Remedies for Dry Winter Skin

I hope you had a lovely few holidays! I went back to my parents for about a week. It was nice to visit, but it sure is wonderful to be back home.

This winter has been especially harsh on my skin. It's very dry here in Puget Sound right now, and my skin is taking the brunt of it. My feet are so dry that they're cracking and peeling. Gosh, it can be painful. This has never happened to me, so naturally, it freaked me out. After trying several products and steps, I think I have found a good solution.

Step 1 - Soak your feet in a nice foot spa that can bubble and keep the heat. Add bath salts to the water for your soak. You can even find foot soak fizzies, which I love.
Step 2 - Use a pumice to smooth your feet and remove the dead skin. Pat dry.
Step 3 - Using a cotton ball or cotton pad, apply olive oil to your feet. Massage in.
Step 4 - Once the olive oil has been soaked up, apply a strong lotion, preferably one for feet as they tend to be thicker.
Step 5 - Put on socks right after you apply the lotion.

I have been doing this a few evenings, and I can tell a difference. Olive oil...who knew?

Summer Dry Skin

For the past couple of weeks, my feet have been itching like crazy. I thought I had somehow gotten athlete's foot. I sprayed Lotrimin twice a day, but nothing changed. Perplexed, I did what many would do in this situation: I googled it. What I never considered came up; it was probably dry feet. So, I started lotioning my feet with great zeal, and turns out that my problem was a case of dry feet.

On Thursday, I visited the Bobbi Brown counter because I needed some corrector. The lady who helped me and gave me a complete makeover told me my face was very dry and that the products weren't working like they should because of it. Huh. I always put on moisturizers twice a day, but I wasn't as consistent these last few weeks. So, needless to say, I'm dry all over. I've been applying lotions and moisturizers more vigilantly than before. In case you're in the same boat, here's what I've been using.

I'll be honest. I have a thing for lotions. That is the main reason I have so many listed here.

My favorite hand lotion is Aveda Hand Relief. It has amazing, deep moisturizing properties. My hands are smooth and hydrated for hours. Plus, it smells like a spa retreat. Not that I've ever been on a spa retreat, but it's how I imagine it would be.

 

 

For my body, I use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. This one is fragrance-free, so it's good for work. It glides on smoothly and gets soaked up pretty quickly. I also use Neutrogena Body Oil after my shower. Just a little amount will do! It has a great fragrance to it and makes the skin feel great. It's perfect after shaving.

Lastly, for my feet, I use Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint. This is only available at Christmas time. I love a mint feeling on my feet, especially in the summer. I don't like peppermint lotion in the winter since it makes me feel cold, so I save it for the summer.

This is my arsenal! I have to stop myself sometimes when I find other lotions and remind myself that I have plenty. What do you use?