HALP

[aesc]

It's that time of year again, when the cold, dry air vacuums every last drop of moisture out of my skin. Seriously, I have been through most drug-store lotions, a lot of Bath & Body Works, and post-shower body oil, and nothing has worked. My sides, my shoulders, the backs of my calves, and bizarrely, the front of my thighs, itch, burn, and sting and it sucks.

Those of you with dessicated skin: what do you use? I was thinking of springing for some LUSH body lotion, but I'd rather not wait a week for relief.

(My local skin care resources are: drug stores [but pretty much everything I've found there hasn't worked well, or smells terrible], Bath & Body Works, Body Shop, Sephora, and Ulta. Of course there is also the Interwebs, but... instant gratification.)



Brendan's chafing too. No one's happy!

Comments

[chickyoops.livejournal.com]

Well, it won't exactly be instant gratification, but I can send you some stuff that work wonders for me. It's a Danish brand and it's LUSH, but also CHEAP-ish. Plus it's allergy/etc friendly. :D

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly! If all else fails, I will appeal to you! :)

[rilestar.livejournal.com]

I'd recommend some Aloe Vera gel or cream - you might need to carry a tube with you and reapply during the day. Also, I'd recommend making sure that whatever you're washing yourself with in the shower specifies that it's soap-free, as soap will dry out your skin further. :-( poor aesc

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I've discovered that the best part about having an office is that I can go in there and moisturize my legs when I need to... And in winter, I need to a lot, omg.

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

If you are using only products based on mineral oils, then it's normal that it keeps chaffing, as mineral oils don't penetrate, they protect.

Vegetable oils will penetrate and hydrate the skin in a much better way.

So at night, vegetable oil to hydrate the skin and in the morning mineral oil to protect the skin (from the cold/pollution/whatever else).
For the vegetable oils, don't hesitate to spend 5 more minutes massaging it into your skin and don't be afraid to put a tiny bit too much :).

I've got hands smooth like a baby's butt ;) .

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thank you so much! I will be sure to pay much more attention to the ingredients list :)

[less-star.livejournal.com]

NIVEA, but maybe that's not available in the US? I have monstrously dry skin if I don't moisturize everyday. I only wish I looked as pretty when chafing and miserable.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

It is! I don't think I've tried that one yet... will check it out!

*siiiiigh* I only wish I looked as pretty under any circumstances *g*

[let-fate-decide.livejournal.com]

OT, but I get happy whenever I see that icon you're using. ♥ oh, John.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmph, he looks rather well moisturized there :>

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

*points up* What lysambre said. I use straight olive oil and coconut oil to moisturize in our horribly dry climate, and they work much better than any commercial lotion I've tried.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I do like the way my hands feel after I rub olive oil on a cooking stone, I must say :D

[wojelah.livejournal.com]

I actually really love the body cream from Bath and Body Works (specifically, this)

It's relatively inexpensive and it makes my hands feel MUCH better.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the suggestion!! Apparently there is a whole galaxy of moisturizers heretofore unknown to me :D

[herophelia.livejournal.com]

i actually use a body cream that my company makes and i haven't had rough or dry skin since the first time i used it. that may not sound difficult in california, but remember that i travel. going from warm and sunny to dry as a bone after a five hour plane ride is not a nice thing to do to your skin. it's actually a body soufle. it's amazing. and one pot lasts such an incredibly long time. if your face is prone to drying out there's also a waterless vitamin c that is like putting liquid silk on your face, seriously. i don't know what i did before i had it. **coughcough** sorry. got carried away. anywho, if you can't find what you want instant gratification wise, let me know. i can send you some samples.

living for inspiration,
Ophelia

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, I may take you up on that :D Will let you know, if all else fails!

[anatsuno.livejournal.com]

I like Lush's massage bars... But they not all I use, either.
I second the vegetal oil vs mineral - most cheap moisturizing products are fulla mineral oild which won't do you any good in the circumstance. Also, don't forget that hydrating is done from within, too: up your liquid intake, drink more water/herbal teas and juice (remember that tea and coffee don't really count as liquid intake because of the diuretic effect)...

[aesc.livejournal.com]

(remember that tea and coffee don't really count as liquid intake because of the diuretic effect)

Heh, I remembered this and started scaling back :D :D I hope things will improve the month I'm on break, because I usually go off the coffee then, or only drink one cup a day. Instead of, you know, taking it intravenously.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Plain old Neutrogena. Amazing stuff.

[elanor-me.livejournal.com]

I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Comfort Cream. It works fantastically because it absorbs right away (read: instant relief). Then I like to use a mineral oil type stuff to protect and keep the moisture in. I live in Calgary which is possibly one of the driest places EVER, so finding a good moisturizer is crucial to survival up here.

[oriolegirl]

My dermatologist recommended Moisturel cream and I think it's fabulous; my arms and legs have never been so soft. I haven't found the jars in an actual store, but they sell it on drugstore.com.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I have it bookmarked now in case nothing here works out ♥

[caersmane.livejournal.com]

Depending on whether it bothers you or not, I used to use an oil/lotion made from ostrich fat. I know, it sounds a bit odd, maybe gross, but where I lived in WA a company tried to use all aspects of the ostriches they farmed. My daughter has very bad ecsema (mine is not quite as bad as hers) and during the winter this was the only thing that worked for her. I don't have a link for ordering, but you could find it online. Several companies make it.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Heh, that actually reminded me of a relation (uncle's cousin, whatever that is) who raised emus some years ago. She sold them for meat, but also made lotion from the fat, and I got some of it. I never really cared for the smell, but I do recall that it was rather effective :D

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

Oy, nasty. Hope you find something! I'm afraid I have no helpful suggestions - my skin is way over the other side into greasy.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I would borrow some of your grease, but... ick :D

Dry Skin

[jx-walker.livejournal.com]

What works for me is "Neutrogena Hand Cream". I have dry legs and this always works. Maybe you and John can help each other applying the lotion.

Re: Dry Skin

[aesc.livejournal.com]

*invites John over!*

[zap99nad.livejournal.com]

zomg..you're describing my body *scratches*

I use (by Vaseline) the 'intensive rescue extra strength hypoallergenic lotion'....I practically have to marinate in it from November to March...fun times. But, it works...

[blackchaps.livejournal.com]

A doctor I know recommends Gold Bond, and says anything with fragrance can make the itchies worse.

[chopchica.livejournal.com]

Straight-up cocoa or shea butter with nothing added should work wonders.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm, cocoa butter I remember from my days o' sunburn when I lived in Florida.

*pets your black puppy!*

[bitter-crimson.livejournal.com]

I use Cetaphil moisturizing skin cream.

Mostly for my face, which gets super-dried-out due to my meds, but also sometimes for my hands and other body parts, when they dry out.

But I haven't really tried a lot of different things, so I can't compare to anything else.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I use Cetaphil for my face too! It doesn't seem to clog things up.

*wonders if brains have moisturizing properties*

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

My husband has super dry skin that makes him miserable, too, but I found Alba Botanica's very emollient body lotion (http://albabotanica.com/?id=66) and it really works for him. I get it at Whole Foods -- do you have one there? Not only does it help his skin, it's made locally (to us), is hypoallergenic, and is 100% vegetarian ingredients. (I use a lot of Alba's products -- my poor lips get so dry but their lip balm (http://albabotanica.com/?id=304&pid=185) is a miracle worker.)

Good luck!

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Oh, hey, we do! I completely forgot about Harmony Market, our tiny whole foods store. It's not a big place, but they do have a good selection of bath/body stuff.

[beeej.livejournal.com]

Winter skin sucks. I usually trade in the lotions for heavier creams in the winter. Body butters and things that come in big tubs. I've found that if you leave your skin slightly damp from the shower when you rub in body cream, it helps hold the moisture in better. Oh, and also check what kind of cleanser you're showering with. A creamy liquid cleanser like Olay Ribbons Cream Oil with one of those shower poufs makes your skin soft and smooth to begin with. :)

[ariadne83]

Almond oil-based creams work well. I have a hand cream from The Body Shop that I swear by.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Gah, dry winter skin is the worst! Aside from lotions, I've found using a humidifier helps a lot. And to use a very gentle soap, or none at all when you bathe.

Also, I love lotions and creams that contain lanolin. It feels good without being all greasy.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I seriously hate winter skin! It used to be that I never got it, because I lived in Florida where there is no winter... But it seems like every year I've been up north the winter skin has got worse and worse. We're not even into December and already I'm prickly and itchy and unhappy.

But Joe... Oh, scruffy and headscratchy!Joe.... a;sdkjdflkjdf

[slvrbld747.livejournal.com]

Collagen Elastin Moisturizer by St. Ives, Swiss Formula.

Collagen is one of the few things that is absorbed into the deeper layer of the skin, and is in fact one of the building blocks of healthy skin. A lot of the expensive stuff has collagen in it, and make a big deal of it. This is relatively inexpensive and has the good ingredients in it. Collagen is near the top of the ingredients list. Good luck. -SB

P.S. Have you considered running an evaporator? It will put extra moisture into the air, and will help your room stay warmer.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly! I've thought about getting a humidifier, if I can find one cheap enough... and a place to put it :D My room is rather crowded!

[windysame.livejournal.com]

I have desperately dry skin and it cracks so badly it bleeds. My doctor ( older man whose wife evidently has dry skin) recommended something sold at Target in the US. I don't know who would carry something like this anywhere else. Oh, yes, the product is called Vaseline intensive rescue moisture locking lotion (hypoallergenic moisturizer). It's wonderful, and it MIGHT just help. It has done wonders for me.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh man, yes yes. My fingers do that. The rest of my body cracks and scales, but my cuticles rapidly start looking like I poke my fingers into moving machine parts.

[rissabby.livejournal.com]

Eucerin. No contest. Also, no fragrance for the allergy prone.

I've been seeing dermatologists for decades. Eucerin is the best, and the oldest of all the moisturizers I have used. And, it's readily available -- probably at your neighborhood Safeway.

It's a thick, white, simple cream. It's so thick it's difficult to apply to shower damp skin. You have to be dry before you put it on. There are also Eucerin lotions, but for Really Dry skin use the cream.

BTW If you like to take baths, try to find Domol bath oil. It's an oil that somehow disperses in water.

[anatsuno.livejournal.com]

That's the thing I was trying to remember! Domol oil. A girlfriend of mine in high school used to have that. She used it in the shower too, actually: she'd wash and scrub, then rinse her body, then pour some in her cupped hands and slather herself with it mixed in with some shower water. Once out of the shower she only patted herself dry - she had scaly extra-dry skin in the winter and this worked well! I was so annoyed that I could not remember the name yesterday... Thank you so much, ha. :)

[unflexible.livejournal.com]

Surfing in randomly. Mustela "Stelatopia" Moisturizing Cream. It's for infants, so you can get it at Babies R Us and other places they carry infant stuff. Seriously amazing. I bought it for my little dude who has excema and it is so very awesome we all started using it. (This was my last stop before calling the pediatrician -- my guy was scratching himself raw.)

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! A lot of the time it seems like the baby stuff works just as well for us adults :D