you shower because it dries your skin, when you will be exposed to the sun, make sure you use a good sun block to protect your skin. Additionally, use a dry skin balm or any other hydrating lotion.