9 Ways to Get Rid of Dry Skin

Dry skin happens when your skin doesn’t hold enough moisture. This can be due to frequent bathing, harsh soaps, aging, or certain medical conditions. In colder climates, it can also be caused by cold, dry winter air.

During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, you might experience red, rough, raw, and itchy skin because of low humidity both outside and inside. The outer layer of your skin reflects the humidity around it. Luckily, there are many simple and inexpensive ways to relieve winter dry skin, also known as winter itch.

Even if you live in a warm place, most people will deal with dry skin at some point. These tips can help keep your skin soft and healthy, whether you’re in chilly New England or sunny Hawaii.

Keeping Moisture in the Skin

Moisturizers are the first step in fighting dry skin. They rehydrate the top layer of skin cells and lock in moisture. There are three main types of ingredients in moisturizers:

1. Humectants: Attract moisture (e.g., ceramides, glycerin, sorbitol, hyaluronic acid, lecithin).

2. Occlusives: Seal in moisture (e.g., petrolatum, silicone, lanolin, mineral oil).

3. Emollients: Smooth skin by filling in spaces between cells (e.g., linoleic, linolenic, lauric acids)

Moisturizer Effectiveness: Generally, thicker and greasier moisturizers work better. Some of the best and cheapest options are petroleum jelly and moisturizing oils like mineral oil. Since they don’t contain water, it’s best to apply them to damp skin after bathing to lock in moisture. Other moisturizers have both water and oil in different amounts. These are less greasy and might look better on your skin than petroleum jelly or oils.

Tips for dry skin:

1. Use a humidifier in winter: Set it to around 60% to keep your skin’s top layer hydrated.

2. Limit baths or showers: Stick to one 5-10 minute bath or shower a day. More than that can strip your skin’s natural oils. Use lukewarm water instead of hot.

3. Choose gentle soaps: Use moisturizing soaps like Dove, Olay, and Basis, or soap-free cleansers like Cetaphil, Oilatum-AD, and Aquanil. Avoid deodorant soaps, perfumed soaps, and alcohol products.

4. Be gentle with your skin. Avoid bath sponges, scrub brushes, and washcloths. If you use them, be gentle. Pat or blot your skin dry instead of rubbing.

5. Moisturize right after bathing: This helps seal in moisture while your skin is still damp.

6. Reduce greasiness: Rub a small amount of petroleum jelly or thick cream into your hands before applying it to your skin to avoid a greasy feel.

7. Don’t scratch: Moisturizers can usually control itching. Use a cold pack or compress for itchy spots.

8. Use fragrance-free laundry detergents; avoid fabric softeners.

9. Avoid irritating fabrics: Don’t wear wool and other irritating clothes next to your skin.