Dry skin is actually one of the easiest concerns to treat with natural ingredients, since there are so many plants in nature that offer both hydration and moisturization. That’s the magical - yet simple - combination to cure dry skin: hydration and moisturization. We will discuss what particular products are best for solving this issue in a future blog post, but for now, let’s talk about what ingredients we should keep an eye out for to help soothe dry skin.

Before we get into actual ingredients, let’s talk about a few ways to help prevent dry skin in the first place as much as possible.  An important reminder is to never shower in super hot water if you already struggle with dry or itchy skin. While an obvious tip is to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized on the outside, drinking plenty of water every day (between 9-13 cups a day depending on your size) and eating healthy fats that are found in foods like avocados, salmon or nuts will also greatly help keep your skin healthy. It’s true what they say: You are what you eat! A final helpful tip is to moisturize your skin while it is still damp, directly after a shower or washing your face. (This can also be achieved using face and body hydration mists!) Oh, and people with dry skin are the perfect candidates for exfoliation. Sloughing off dead and dry skin cells will definitely help your skin be less tight and itchy and will prime your skin to be extra receptive to the hydration and moisturization you offer it. The cellular turnover effect of exfoliation is extremely helpful when you are looking for a fresh, plump, hydrated complexion.

Full of anthocyanins that contain antioxidants, blueberries are excellent at fighting free radicals that damage your collagen. They also protect your skin from environmental damage that can age and dry it. Blueberries are also anti-inflammatory.

Oats are full of polyphenols called avenanthramides that contain both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When you see oats in the ingredient list you know the focus is improving dry skin. Colloidal Oatmeal specifically has long been known to soothe dry, itchy skin and even help treat skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Accordingly, research shows that lotions containing oatssignificantly improve dry skin.

In addition to being full of antioxidants like blueberries, red raspberry oil also shares their anti-inflammatory traits. This can help soothe skin conditions like eczema, rosacea and psoriasis that are caused by inflammation but often result in extremely dry and itchy skin. Treating the underlying cause of dryness can be the ultimate solution for many people. Red raspberry is also a UV blocker and sun damage not only ages and wrinkles your skin, it also dries it out over time.

Lavender is excellent at reducing inflammation, which means it can help keep eczema and psoriasis (two very common conditions that cause extremely ry, flakey, itchy skin) at bay. It also relieves irritation and redness, which again helps soothe symptoms that can result from dry skin. Lavender is also wonderful at balancing the skin’s moisture barrier so that in treating the dryness, you don’t end up with oily skin, but instead a perfectly balanced and healthy complexion.

Nature really outdid itself with the creation of the uber healing aloe vera plant. This soothing plant full of enzymes, antioxidants and vitamins C and A,  can treat everything from burns to acne so it’s not shocking to discover it is also extremely beneficial for dry skin. Aloe vera can be used on even the most sensitive skin (and when dealing with dryness, most skin becomes sensitive) and will help balance and calm your skin so that you can properly hydrate and moisturize it.

Rose or rose oil is full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals that are wonderful for treating dry skin. Rose water is also a fantastic way to hydrate dry skin. Rose water maintains a pH balance of 5.5, which matches perfectly with our natural pH that ranges between 4-6 and this helps it hydrate our skin very efficiently.

Honey is an incredible humectant, which means that it literally draws water to your skin. Not only will it bring more hydration to your skin, but it will help preserve that level of hydration. The change from dry and itchy to soft and supple is mind blowing when you begin adding honey to your skincare routine. 

Another helpful humectant is glycerin. Again, glycerin will truly pull moisture toward your skin and then helps your skin maintain its moisture barrier, keeping the hydration on your skin. Glycerin can hold several times its weight in water and in hydrating your skin so efficiently it not only makes your skin moist and bouncy, but can help protect it from the elements like pollution and cold, dry air that will damage and dry out your skin further.

The high levels of vitamin E and essential fatty acids (especially oleic acid and linoleic acid) in argan oil make it a superbly effective moisturizing oil for dry skin.

Another way to deeply moisturize your dry skin is with avocado oil. Full of minerals like potassium and vitamins A, D, and E, as well as necessary fatty acids, this oil does a beautiful job of boosting moisture and combating dryness and dullness.

Sunflower oil is very beneficial for the symptom itself of dry skin, as it is a wonderfully moisturizing oil. It shines in that it also can help combat the skin concerns that can often cause dry skin in the first place due to its high concentration of linoleic acid and its anti-inflammatory properties.

This well known oil definitely has its role in moisturizing dry skin, but many dermatologists will caution you against using it solo or using it on your face if you are acne-prone, as it is a comedogenic (pore clogging) oil. (Yes, many people with dry skin also suffer from acne!) When using a product with coconut oil, be extra certain to hydrate skin before moisturizing and if possible, use a different base layer moisturizer prior to the coconut oil. The coconut oil is especially helpful as a top layer that will properly seal in moisture and also protect your skin from the elements.

Sandalwood contains 90 percent santanol which is known for its moisturizing and viscoelasticity properties - perfect for adding moisture to dry, flaky, itchy skin. It is also highly soothing which allows it to calm skin concerns like psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema or just generally irritated skin. A non-physical exfoliator, this oil really treats dry skin from several angles.