Soothing Dry Skin: 13 Tips For Smooth, Soft Skin

Most of the time, dry skin isn’t a reason to seek out medical attention. That doesn’t mean it’s without its own set of disturbances to your daily life.

If smooth, soft skin is something you’ve been craving, you’ve come to the right place! From babies to adults, Babo Botanicals has you covered when it comes to achieving hydrated and healthy skin.

Dry Skin Symptoms

Luckily, dry skin is often temporary, showing up mainly during the winter months. For some, it’s a lifelong condition.

The symptoms you might experience with dry skin will vary depending on your age, health, where you live, and how much time you spend indoors and outdoors. Here are some signs to watch for:

• Tightness
• Itching
• Roughness
• Flaking or peeling
• Scaly appearance
• Cracking (may even lead to bleeding)
• Ashiness
• Redness

If you suffer from any of these dry skin symptoms, read on to discover our expert tips for baby-soft skin!

Dry Skin Causes

Now that you know the results of dry skin, you’re probably wondering what exactly causes all of these symptoms.

We mentioned some above, but other factors can play a role, too, like washing your hands frequently. The water — especially if it’s hot! — and soap can dry out your skin.

Other potential causes of dry skin include:

• Extreme weather, such as really cold or really hot climates
• Low humidity
• Chemicals in some soaps, detergents, shampoos, or lotions
• Skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis

Expert Tips For Baby-Soft Skin

1) Avoid Hot Water

Whether you’re washing your hands or taking a shower, use warm water instead of hot water. If you’re washing your hands several times a day with too-hot water, it can seriously damage them.

This also applies when you’re taking a bath. If you prefer using hot water while relaxing in the tub at the end of a stressful day — and who doesn’t? — try not to soak longer than 10 or 15 minutes.

2) Choose Gentle Products

 

Depending on what types of products you’re using, the chemicals in them can strip the natural oils from your skin, leaving it susceptible to dryness. From your head to your toes, choose gentle products made with natural ingredients.

That’s just what we offer here at Babo Botanicals! From babies to adults, we’ve got you covered with a complete line of shampoos, conditioners, ointments, and lotions for dry skin.

Using products free of harsh chemicals will help you on your journey to what you desire: smooth and soft skin!

Gentle Products For Babies

Since babies require a little extra TLC, we formulated our baby products to target and care for their delicate skin. Give your baby the best skin care with Babo Botanicals!

Skin

To treat and care for your baby’s skin regularly, try our Moisturizing Baby Lotion. It contains the gentlest blend of nourishing botanicals and is formulated with 2% NON GMO Colloidal Oatmeal to soothe, protect, and comfort your little one’s skin.

If your baby suffers from dry, sensitive, irritated, or eczema-prone skin, try our Sensitive Baby Daily Hydra Baby Lotion - Fragrance Free. Its lightweight formula is gentle, soft, and non-greasy.

We’ve made your baby’s specific skincare needs a priority, which is why this lotion is made without high allergy nuts to help minimize the risk of allergic reactions and enriched with our Organic Nutri-Soothe Complex!

If your baby struggles with eczema or dry skin, make either one of these products your go-to for moisturizing!

Hair

Unfortunately, babies can sometimes develop cradle cap or dry patches on their scalp as well as their skin. It doesn’t hurt or harm your baby, but it can be uncomfortable and still needs to be treated.

Babo Botanicals’s Moisturizing Baby Shampoo & Wash helps soothe your baby’s cradle cap or dry patches.

Squeeze some of our Moisturizing Baby Shampoo & Wash onto a washcloth and gently massage your baby's hair, scalp, and body. Or simply add a small amount of this wash into the bathwater and then gently rinse your baby’s hair and skin.

With regular use, your little one’s hair will be soft and shiny!

Bath

Bringing your baby home from the hospital and giving them their first bath is a memory that lasts a lifetime. Giving them the right care for their skin can also last a lifetime!

Start out strong with great skincare products, including a gentle bubble bath.

Obviously, you won’t give your baby a bubble bath during their newborn days, but before you know it, splashing around and playing in the tub will become a daily habit.

When that time comes, try our Moisturizing Baby Bubble Bath & Wash! This gentle and mild bubble bath and wash moisturizes, soothes, and protects your baby’s skin while Avena Oat Extract and Organic Calendula calm and soften it.

The cherry on top is the big, soft, natural bubbles!

Gentle Products For Adults

Babies aren’t the only ones who suffer from dry skin. Adults can, too. The good news about Babo Botanicals’s products is that they’re perfect for the entire family!

Skin

Don’t go without our Sensitive Skin All Natural Healing Ointment - Adult & Family Care! This ointment was created for those with sensitive, dry, or eczema-prone skin. The non-greasy, healing formula is perfect for chapped hands, lips, and feet.

And if that wasn’t enough, the formula in our ointment was designed to also help relieve:

• Itching (even from bug bites and poison ivy!)
• Redness

Over the years, your skin has been exposed to all different kinds of conditions, which can take a toll on its texture and health. Help relieve, soothe, moisturize, and heal your skin with either one of these lotions!

Hair

Developed for highly sensitive skin, our Moisturizing Conditioner will hydrate and soothe even the most delicate scalps. In addition to gently moisturizing, this conditioner also detangles your whole family’s hair!

Bath

Babies aren’t the only ones enjoying bubble baths. Adults can, too!

And with our 3 in 1 Eucalyptus Remedy Plant Based Shampoo, Bubble Bath, and Wash, you can soothe and calm your skin while relaxing. Bonus: It’s for children and adults!

Our three-in-one product contains eucalyptus essential oil, which is known to help aid sleep and relieve coughs, congestion, and colds. While you soak in a warm bath, calm your mind, body, and skin!

3) Moisturize Your Skin Daily

Using a moisturizer helps lock in moisture and hydrate your skin. This is especially important if you suffer from dry skin! We suggest moisturizing your entire body, starting with your face.

Try Babo Botanicals’s Miracle Moisturizing Face Cream for amazing hydration and relief. This rich cream contains the perfect blend of active botanicals to help protect and smooth your skin!

Our Miracle Moisturizing Face Cream is a must-have for flare-ups or irritated skin on your face, body, and hands and works well as a daily moisturizer for adults with sensitive skin!

4) Be Consistent With Your Routine

A daily skincare routine gives your skin the best opportunity to stay soft and smooth all year long. Follow these steps every day:

1. Start your routine by cleansing your face with gentle, fragrance-free products
2. Apply a toner to prep your skin to absorb other, beneficial ingredients
3. Give your skin a concentrated boost of nutrients with a serum
4. Dab on a gentle eye cream to fight fine lines and wrinkles
5. Apply any spot treatments you may need (i.e., for dark spots or acne)
6. Slather on moisturizer to hydrate your skin

Bonus steps for super effective skin care: apply an oil after your moisturizer to help lock in all the beneficial ingredients you’ve just given your skin. Also, consider using sunscreen and lip balm daily for extra protection!

5) Take Short Showers Or Baths

We touched on this earlier, but it’s worth mentioning in more detail because it’s that important!

We’ll be the first to admit that a long, hot shower or bath feels amazing. But the longer you expose your skin to water — especially hot water! — the more natural oils wash away.

Without those natural oils, your skin won’t be able to keep itself moist and hydrated. It won’t happen right away, but, eventually, your skin will start to feel tight, itchy, and even sore.

Here’s how to prevent that: Limit the amount of time you spend in the shower or bath. This will help your skin preserve its natural oils and prevent it from drying out.

Bonus Tip: Keep your time in the hot water — both showers and baths — under 10 minutes to keep your skin feeling smooth, supple, and hydrated.

6) Mind The Weather

The weather can do a number on your delicate skin and dry it out like few other things on this list. And it’s not just one type of weather that you have to watch out for — both cold and heat can affect your skin in all sorts of negative ways.

The cold, dry air that blows out of the north during the winter months can suck all of the essential moisture out of your skin, leaving it chapped, stiff, and painfully dry.

On the other side of the coin, a hot, dry climate forces moisture to evaporate into the atmosphere, leaving your skin red, raw, and even cracked.

Always protect your skin from the elements, regardless of the weather outside.

Bonus Tip: In the cold months, wear a hat, gloves, and scarf to protect the delicate skin on your hands and face. In the warm months, wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off the sensitive skin of your head and neck.

7) Protect Your Skin From The Sun

 

For most of us, exposure to the sun harms our delicate skin cells more than any other factor on this list. One of the best ways to soothe and prevent dry skin is to protect your body from the ravages of the sun.

The sun’s powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin even on a cloudy day. That’s why it’s so important to apply sunscreen whenever you spend any time outside.

You may even want to wear sunscreen indoors if you’re near windows a lot (this applies to your car as well).

Your exposed skin is the most vulnerable, so spread at least an SPF 30 sunscreen on your hands, face, neck, arms, shoulders, and any other parts of your body that your clothes don’t cover.

Babo Botanicals Sheer Zinc Continuous Spray Sunscreen is the ideal way to put a barrier between your skin and the sun’s harmful rays!

For even more protection when you’re at the beach, on a run, or working in the garden, try Babo Botanicals Super Shield Sport Stick. It provides 80 minutes of water and sweat resistance and moisturizes your skin with organic shea butter, avocado oil, and jojoba oil.

Bonus Tip: After returning from work or play, prevent dryness, nourish your skin, and protect it from sun damage by applying Babo Botanicals After Sun Soothing Hydrating Gel.

8) Exfoliate

You’re probably familiar with the importance of exfoliating your face and neck. But did you know you can prevent dry skin on other parts of your body by exfoliating there as well?

The skin on the back of your hands, for example, is thin, fragile, and even more susceptible to dryness than some areas of your face!

You can prevent dry skin from rearing its ugly (and painful) head by exfoliating your entire body in the shower with a washcloth or loofah two or three times a week.

Just remember to be gentle as you exfoliate or you could cause more damage than good.

Bonus Tip: Exfoliate outside the shower with this all-natural scrub:

1. Measure 2 tablespoons of sugar into a bowl.
2. Pour in a bit of olive oil or coconut oil.
3. Dip your finger in the scrub.
4. Massage gently into skin that is prone to dryness.

If grains of sugar remain after the oil has absorbed into your skin, rinse with cool water.

Don’t forget to apply a moisturizer — such as Babo Botanicals Miracle Moisturizing Cream — immediately after to keep your skin soft and supple!

9) Pat Your Skin Dry

Friction on your skin causes microscopic tears that can become irritated and further contribute to dryness.

And what’s the most common cause of this type of friction? Rubbing your skin with a towel after showering or washing your face and hands.

Instead of removing water from your skin with up-and-down or side-to-side movements, try patting your skin with a soft towel.

Patting cuts down on the pulling, stretching, and tearing that causes damage that can lead to dry skin.

10) Wear Soft Fabrics

Another source of friction that can lead to dry skin is stiff, scratchy fabrics like wool and polyester.

Skip these fabrics and go straight for the soft and pliable one, including:

• Cotton
• Satin
• Silk
• Fleece
• Cashmere
• Jersey
• Velvet

If you must wear rough fabrics, put on a soft underlayer — like a soft cotton t-shirt or a silk camisole — to protect your skin.

It’s also important to avoid tight clothing when you’re trying to prevent dry skin. Compression can put even more friction on your skin, make you feel uncomfortable, and cause more damage to your sensitive skin.

11) Use A Humidifier Or Vaporizer

Running a humidifier or vaporizer in your living space is a great way to keep moisture in your skin and prevent dryness from occurring.

Both humidifiers and vaporizers fill the air with moisture. The moisture in the air then makes it harder for the moisture in your skin to evaporate because, if the air is wet enough, the moisture in your skin literally has nowhere to go.

But which is better for soothing dry skin, a humidifier or vaporizer? It all depends on what you need to feel comfortable.

A humidifier releases cool moisture into the surrounding air, while a vaporizer releases hot moisture into the surrounding air.

Try using a humidifier during the warmer months to keep the air next to your skin cool and a vaporizer in the cooler months to keep the air next to your skin warm.

12) Eat A Healthy Diet

 

One of the best long-term treatments for soothing dry skin and preventing it from recurring is a healthy diet.

Nutritious foods contain vitamins and minerals that boost your skin’s natural ability to keep itself smooth and hydrated.

For a quick start to a healthy diet, eat these foods every day:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Lean protein
• Healthy fat

Not sure how to include all these foods in your meals? Here’s a basic example of three meals and a snack you can use as a template:

1. For breakfast, whip up a smoothie with spinach, frozen fruit, almond milk, and a scoop of protein powder. For a bit of healthy fat alongside the smoothie, munch on a handful of almonds or walnuts.
2. For lunch, slice up some chicken breast and toss it with a mixed-greens salad. Top the salad with an olive-oil-based dressing (healthy fat) and include an apple or another piece of fruit on the side.
3. Nibble on mixed nuts or trail mix for a healthy and satisfying mid-afternoon snack.
4. For dinner, grill a salmon fillet with olive tapenade. Serve with a side of steamed or raw broccoli and add an orange for dessert.

By eating a healthy, balanced diet, you can soothe — and even prevent — dry skin from the inside out!

13) Drink Plenty Of Water

Your skin is the last part of your body to receive the water you drink. To make sure it gets enough moisture to soothe and prevent dryness, drink at least eight cups of water a day.

Sound like a lot of liquid to get through in one day? Here’s an easy plan for getting the water you need and staying hydrated.

1. First thing in the morning, pour yourself two cups of water and drink it down immediately. That’s two cups out of the way! If drinking fast isn’t your thing, try to finish the two cups of water by the end of breakfast.
2. Drink another two cups of water at lunch and dinner. Six cups down.
3. To squeeze in the last two cups of water, fill a water bottle and sip on it between meals.

What about the two cups of coffee in the morning and the sweet tea in the afternoon? They don’t count toward your eight-cup goal.

That doesn’t mean you can’t drink other liquids during the day. You can! You just can’t count them toward your total. Only clear water counts.

Bonus Tip: Include water-rich foods such as grapefruit, orange, cucumber, and spinach in your diet to push past the all-important eighth cup and do your dry skin even more good!

The Secret To Smooth, Hydrated Skin

The secret to smooth, hydrated skin is to treat it well every day. And that’s exactly what it is for your skin: a treat!

Always avoid hot water, whether it’s in the sink, bath, or shower. Choose gentle products free of harsh chemicals. Moisturize your skin daily and, finally, follow our suggested skincare routine to set your skin up for success.

This is a secret you don’t want to keep to yourself, so go ahead and share these tips. While you’re at it, try Babo Botanicals’s dry skin collection and watch your dry skin transform into the hydrated skin you’ve been dreaming of!