Very dry and sensitive skin: need moisterizer reccomendation

[zoom-zoom]

Another thing to consider is running a big humidifier in your home. We have one that can spit out 6-7 gallons of water/day when it's really cold and our heat is running a lot. It makes such a difference in my skin.

[snapdragen]

Jojoba oil is supposed to be very good; I've never tried it. I have very dry skin too, I use Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture on my arms and legs, Aveeno for sensitive skin on my face. The Badger Balm people make some body butters that work well, although they can feel a bit greasy. I use Badger's Cuticle Balm on my nails and cuticles.

For hands I have a couple of different ones -- Philosophy Handmade ($$$ and it no longer comes in the big jar ) and Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula.

I have mild psoriasis on my elbows, when it acts up I slather on Gold Bond Ultimate Healing.

[badger]

I dug this thread up because in another forum that I go to, there was a thread on washing without soap. Yes, without soap.

I stopped washing my nether regions with soap some time ago. And once upon a time in university, this girl on the next floor up never washed her face with soap, just with water and she had great skin. Unfortunately that experiment went bust after a few days when I started breaking out like there was no tomorrow.

So I'm not completely blown away by the concept of no soap.

I stopped using soap on my legs and arms last week (do we really need soap on our legs and arms? especially in the winter??) I've also stopped using moisturizer on my legs, and guess what? My legs are not flakey like they would if I soaped and didn't moisturize. I still feel the need to soap my armpits, though...

I doubt I'll ever go without shampoo, though. Some people are able to, but I have a feeling I'll be very greasy and miserable.

[shootingstar]

Probably alot less soap needed on legs and arms

Depending where I cycle in shorts season, it interesting that leg skin can have a fine layer of dust, sand when one goes for a few hrs. and rack up mileage on paved roads. Hence, I would need soap to remove the grit properly..

Really do need on soap on face and shampoo in hair even at this point in life. These areas probably have 40% less oil than when I was a teen.

oh well. At least my hair has a natural gleam. I rarely use hair conditioners at my age still. Useless. When I do, it feels heavy and dead.

I do not have the problem of dried out hair yet...and I wash my hair daily. Still. But then my hair has not been chemically treated with any colouring agents nor perm solutions.

[ny biker]

I use soap on the sweaty parts. For my face I use Cetaphil at night and just rinse with water in the morning.

I only use soap on arms and legs if I have to wash off sunscreen, grease, etc. or if I'm washing out a cut.

I still need moisturizer in the winter.

[sarahspins]

I dug this thread up because in another forum that I go to, there was a thread on washing without soap. Yes, without soap.

Honestly, knowing what goes into commercial 'soap' (or rather, that they take out all of the good stuff in it - like glycerin) this doesn't surprise me at all.. I have been making my own soap for 3 years now because I'm allergic to so much stuff, and I can't imagine using anything else at this point... but I do tend to only lather up areas that need it - but more to spare my soap, not my skin

I superfat my soap and I rarely use any kind of lotion.. because I just don't need it.

I've tried the no shampoo thing in the past, due to my severe allergy to SLS's, and it just doesn't work for my hair at all, not to mention my skin was taking one heck of a beating from the vinegar rinse, as much as I tried to keep it off me. I went through trying a lot of different brands of SLS-free shampoos, and finally settled on Jason Pure and Natural as my preferred one... no SLS and no perfumes (many other SLS free shampoos, like Burt's bees and such, are heavily scented, and I also react badly to a lot of EO's, so that's an automatic "no way" for me).

I don't use conditioner though... I hate the way it weighs down my hair.

[badger]

that's great you make your own soap - you know exactly what does into it! I would love to make my own soap as well. I certainly have enough stuff to go into them! (like jojoba, shea, coconut, and cocoa).

I try to use only stuff that you can ingest and not have any ill effects. Especially on your lips - the stuff some of those conventional lip balms have is frightening, and you're eating them!

[GLC1968]

I only use soap on the stinky parts and occasionally on my body if I am particularly dirty (like after cleaning the chicken coop....ICK!). And I have never used soap on my face...ever.

I also went for two years without using shampoo and my hair was gorgeous (if I do say so myself!). I would 'wash' with conditioner. Even now, I wash with conditioner every day and I only use a non-SLS shampoo once a week (except pool swimming is screwing up that schedule). It worked better on long hair - with my short hair, it looks too 'bed-heady' if I don't lather it at least once a week.

And I have absolutely found that natural home-made soaps are WAY gentler. My husband has extremely dry skin and he loves using it! We both love making it too...so fun!

[shootingstar]

I also went for two years without using shampoo and my hair was gorgeous (if I do say so myself!). I would 'wash' with conditioner. Even now, I wash with conditioner every day and I only use a non-SLS shampoo once a week (except pool swimming is screwing up that schedule). It worked better on long hair - with my short hair, it looks too 'bed-heady' if I don't lather it at least once a week.

And I have absolutely found that natural home-made soaps are WAY gentler. My husband has extremely dry skin and he loves using it! We both love making it too...so fun!

Sounds like everyone's hair is different. But that's great it works for you, GLC. And good to hear about natural home-made soaps.

I consider my hair texture/right amount of natural oils now just right state, the state I wished I had when I was a teen (when I had too much natural oil that led to other problems).

[sarahspins]

I would love to make my own soap as well. I certainly have enough stuff to go into them! (like jojoba, shea, coconut, and cocoa).

You should go for it! Cold process soap is really super easy, and it only has to cure for a month before you can use it (and that month flies by if you put your soap somewhere you can't look at it). A 2lb batch of soap will last me about a year... less if I give a lot away I make mine with a relatively simple modified castille (olive oil) recipe, and everything except the lye is available at the supermarket... no exotic stuff required unless you really wanted to use it.

I was afraid to make my own soap at first.. scared of using lye, but it's really safe if you use gloves and eye protection (and have vinegar handy if any does get on your skin - I have yet to have that happen, but am always prepared). It takes about an hour to prep everything and "make" the soap, and it's cut 24 hours later. Then it sits in a box in the closet until my phone calendar tells me it's ready

Lye is becoming increasingly hard to find in stores though.. Apparently it's used at some point in the process of making meth, and many retailers have opted to just plain NOT carry it since there are many alternative drain cleaners available now (ask at Home Depot or Lowes and they'll just look at you funny). The only place I've been able to find it local to me is Tractor Supply. It can be ordered on the internet but it involves faxing things for them to be able to ship it - more of a hassle than I've ever wanted to deal with for as little as I use. I am only on my second 2lb container of Lye in 3 years, and I've only used a tiny bit of that second container.

I try to use only stuff that you can ingest and not have any ill effects. Especially on your lips - the stuff some of those conventional lip balms have is frightening, and you're eating them!

I agree.. when you start looking at ingredients it's a lot of "WTF?!".. scary that many people just don't give it any thought at all.

[OakLeaf]

when you start looking at ingredients it's a lot of "WTF?!".. scary that many people just don't give it any thought at all.

They don't give it any thought because the manufacturers as well as their own doctors repeat over and over that you can't absorb anything through your skin... at the same time they're manufacturing or prescribing medication patches for you.

Dr. Bronner's on the stinky parts, Pangaea and Better Botanicals on the face, Kiss My Face Whenever on the hair, pure shea butter on the hands for me...

[pll]

+1 on humidifiers in the home. I have two running all day long during the winter. And get a humidity gauge, so you get a sense of how low/high the humidity is at your place. Ideally, the humidity would be 40-50%. Getting close to 40% is very tough in the winter. Your skin and nose, and even your plants and furniture will be happier with a humidifier in the house! I have two of this type.

Another thing to consider is running a big humidifier in your home. We have one that can spit out 6-7 gallons of water/day when it's really cold and our heat is running a lot. It makes such a difference in my skin.

[OakLeaf]

And make sure you're drinking plenty of water and getting lots of healthy fats in your diet.