When winter strikes or anytime for that matter, it's time to give our skin extra care to keep it from drying up like a bad prune. I always have so many problems, largely with my hands; My skin gets very sensitive to everything especially when the season changes, so here are a few helpful tips to consider.

HANDS:

1. Use gloves when washing dishes and using chemical cleaners. Even if you're just loading the dishwasher, the less your hands are exposed to a lot of water, the better. Try applying some Lotion right before the gloves go on for some added help. The heat from the water will open up pores allowing the moisture to soak in better.

2. Stay away from Anti-bacterial soap! This is murder to your skin no matter the season, but especially in winter. It strips everything from you skin, good and bad.

3. Moisturize often. The best for your skin would be homemade lotion without any preservatives, fragrances, colorings and chemical ingredients. Choose a lotion that has few ingredients with ones that you can pronounce and recognize-if at all possible.

4. Cover up skin when going outside!

BODY:

1. Exfoliate once a week with a natural homemade recipe.

2. Moisturize after every shower. Again, use a homemade lotion if possible. It's easy to make and really does a good job. Just make sure to really massage it in.

3. When showering, if your skin is in really bad shape use water that is mildly warm. Resist taking a hot shower! Hot water robs your skin of its natural oil, and during the winter especially you want to work hard at keeping oil production stable. This doesn't mean staying away from showering though! =) Just keep the extremes to a minimum.

4. Cover up skin when going outside! Harsh winds, sun and dry air can rob your skin of oils.

FACE:

1. Use a natural face wash, like powdered milk or yogurt. Try to keep face washing to a minimum. Once a day is plenty.

2. Wash with very mild temperature water. This is important for anytime of the year, but especially during really dry seasons.

3. Moisturize once a day. I like using Extra Virgin Olive Oil, believe it or not. It works really nicely and is very nourishing. Also try using 100% Cocoa Butter. This is a wonderful facial moisturizer and completely natural!

4. Use a mask no more than twice a week. There are some great ones for moisturizing.

LIPS:

1. Don't lick them!

2. Hydrate often with a natural product. Chapstick tends to make things worse and make your lips more dependent on needing coverage.

3. I love using Cocoa Butter, again 100%, in the morning after washing my face and at night right before I go to bed. Leaves my lips very silky smooth and soft.

4. I've also used honey dabbed straight onto my lips. Honey has antibacterial properties to help kill germs and also it smooths and softens. Let it really sink into your lips.

FEET:

1. If your feet get dry and need a boost, apply Extra Virgin Olive Oil generously then cover with socks. You can do this anytime and I've found it very successful.

2. Use a foot soak like one found on my website and treat your feet if they're really bad, applying lotion or oil and socks afterward.

HAIR:

1. Try a natural recipe for a hair mask. I have one on my site now and am hunting and trying to find more that work well.

2. A warm oil treatment can be great for dry hair. Take a little olive oil, heat it up (not too hot, you don't want to burn your scalp!), then use your fingers and a comb to work it through your hair. Use a shower cap (you can get 3 at Wal Mart for a couple bucks) and let the oil sit for 30 minutes to a couple hours, you choose. Shampoo and condition as usual.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas using homemade natural skin care for dry skin issues!

For more recipes, tips and information be sure and visit Simply Natural Skin website! Take the hassle out of skin care and enjoy using homemade natural ingredients for all your beauty needs.

http://www.simplynaturalskin.com/

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