Effective Home Remedies for Dry Skin: Relief & Hydration

Of all the skin types, dry skin is easily the most problematic. For instance, if you have dry skin, you can’t be liberal with soaps as they have a drying effect. You have to use a hydrating face wash instead. Dry skin needs constant and regular moisturizing, and is especially problematic in winter when it is prone to flaking, and as though that wasn’t enough, you find it getting flaky and itchy.

So, you wander the aisles, looking for the perfect products that would help your skin. Most skin products that are suited for dry skin are expensive as they come with fortifying oils and added beauty benefits. But, before you fork out all that money for a tiny bottle of moisturizer full of unpronounceable ingredients, consider giving these home remedies a try.
All-natural and inexpensive, these home remedies can work wonders on dry skin.

Causes Of Dry Skin

The main factor for dry skin is, of course, environmental. Your skin tends to be the driest during winters when the humidity levels fall. When the air around you is dry, it soaks up moisture from the outer layer of your skin.

In addition to the weather, the skin care products you use also have a huge impact on your skin. Using harsh soaps, extremely hot water, or highly chlorinated water can strip all the moisture from your skin. Exposure to the sun and pollution play a role as well.

Dry skin is sensitive and very susceptible to damage, which is why it needs special attention and gentle care. A moisturizer is a must, but there are times when it might not suffice. Your skin needs deep conditioning, which is why you should try out these home remedies.

Caution

Some ingredients may trigger an allergic reaction. Make sure that you perform a patch test before using any of these dry skin treatments.

Home Remedies For Dry Skin

1. Jojoba Oil Therapy
2. Olive Oil Massage
3. Sour Cream Face Mask
4. Honey Revitalizing Balm
5. Oatmeal Moisturizing Mask
6. Rejuvenating Avocado And Honey Pack
7. Coconut And Banana Mask
8. Gentle Yogurt Scrub
9. Almond Oil Moisturizer
10. Olive And Castor Oil Moisturiser
11. Egg Mask
12. Chocolate Pack
13. Besan Pack
14. Mango Pack

1. Jojoba Oil Therapy

You Will Need

• 3 cups warm water
• Washcloth
• ½ teaspoon jojoba oil

What You Have To Do

1. Soak the washcloth in warm water and place it over your face. Keep the washcloth on for five to seven minutes, and then remove it.
2. Massage the jojoba oil into your skin using gentle, circular motions. Keep at it for about 10 minutes.
3. Let the oil soak in, and then wipe off the excess oil with the washcloth.

How Often Should You Do This

This should be done once or twice a week.

Why This Works

The structure of jojoba oil closely mirrors that of sebum, your body’s natural oil (1). This makes jojoba oil an excellent moisturizer for every skin type. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe your skin (2).

Caution

The water should not be too hot, else it can scald your skin.

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2. Olive Oil Massage

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 drops of lavender essential oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the lavender and olive oils.
2. Massage the concoction into your skin, and wipe off the excess oil with a washcloth. Alternatively, you may use a small amount of it as a leave-in moisturizer.

How Often Should You Do This

The olive-lavender oil combination can take the place of your regular moisturizer, and can be used daily.

Why This Works

Olive oil has moisturizing properties, which nourish your skin. The presence of polyphenols in olive oil also helps counteract the damage caused by the sun (3), (4).
Historically, lavender oil has been used to treat a multitude of skin conditions. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help with itchiness and irritation caused by dry skin (5).

Caution

Lavender essential oil can cause skin irritation, if it is used undiluted or in large amounts.

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3. Sour Cream Face Mask

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons sour cream
• 3 tablespoons gram flour

What You Have To Do

1. Add the sour cream to the gram flour to make a paste.
2. Cleanse your face and apply the mask. Keep it on for 20 minutes.
3. Rinse with cold water.

How Often Should You Do This

You may use this homemade mask for dry skin on alternate days.

Why This Works

Dryness can cause your skin to turn flaky. The lactic acid in sour cream gently exfoliates the dead skin cells and moisturizes your skin, making it smooth and supple (6).

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4. Honey Revitalizing Balm

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

What You Have To Do

1. Melt the beeswax in a double boiler.
2. Remove from heat and add the olive oil and honey to it. Mix well so that all the ingredients are combined.
3. Pour into a sterilized jar before it solidifies.

How Often Should You Do This

This is an intensely moisturizing balm that can be used daily if your skin needs extra fortification.

Why This Works

Traditionally, honey has always been an important part of skin care. It is a natural humectant, so it keeps your skin moisturized (7). There have been numerous researches conducted on the benefits honey has to offer. One research conclusively proved that honey, when used along with beeswax and olive oil, can help combat dry skin and conditions associated with it (8).

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5. Oatmeal Moisturizing Mask

You Will Need

• 3 tablespoons oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ cup milk

What You Have To Do

1. Warm up the milk in a saucepan.
2. Place the oatmeal in a bowl, and add the milk to it. Wait for a few minutes before adding the honey to the mixture.
3. Apply the face mask. Keep it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

How Often Should You Do This

Use this face mask once or twice a week.

Why This Works

Oatmeal is one of the most effective home remedies for dry skin on face. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help you deal with the symptoms that dry skin causes (9).

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6. Rejuvenating Avocado And Honey Pack

You Will Need

• ½ avocado
• ¼ cup honey

What You Have To Do

1. Mash the avocado and place it in a bowl. Make sure that there are no large lumps present.
2. Add the honey to the avocado and mix till the consistency is smooth.
3. Apply the pack on your face, and keep it on for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water.

How Often Should You Do This

You may use this face pack once or twice a week.

Why This Works

Avocado pulp is rich in natural oils that moisturize your skin. It is also rich in vitamins A and E, which help maintain healthy skin (10).

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7. Coconut And Banana Mask

You Will Need

• ½ ripe banana
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mash the banana using the back of a spoon.
2. Stir in the coconut oil to make a smooth paste.
3. Apply the face mask and keep it on for 20 minutes.
4. Rinse with cold water.

How Often Should You Do This

To ensure that your skin stays hydrated, use this face mask once or even twice a week.

Why This Works

Banana can provide instant relief from dry skin because of its moisturizing properties (11). Due to the high level of fats present in coconut oil, it deep conditions your skin, leaving it smooth and supple (12).

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8. Gentle Yogurt Scrub

You Will Need

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 3 teaspoons honey

What You Have To Do

1. Add the yogurt to the honey, and stir till they are combined.
2. Add the granulated sugar to it.
3. Apply the scrub all over your face, and massage in gentle circular motions for a few minutes.
4. Keep the scrub on for five minutes, and then rinse it with cold water.

How Often Should You Do This

This scrub should be used once a week.

Why This Works

Dry skin is incredibly sensitive. No matter how rough your skin feels, using abrasive scrubs can make your skin worse. The best way to exfoliate is to use a gentle and moisturizing scrub that removes dead cells without damaging your skin. Yogurt contains lactic acid that exfoliates your skin and treats dryness (13). The sugar removes any flakiness, while the honey hydrates your skin.

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9. Almond Oil Moisturizer

You Will Need

• 20 ml sweet almond oil
• 2 to 3 drops geranium essential oil

What You Have To Do

1. Transfer the almond oil into a sterilized glass bottle.
2. Add the geranium essential oil and shake the bottle to combine.
3. Use this mixture in place of your moisturizer.

How Often Should You Do This

To reap the benefits of almond oil and geranium, use this moisturizer as a part of your CTM routine.

Why This Works

Almond oil has been used for centuries to treat dry skin (14). It is moisturizing, and it makes your skin smooth and supple. Germanium oil is an antiseptic and an anti-inflammatory agent due to which it is often used in skin care (15). It can also treat conditions such as eczema.

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10. Olive and Castor Oil Moisturizer

You Will Need

• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon castor oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the olive oil and the castor oil and warm the mixture.
2. Apply the mixture to your face.
3. Take a warm wash cloth and place it over your face and leave it till the oil is soaked in by the skin.

How Often Should You Do It

You can do this daily.

Why It Works

Oil has cleansing properties that make it extremely beneficial to dry skin. Applying castor oil to dry skin repairs the damage caused to it in winter. Castor oil penetrates the skin up to three layers more than any other oil (16).

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11. Egg Pack

You Will Need

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 teaspoon castor oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon rosewater

What You Have To Do

1. Take an egg and separate the egg yolk.
2. Mix the yolk with all the other ingredients.
3. Apply this mixture every morning before taking a bath.
4. Leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse it off.

How Often Should You Do This

Apply the egg mask every morning before taking a bath for the best results.

Why This Works

Eggs are an excellent source of protein which makes them a necessary addition to your skin care regime (17). Orange juice, due to the presence of Vitamin C, helps in getting rid of blemishes (18). Honey, olive oil, and castor oil are known for their moisturizing properties, which will help you getting rid of your dry, flaky skin and get a soft, supple skin.

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12. Chocolate Pack

You Will Need

5 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons maize flour
2 tablespoons mashed avocado

What You Have To do

1. Mix the aforesaid ingredients thoroughly to make a smooth paste.
2. Apply this pack onto your dry skin.
3. Leave it on for half an hour.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water.

How Often Should You Do This

Repeat this process daily before your bath for best results.

Why It Works

Chocolate, apart from being one of the most sought after confectioneries, also has many benefits for the skin. Lathering molten chocolate onto dry skin makes the skin soft and glowing.

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13. Besan Pack

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons besan/gram flour
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice

What You Have To Do

1. Mix all the ingredients till they form a smooth paste.
2. Apply this pack onto your dry skin and leave it on till it dries.
3. Rinse off with warm water.

How Often Should You Do This

Include this besan pack in your daily skin care regime for best results.

Why This Works

Besan hydrates dry skin due to the presence of a humectant which prevents water loss from skin(19). Lime fights blemishes due to the presence of vitamin C in it. Milk and honey also have nourishing properties, which is why this pack is very effective way for getting hydrated and soft skin(20).

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14. Mango Mask

You Will Need

• 1 ripe mango
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 teaspoons olive oil

What You Need To Do

1. Take the ripe mango and separate the pulp from the skin.
2. Put the pulp in a mixer to turn it into a mush.
3. Mix a tablespoon of this mush with the honey.
4. Add olive oil to this mixture and mix well till you get a smooth paste.
5. Apply this mask to your face.
6. Leave it on for an hour and then rinse off.

How Often Should You Do This

Apply this mask onto your dry skin three to four times a week for a moisturized and glowing skin.

Why This Works

Mango is a rich source of vitamin A that hydrates and moisturizes dry skin. It also heals dry, flaking skin and rejuvenates dull skin(21). Honey is known for its nourishing properties and olive oil has great moisturizing benefits on dry skin, thus making this mask ideal for those with dry, flaky skin.

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Now that you know how to treat dry skin, what are you waiting for? Dry skin needs extra TLC, so don’t forget to moisturize and protect your skin. Share your experience, or any tips and remedies that worked for you in the comments section below.