Dry skin, chapped lips? skinny dip in Vitamin E

Not since I studied Sirocco winds in Geography back in the day, have I had to battle dry weather conditions so doggedly.  The scaly skin, ashy elbows, chapped lips, cracked heels are the evidence of the battle wounds.  These are the south pole folks, who are skin-moisture challenged.

And then there are the folks who never owned a bottle of lotion and are doing just fine in these moisture- starved conditions.  These are the folks who don't need invitation to perspire.  They will break into a sweat at the slightest hint of nervousness.  Their skin often glisten with naturally produced body oils. These are the folks who you want to run for the hills when they take their socks off.  The North pole folks.

Between these two extreme poles you find everybody else with varying degrees of skin moisture issues.  I like that I don't sweat a lot.  But that is about all for the pros of dry skin.  The list of the cons is endless.
Dry itchy scalp aka dandruff, the  reason Head and Shoulders shampoo is doing so well. Eczema bringing an assault on beauty, one skin breakout at a time. And of course can't forget the occasional nose bleeds.

Over the years I have amassed an arsenal of remedies to maximize skin moisture retention and minimize exposure to the harsh elements.

The easy one is keeping hydrated. Don't shower with hot water as it strips the skin of moisture, luke warm is better.  And moisturizing body soaps is a must. Paddling the heels once a week is a good tactic as well.  I like the Organic Soft Lips for my chapped lips.  The latest addition to the arsenal is Baby oil on recommendation from a good friend of mine, and though it feels slippery initially, you do get used to it.  I also like the Shea butter from the Body Shop.

Some other very effective solutions that people can consider to help manage the dry conditions include the following:

• A humidifier in the home
• Eating foods rich in vitamins A, D and E.  Fish oil supplements are good to nourish the skin from the inside out
• Glycerin oil for hands and feet 
• Vitamin E oil for nails and cuticles
• Exfoliation to remove dead skin

Oh and the best remedy of all issues dry skin related will be to live on an ocean front property.  Sipping coconut milk and wondering if coastal residents think xeroderma is real!

May your heels be soft always.....