Quenching Your Skin’s Thirst...

It happens every year…as soon as the frigid air creeps in, our skin becomes dry and scaly. YIKES that’s not a sexy look for anyone! You may think your parched skin is caused by the cold itself, but in reality it’s because of the air’s dryness. Once the moisture is zapped out of your skin, the natural protective layer of dead cells begins to break down thus making your skin prone to irritation, flaking, and redness. Oy ve. Like we don’t have enough problems freezing our butts off as we walk to the subway or our cars?!

Just because our skin is dry doesn’t mean we can spend all winter hibernating like bears. Besides, staying indoors isn’t a solution to the dryness -- it’s a cause. Heated air piped into our homes just causes more dryness. Although there are plenty of over-the-counter lotions and potions that claim to battle winter’s dry skin, they often only provide temporary relief. Who wants temporary relief?! I want the problem solved! I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to be cuddled up with a date & have dry flaky skin. That’s totally NOT sexy…

It looks like I’ve been left with no choice but to research home-remedies that are known to be rehydrating. Get ready to write these tips & ingredients down!

• Honey is an excellent moisturizer. Mix honey with lemon juice and apply it for ten minutes before thoroughly washing off. Remember - we’re not trying to attract bugs here!
• Plain yogurt (NOT the one with fruit on the bottom) mixed with tomato juice is also a wonderful remedy for toning and moisturizing.
• It can’t be said enough…Drinking plenty of water and natural juices will help you to retain moisture.
• Mix extra virgin olive oil (unprocessed oil) with honey and massage it into your skin for a few minutes before washing off with warm and cold water alternatively.
• Mash a ripe banana with oatmeal and honey then apply it to the face and neck for 10 minutes before washing off.
• Avoid regular consumption of alcohol and tobacco and excessive drinking of coffee and tea
• Mix egg yolk, rose water (you can buy bottles in health food stores, herb stores or even delicatessens), lime juice, olive oil and orange juice (1 tea spoon each) thoroughly. Apply the smooth mixture on your face in morning and wash it off after 20 minutes.
• Mix honey, egg yolk, olive oil and rose water and apply as a mask, then wash off.
• Do as your mother says…eat plenty of fruits, proteins, and greens. Eating a diet rich in Vitamin A, B, and E is essential for keeping your skin looking great. o Examples of foods with Vitamin A: sweet potatoes, carrots, mangos, cantaloupe, spinach, egg yolks, and milk
  o Examples of foods with Vitamin B: bananas, turkey, tuna, lentils and tempeh
  o Examples of foods with Vitamin E: whole grains such as wheat and oats, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, wheat germ, and sardines

As you can see there are numerous natural home-remedies to treat dry skin with. I realize that pocket stings are tight these days and people are trying to budget. So rather than going out to buy all of these ingredients yourself, call up your girlfriends and plan a special “pampering pot luck” night in! Pick a few “remedy recipes” to try and ask each guest to bring an ingredient. This way everyone contributes and still gets pampered!

Also, don’t forget to bake up some tasty sweets to munch on while you’re whipping up these beautifying concoctions. Stay tuned for my next sweet treat...it’s an edible surprise! Yummy.