You cringe every time you hear that three letter word, the word that reminds you what Old Man Winter gave you for the holidays. That word is "dry" and your skin is suffering from it. Dry makes you itch. Dry is causing painful cracking. All you long for is hydrated skin that is soft and supple. Find a lotion with the right hydrating ingredients and you can banish that awful word and step into moisture.
Shea is What You Need
Shea is a wonderful fatty acid from nature that has many healing properties. It comes from the nut of the Karite tree, a tree indigenous to Africa. Shea is used as an oil and a butter. Shea is used for many things due to all of its beneficial fatty acids, vitamins and anti-inflammatory qualities, according to the American Shea Butter Institute. Shea is intensely hydrating and is said to help with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Shea helps soften calluses and relieves severely dry skin. The vitamins A and E in shea helps repair skin damaged from dryness.
Get a Dose of A and C
Pro-vitamins are essential to skin staying hydrated and retaining moisture. Pro-vitamins are also known as retinals. Vitamin A (also in shea butter) is a pro-vitamin. Skin lacking vitamin A tends to be dry. Carotenes are also part of the pro-vitamin family. Carotenes help repair damage and help stimulate new cell growth. Vitamin C, another pro-vitamin, helps heal skin and is thought to stimulate collagen.
You Need a Deep Conditioner for Your Skin
Jergens Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion delivers ultimate hydration. This lotion was a favorite of "Allure" editors. The main ingredient is -- you guessed it -- shea butter. The shea nourishes skin. Its natural doses of vitamins A and C help repair skin and protect it from free radicals. They also stimulate new skin growth. The formula helps skin retain moisture. This is a very rich and intense lotion with a lightweight feel.
Keep Your Skin Hydrated Day and Night
If you are suffering from dry skin, there are a few things that you can do to restore moisture. First, use a hydrating lotion every day. If you are looking to kick start your moisture, use it day and night. Another simple thing that you can do to keep skin hydrated is to increase your water intake. Your skin needs water to work at its best. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. If you are active and exercise a lot, you will need to increase your water intake to more than eight glasses.