Smart Tips To Hydrate Your Skin

Dry, cracked skin got you down? Whether you are suffering dry skin due to climate change, house cleaning with harsh cleaners, or a little too much time under your hot shower, there’s no question that you’ll be feeling uncomfortable.

Once skin is dry, it’s far more likely to crack or cut, leading to further discomfort.  Furthermore, dry skin can feel highly irritated and it might seem like no matter what you do, you can’t find relief.

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take that will alleviate dry skin and get you the moisture you need.

Here are the best ways to hydrate your skin and get looking – and feeling – good again.

Skip The Hot Shower

As noted in the intro, hot showers are a common cause of dry skin. With that hot water beating down on your back, shoulders, and chest, it’s not uncommon to find these areas sucked of all their moisture.

While it may seem counterintuitive that water could be drying, it really is the temperature you need to pay attention to here.  Consider turning the dial back a notch and in addition to that, make those showers short.  Then as soon as you get out, apply a high quality body lotion such as the many found here.

This will help seal the moisture in, preventing dryness from taking place.

And while you’re at it, repeat the following steps if you plan to take a bath as well.

Apply Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera gel can be a great natural treatment for those with dry skin. It’s also often used by those with sunburns, so it’s a good multipurpose product to have on hand.

Soothe the Aloe Vera over the dry area and be sure to rub it into the skin as best as possible. Do this twice to three times per day until the dryness has cleared.

Eat Vitamin E Rich Foods

In addition to focusing on topical solutions to heal dry skin, make sure that you are consuming sufficient vitamin E in your daily diet.  Vitamin E is important for healthy skin, hair, as well as nails, so if you’re lacking, this could be the root cause of your flaky skin.

Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body that will protect and repair damaged skin, so it’ll keep you looking your best. In addition to reducing dryness, it can also help to minimize the signs of aging.

The best vitamin E rich foods to consume? Try avocado’s, spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter.

Try Oatmeal

While oatmeal is one great food to eat for breakfast every morning, it can also do your skin good.  Soaking in a tub of warm water (not hot, as noted above!) mixed with one cup of dry oatmeal will help rejuvenate your skin, bringing back the moisture you’re lacking.

Adding the oatmeal to the bath will help the skin retain more water from that bath, bringing back its naturally hydration level.

So next time dry skin is causing you pain, try any one of these strategies to get yourself feeling well again.
 

...and remember, qualified nutritionists at Healthy Being are available to offer further general advice to help guide you in selecting the right products. So please, feel free to contact us at anytime!

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Shannon Clark is a qualified nutritionist and a regular contributer to HB Insights. She specialises in weight control and management as well as optimal fitness performance. She's devoted to helping readers obtain their own personal best health and fitness and stays on top the latest trends in the industry.