Cold weather, hot weather, getting older and even too many baths can all affect the moisture content in your skin, making it drier and rougher than you'd like. Getting smooth, soft skin isn't difficult, but it does take commitment and regular maintenance to maintain your skin's texture and radiance. Make a habit to care for your skin every day, and keeping your skin soft and smooth will be no problem.
Step 1
Use an exfoliating scrub and a loofah in the shower twice a week to rub away dead skin cells and promote the growth of new, smoother skin. Give extra scrubbing attention to spots that have a tendency to get dry, like your elbows, knees and feet, suggests Virginia Fry, lead aesthetician for The Avon Centre Salon & Spa in New York City, in a "Cosmopolitan" magazine article. Keep your shower temperature warm, because hot water can strip moisture from your skin, making it rough and dry.
Step 2
Slather on moisturizer within two minutes of getting out of the shower to seal in moisture. Look for a lotion that lists water as its first ingredient for maximum moisturizing power.
Step 3
Apply a rich moisturizing cream--look for one that includes shea butter, dimethicone or petroleum jelly as a main ingredient--to areas that are prone to dryness at bedtime. If your feet or hands tend to get dry, slip on socks or gloves after rubbing in your cream to let the moisturizer work more intensively. David Bank, M.D., founder and director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York, tells "Fitness" magazine that your body temperature heats up at night, making moisturizer better able to penetrate your skin.
Step 4
Use a moisturizer on itchy, dry patches instead of scratching, which can aggravate dry skin. If itching is severe, use a hydrocortisone cream on the affected area to soothe the discomfort.
Step 5
Eat healthy fats, like avocado, olive oil, salmon and nuts. Dr. Bank says in "Fitness" magazine that not including enough fat in your diet can dry out your skin.
Step 6
Get a good night's sleep every night you can. According to Dr. Bank, your body heals and repairs dry skin when you're sleeping.
Tips and Warnings
- If your moisturizer doesn't contain sunscreen with at least SPF 15, layer sunscreen under your moisturizer to protect your skin.
Things You'll Need
- Exfoliating scrub or loofah
- Moisturizer
- Hydrocortisone cream (optional)
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