Natural Ways To Combat Dry Winter Skin

Is the dry winter air wreaking havoc on your skin? Save your skin and your dollars by using these natural, affordable ways to combat dry winter skin.

by Chelsea Stefani

Natural Ways to Combat Dry Winter Skin photo

Winter comes with all types of problems and annoyances, but one of the worst is dry skin.

When the cold months roll in, they bring with them drier, harsher weather conditions. Moisture leaves the air, wreaking havoc on skin, which is only worsened by pumping heat out to stay warm. Dry skin is painful and unattractive.

So what’s the best way to combat this crucial dilemma without putting a dent in your budget?

Skip pricey products and treatments that can rack up a bill. Instead, try these simpler, more affordable ways to save your skin and your piggy bank.

Homemade Moisturizers and Scrubs

Two fantastic ways to combat dry skin are moisturizers and scrubs, but buying them all season long is an unnecessary expense. Many of those same products in the store have versions that can be made at home for a fraction of the cost.

Moisturizing body scrubs and oil blends can be made with different items, such as sugar, herbs, carrier oils, essential oils, and other inexpensive ingredients. Below are a couple simple moisturizer recipes that will affordably banish winter skin woes.

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Nourishing Coconut Sugar Scrub

1 cup sugar (I use raw cane sugar)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp peppermint
15 drops lavender essential oil

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar and mix well. This scrub will act as a gentle exfoliant and annihilate dead skin, leaving it smooth, rehydrated, and soothed from the coconut and lavender oils. It will also allow any moisturizers you use to penetrate even deeper into the skin and work more effectively.

Try following up your scrub with this simple serum:

Dry Skin Fighting Face Serum

About 1/4 cup carrier oil of choice (I use hemp seed oil)
10 drops lavender essential oil

Combine all the ingredients in a container (I use a glass dropper bottle) and shake well. Use a maximum of five drops on dry skin. I personally use hemp seed oil for a carrier oil, but you should pick what’s best for your skin type. If your skin is severely dry, try something heavier like olive oil, or if you have a neutral skin type, avocado oil works nicely as a general moisturizer.

Vitamin E Oil

If you’re not the DIY type and would rather buy a quick solution to save your skin, look no further than Vitamin E oil. It’s perfect for extra sensitive and oily skin because it causes no irritation or leftover oil residue. Just a small dab on any dry, irritated patch of skin will go a long way and begin to soothe and heal immediately.

So, how much will this miracle cure cost you? There are many choices to go with, but cheaper brands will cost about $2 per fluid ounce. The best part is that by using so little, the bottle will last an incredibly long time. I’ve managed to make a four-ounce bottle last two winter seasons at the price of about 23 cents per month. That is not a bad price for flawless skin all winter long.

Pumice Stone

Using a pumice stone might be my absolute favorite way to combat dry skin all year long.

Why are these natural volcanic stones so wonderful? Of course they rid the body of dry, dead skin, but they’re also great inexpensive long-term investments.

Pumice stones come in all different shapes, sizes, and prices, but they typically last over a year. In fact, I’ve had my black lava pumice stone for years now and only paid $5 for it. While some stones might be expensively advertised, a cheaper brand works just as well. Pumice stones are best for tough skin like on the feet and hands. However, it’s also beneficial to pumice the entire body, except sensitive areas, to prevent dry, flaky skin.

To clean your pumice stone, simply submerge it in boiling water for about five to ten minutes.

Beat the Heat

There are many affordable ways to beat dry skin, but one is cheaper than them all. In fact, it’s free.

Avoiding heat is inarguably the easiest, simplest, and most cost effective way to save your skin. Excess heat sucks moisture out of the air and your skin.

Try effortless actions like turning down the heat or turning off heaters, avoiding blow dryers and other heat products, and taking cooler showers. All those actions will cost nothing, you’ll stop drying your skin out in the process, and you might even save a little on your bills in the process.