Every year when Old Man Winter settles in for the long haul, my skin gets so dry and crackly that I feel like an old paper bag! The problem is that as we get older, the outermost layer of our skin naturally loses some of its ability to hold water. While we can’t control the normal aging process, many other factors that contribute to dry winter skin—indoor heat, prolonged exposure to damp and icy outdoor elements, and hot, leisurely baths—can be controlled. If you eliminate some of these factors, you’ll help your skin stay moisturized longer.

Here’s a few of my favorite down-home remedies that’ll make your skin go from dry to dewy:

• After bathing, while your skin’s still damp, coat it with almond or sunflower oil. And if you’d rather not smell like a Caesar salad, add a few drops of lavender oil to the mix before rubbing it in.
• Make a mixture of equal parts honey and milk, then toss it into a blender and add some apricots, avocado, or coconut oil. Apply the resulting paste head to toe like a body lotion. It feels silky smooth going on, and you can keep the leftovers in the fridge to massage into your skin whenever you need it.
• Make a big pot of oatmeal, let it cool a bit, and slather it on your lightly oiled skin from head to toe. When it’s dry, rinse it off in a warm shower.

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