10 Tips for Dealing with Eczema and Dry Skin

Not only can dry skin make you hide your hands in your coat pockets, but it can also become raw and extremely painful. Even worse is when your child is dealing with eczema or dry skin – it’s so hard to see them hurting.

Thankfully, there are ways to help beat dry skin so that your skin can be radiant and pain-free.

This post may contain affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, I may make a commission. Thank you for your support.

1. Drink More Water

Hands down, the easiest thing you can do is drink more water. You will be amazed at how much better your skin looks when you drink enough water.

The amount of water each person should drink each day differs. One method you can use to determine your needs is to divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces per day.

For example, if you weigh 130 pounds, you need to drink 65 ounces per day. Don’t forget the little ones need to drink water too – one way I get my girls to drink more water is by adding a squirt of a slice of lemon!

2. Eat a Healthy Diet

It can be hard to eat healthy in the winter. After all, a big bowl of macaroni and cheese or some other comfort food is far more appealing than a salad.

However, a diet that contains healthy fat can improve the moisture levels of your skin. Snack on almonds, dress your salad with olive oil, and eat other heart healthy fats in place of saturated fats.

3. Avoid Hot Showers and Baths

A hot shower can be so soothing. Unfortunately, it can also dry out your skin. Instead of cranking the water as hot as you can stand it, opt for a warm shower or bath. This is much easier on your skin and won’t rob it of moisture.

Contrary to what I used to believe, baths aren’t a bad choice for adults and kids dealing with eczema or dry skin. At a recent Dermatologist visit for my daughter, the doctor actually said baths were a good choice.

The important thing after a bath, he said, was to make sure and nourish the skin with lotion to hold in the moisture that the bath helped give the skin.

4. Moisturize

A good moisturizer is essential for both your face and skin. We were recently sent a variety of products from Happy Little Bodies to review on my girls, since they both suffer from dry skin, especially in the winter.

My favorite time to use the Happy Little Bodies Eczema Moisturizing Lotion is at night, right after their bath as Sophia’s Dermatologist recommended. It’s a bit of personal one-on-one time with both girls too, which seems to be harder to get now that they’re getting bigger and constantly doing something.

5. Determine if you’re Dealing with Eczema Flare-Ups or Dry Skin

It’s important to realize what you or your child is really suffering from – are you dealing with eczema or dry skin? I would recommend a Dermatologist visit to be sure, especially with children.

Sophia often has eczema flare-ups that occur on the inside of her elbows and knees, which cause a lot of itchiness, pain, and sometimes even bleeding if we don’t remedy it soon enough.

I’ve found that by using the Happy Little Bodies Eczema Relief Cream over the past couple of weeks our flare-ups have been less intense and often.

6. Use the Right Lotion

A common mistake is to assume that all lotion is the same. It’s not. In fact, some lotion could make your skin drier.

Avoid lotion that has an alcohol base. You want to also avoid thin, runny lotions and get lotion that is thick and rich, preferably made with Shea or cocoa butter.

Colloidal Oatmeal is also a great ingredient to look for in a lotion, especially when you’re dealing with eczema, and is the active ingredient in Natralia’s Happy Little Bodies lotion.

7. Use a Non-Irritating Body Wash

Each step of your winter body care routine should consist of products made with moisture in mind. This includes body wash. Luckily, Natralia has us covered in the Body Wash & Shampoo department too.

I have to be very careful about the types of body washes I use on both girls as I can tell after just a couple uses if the product is going to dry out their skin and cause rashes.

What isn’t in your body wash and lotions is just as important as what is in them. Natralia’s Happy Little Bodies are safe for daily use as they are soap-free [body wash], contain no steroids, paraffin, no parabens, artificial colors or fragrances.

8. Use a Moisturizing Hand Soap

Washing your hands can be so painful in the winter. Also, you may find that your hand soap is drying your hands out even more. You want to look for a good moisturizing hand soap that will leave your hands feeling smooth and moist.

First and foremost you should read the product labels carefully and find ones that contain ingredients such as honey, goat milk,  patchouli, etc, which can give your hands a soft, smooth and clean appearance.  Among the above mentioned products, goat milk has unique properties that can minimize the risk of inflammation and irritation. Both of these are essential components in relieving painful eczema flare-ups and avoiding new ones for eczema sufferers. That is why it is best to substitute standard soaps with goat milk soap for eczema and enjoy the benefits of its skin-loving ingredients on your hands.

Also remember to wash your hands in warm, not hot, water.

9. Rub Skin with Coconut Oil

If you have dry, chapped skin you can also use coconut oil as a moisturizer in a pinch. Often times when I’m in the kitchen cooking, I realize my hands are dry after washing them so often. I just get out a small spoonful of coconut oil and moisturize my hands right there!

This will immediately help sooth the skin. You can also infuse the coconut oil with lavender essential oil for a soothing scent.

10. Run a Humidifier

Last, but certainly not least, help protect your skin while you sleep by running a humidifier in your bedroom. Not only will this help keep your skin moist, but you’ll also find that you have less trouble with congestion and dry nasal passages.

Although dealing with eczema is a year-long struggle for some, winter can bring on more flare-ups. You don’t have to suffer from dry skin. You just have to be more conscious about the products you use and how you care for your skin.

These tips are easy, affordable, and sometimes as soothing to your mind as they are to your body.