You already know the symptoms. Your skin feels tight and rough to the touch, cracked and itchy in some places, and it might even have started to look unsightly. To make things worse, it seems that no matter how much lotion you slather on, your alligator skin just won't go away. Yup, you're dealing with dry skin. If the problem feels persistent, you may even be dealing with another skin condition, like eczema or psoriasis. Dry skin can be a problem any time of year, especially between seasons. Cold and dry weather and indoor heat causes the moisture on your skin to evaporate more quickly and in the warmer months, we tend to be out in the elements more and possibly taking more frequent showers, which can also sap moisture from your skin.
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Yes, everyday activities, like showering, could be the root of your skin woes. Water that's too hot can strip your skin of the protective oils that make it smooth and radiant. So it's important to make sure your water temperature's warm, not scalding hot.
Other everyday causes of dry skin include the foods you eat, using bar soaps that are too harsh, or not drinking enough water. Luckily, you don't need expensive products to treat dry skin. You can start right at home in simple ways such as using a humidifier to add moisture to the air, applying moisturizer right after your bath (not after the hour you spend scrolling through Instagram after your bedtime shower) or by mixing up some homemade natural dry skin remedies, which you can make using ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen cabinets.
Dry skin will never be the next hot beauty trend, so here are some DIY recipes you can use to get your skin back to its dewy, smooth self.
Coconut oil is a miracle ingredient that’s useful for almost everything, including treating dry skin.
Coconut oil is full of saturated fatty acids that can hydrate and smooth the skin. It creates a smooth surface by filling in the spaces between skin cells. Studies have also shown that coconut oil has antimicrobial properties that may be useful in treating acne and eczema. Its lauric acid content helps fight harmful microorganisms living on your skin.
Try oil cleansing.
Did you know you can actually effectively use oil to cleanse your face? It sounds counterintuitive, but massaging certain oils, like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil—or a mixture of all three—loosens up dirt and debris that may be clogging your pores, and provides intensive moisture for your skin. Before wetting your face, gently massage about a half teaspoon of your oil of choice for up to a minute, then use a warm, wet washcloth to wipe the oil away. You may or may not choose to use a separate moisturizer afterwards. See how your skin feels.
This homemade body scrub made with coconut oil also adds the floral scent of lavender.
The base of this scrub is either sugar or salt, whichever you prefer. To make it, mix 1 cup of your base with 1/2 cup of coconut oil. Once that’s fully mixed, you can add in drops of lavender essential oil or you can customize the recipe to add drops of your preferred essential oil.
Get the full recipe at Nature’s Nurture Blog.
Oatmeal makes a great remedy for cracking, dry, itchy skin.
Colloidal oatmeal, not the kind you use in your breakfast, helps hold in the skin’s moisture. Elements found in oatmeal, like zinc, make it ideal for those suffering from skin conditions including eczema and rashes, since it binds to the skin and forms a protective barrier, easing inflammation.
Soak in an oatmeal bath to heal and cleanse your skin of dead skin cells.
To prepare the oatmeal for your bath, you’ll need to grind uncooked whole oats into a fine powder. Add 1 cup of the powder into a running bath of lukewarm water until it fills. Soak in the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes. To up the bath’s exfoliating properties, some like to add other ingredients like milk or honey.
Get the full recipe at WebMD.
If you want to hydrate while fighting aging, add yogurt to your skin care routine.
Yogurt is a rich source of minerals and nutrients, like zinc and calcium, that help it destroy damaged and dead skin cells, fight inflammation, and promote the formation of new cells. By destroying old cells and making way for new ones, yogurt restores smooth and soft skin.
This homemade yogurt moisturizer can be made with kitchen ingredients.
To make the moisturizer, you’ll need to microwave 1 tablespoon of honey for 10 seconds. You’ll then mix 1 cup of yogurt with 2 tablespoons of oatmeal and then add in the honey. Apply the moisturizer to the extra dry parts of your skin, like your elbows, knees, and forehead. Once the mixture dries and hardens, you can rinse it off with warm water.
Get the full recipe at Leaf.
Raw milk is full of nutrients that do wonders for your skin.
You can use milk to exfoliate and nourish your skin by replenishing moisture that has been lost. Milk contains vitamin A, which helps treat dry and flaky skin and helps in the production of new cells. Milk also contains biotin, which helps revitalize cracked skin, and calcium, which promotes skin elasticity.
Take a milk bath.
Taking a milk bath is a luxurious way to impart a healthy dose of extra moisture into your skin. Run a regular bath and toss in one to two cups of regular milk or milk powder, along with any essential oils or even flower petals that you like.
Prepare this moisturizing skin cream by using any milk of your choice.
Options that work include rice, almond, or coconut milk. To make the cream, combine the milk, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax in a double boiler, stirring until the ingredients have completely melted. Once the lotion cools, you can scent it with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Get the full recipe at Livestrong.
Olive oil doesn’t only work its magic when served with food, but it works as a topical treatment, too.
Not only does olive oil treat dry skin, but it’s also full of anti-aging properties. Olive oil fights off free radical damage, giving it antimicrobial properties that make it a great natural remedy for people with eczema. It’s such a safe, natural product that you can even use it to moisturize babies.
Infuse herbs into olive oil to make a miracle dry skin treatment.
To make this skin salve, you’ll first heat olive oil and healing herbs like lavender flowers, parsley, or calendula flowers in a slow cooker. Once the mixture has heated and cooled and after straining the herbs, you’ll heat the oil with beeswax and the content of one vitamin E capsule in a double boiler. Once ready, store the salve and allow it to cool and solidify. The salve is best used on damp skin after showering.
Get the full recipe at Farmer’s Almanac.
You can use the gel from inside an aloe vera plant to treat dry, irritated skin.
Aloe vera is rich in nourishing nutrients that help soothe skin and reduce the effects of skin conditions, like psoriasis or skin that is so dry that it’s become flaked and cracked. The gel also has the ability to kill fungi and bacteria that cause itchy skin, but you should consult with your doctor before using it.
To soothe your dry skin while giving it a healthy glow, try this aloe vera moisturizer.
To make this moisturizer, you’ll only need two products and a spray bottle. First, you’ll take an aloe vera leaf and remove the gel. Remember to wash the gel to remove any aloin, the yellow sap between the gel and the leaf that can lead to irritation. Blend the gel with two to three tablespoons of virgin raw coconut oil and store it in a spray bottle to create a dry-skin treating spritz you can use all day.
Get the full recipe at Little Green Dot.
Roses don’t only make a romantic centerpiece, but they also fight skin dullness.
Not only can roses moisturize and brighten your skin, but they can also protect it from airborne pollutants. Since rose extracts have astringent and antibacterial properties, it’s a great natural remedy for those that suffer from redness. Rose petals carry sugars and oils that can trap moisture in your skin, giving you a smoother look.
This rose toner will exfoliate and soothe your skin, while adding much-needed moisture.
In order to make the toner, you’ll need dried organic rose petals, dried organic calendula flowers, and organic apple cider vinegar. You’ll pour boiling water over the flowers, eventually adding vinegar to the tea that results. You can store this toner in a fridge for up to three months.
Get the full recipe at Prevention.
Apple cider vinegar just may be the skin repair ingredient your body needs.
Vinegar helps to restore the pH balance of your skin, saving you from your dry or flaky skin nightmares. By restoring the pH balance, vinegar rescues your skin from becoming either too oily or dry. Plus, it can also kill bad bacteria and help remove dead skin cells. Just be sure not to use apple cider vinegar in its undiluted form, since that can irritate the skin.
This simple solution will work miracles on your dry skin.
You can literally make this apple cider vinegar treatment in less than two minutes. All you need to do is mix 1 teaspoon of the vinegar with 1 teaspoon of water and apply the solution to your dry patches. For best results, it’s recommended you apply the solution once a week.
Get the full recipe at Be Beautiful.
Use honey to give your skin the hydration it needs.
Honey’s classified as a humectant, which refers to a substance that’s useful in helping the skin stay hydrated. Honey helps restore the skin’s natural pH levels when they’re thrown off. It can also help fight skin conditions, like inflammation and eczema, since it’s antibacterial and can form a protective layer on damaged skin.
If you’re face is dry and rough to the touch, try this brown sugar and honey facial scrub.
This moisturizing facial scrub will also exfoliate your skin, leaving you with a smooth finish. To make it, place the brown sugar and honey in a bowl and mix together. When using the scrub, you’ll want to massage it into your face to get its healing properties going.
Get the full recipe at The Kitchen McCabe.
Avocados aren’t only tasty, but they work magic when applied to the skin.
The natural oils in avocado can restore hydration to dry and flaky skin. They’re also packed with antioxidants and amino acids that can target fine lines and wrinkles. You can simply apply avocado directly to your skin to reap its benefits or, for super hydration, mix it with other humectants, like honey.
Try the moisturizing trifecta of avocado, oats and honey.
For an even easier avocado mask that you probably already have everything on hand for, you can simply combine mashed avocado, a bit of honey and some oats, for a soothing and hydrating skin treatment.
Get the full recipe at The Healthy Maven.
For hydrated skin with a natural glow, try this avocado concoction.
To make the mixture, you’ll need an avocado, a cooked and mashed carrot, honey, a beaten egg and some heavy cream. You’ll mix all these ingredients and then apply it to the dry areas of your skin. You should leave it on for about 15 minutes and then rinse it off.
Get the full recipe at Mom.com.
Kiwis are delicious to eat, but they also contain nutrients that contribute to healthy, radiant skin.
Since kiwis are a rich source of vitamin E, they may help prevent skin from becoming rough and dry. Vitamin E also contributes to smoother skin by reducing the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles. The mix of nutrients in kiwis help the skin fight off free radicals that prevent it from looking its best.
To reap the beauty benefits of kiwis, try this exfoliating kiwi body polish.
All you need is a peeled kiwi, some sugar or salt, and any kind of oil you prefer. Olive or sweet almond oil make good choices. First, you’ll pulse the kiwi, then infuse the oil into the blended mixture and finally, stir in the salt or sugar. You can store the polish in the fridge for up to two days.
Get the full recipe at Crunchy Betty.
Watermelon’s a tasty summer treat, but it can work wonders during the winter, too.
Watermelon is about 90% water, so it’s naturally a very hydrating fruit. Watermelon also contains antioxidants, like lycopene and beta-carotene, that may help prevent skin conditions like psoriasis. The vitamin A in watermelon aids the skin in repairing and creating new cells that contribute to a healthy glow.
If you want to give your body a natural glow, use this watermelon sugar scrub body polish.
This mixture will exfoliate and cleanse your body to make way for new cells that lead to smoother skin. To make the scrub, you’ll mix sugar, lemon juice, watermelon rind zest, and olive oil. Use the scrub to exfoliate during your shower and remember to rinse thoroughly. The scrub lasts for up to a week.
Get the full recipe at Watermelon.org.
Sea salt has the ability to repair and restore your skin to its natural balance.
Sea salt is loaded with minerals, like magnesium, calcium, and potassium that make it a miracle ingredient in restoring skin to good health. Using sea salt can improve your skin’s hydration, while strengthening its protective barrier. Its healing properties is the reason why it’s the base to many body scrubs.
You can personalize the basic recipe for a sea salt scrub to make it your own.
To make a sea salt body scrub, you can just combine sea salt, olive oil or sweet almond oil, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. You can even add healing herbs to the mixture. Some good options include lavender blossoms or calendula flowers.
Get the full recipe at Treehugger.
If you want to wake up some softer skin, try some coffee.
This time you’re not drinking it, but applying it topically. Coffee grounds contribute to smoother skin because they have the ability to naturally exfoliate dead and dry skin cells. It’s especially useful on the rougher, dryer parts of your body, like the elbows and knees. An extra perk is that the antioxidants in coffee may also slow the signs of aging.
This DIY body scrub will give your skin a flawless look.
This full-body scrub’s rough texture will clear away the coarse and dead skin to make way for skin that’s softer to the touch. To make the scrub, you only need four ingredients. All you need to do is mix ground coffee, coconut palm sugar, melted coconut oil, and ground cinnamon to make the solution to all your dry skin problems.
Get the full recipe at Stylecaster.
Because of its natural oils and nutrients, shea butter is the ultimate moisturizer for dry skin.
Shea butter is rich in fatty acids and vitamins that make it ideal for achieving soft skin. The oils in shea butter penetrate deep into the skin and create a barrier that locks in moisture, giving you a moisturized look for several hours, a lot more than other dry skin treatments. Shea butter may also reduce damage to the skin cells by environmental factors, like the sun.
This hydrating body butter works for even those with extreme dry skin.
To make this natural body butter, you’ll need raw shea butter, raw cocoa butter, lavender essential oil, extra virgin coconut oil, calendula, and vitamin E oil. The first step is melting the coconut oil and shea butter in a double boiler. You’ll then whip all the oils into the mixture to make a light and fluffy body butter.
Get the full recipe at Alluring Soul.
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