Itching for Spring? Dry Skin Be Gone

Winter has certainly overstayed its welcome and the cold temperatures are wrecking havoc on skin!
 No doubt you are itching all over and itching for Spring like temps!

Are you experiencing itchy legs, itchy scalp, itchy arms and back? Do you feel like dipping yourself in a vat of lotion and oil?

Here are a few tips to relieve the itching and prevent you from becoming a red flaking mess from all of the scratching.

• Dry Brushing - if you are new to this technique go easy on the pressure for the first few treatments to prevent over exfoliating and causing sensitive areas. Dry brushing will not only remove dead compacted cells  it will increase circulation and detoxify the body. 

Begin at the ankles and work in gentle circles upwards towards the heart.
 Do not use the dry brush on your face!
Great to perform this technique in the morning before a shower and in the evening before bed.

• Bathing and Showering - no one loves a hot bath or shower more then I do but when skin is feeling itchy and dry, turn down the temp to avoid dehydrating the skin.

Avoid the use of traditional soap and liquid soaps with fragrance and harsh chemicals such as sodium laurel sulphate the chemicals are not only toxic to the body but also harmful to the environment.
Use a gentle body was that is free of artificial fragrance and SLS wash only the crevices! No need to wash your arms and legs daily with soap...seriously how dirty do these areas actually get?
Use a back brush in the shower to reach this area if you haven't already done so with the drybrush technique   listed above.
When washing your hair, be sure to rinse well especially along the hairline. If not rinsed properly harsh chemicals in shampoo (again look for SLS free especially if you invest in colouring your hair) can over strip the scalp of natural oils creating a dry itchy and flaky scalp!

• Moisturize while skin is still damp using a quality oil such as coconut oil or jojoba to draw the moisture into the body!

Moisturizers with fragrance, parabens and petro chemicals only hydrate topically and will not provide  the skin with deep moisture it requires.

• Hydrate internally! Drink lots of water and herbal teas! Hydrating internally will not only flush the body of toxins it will also keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. Aim for 6-8 glasses minimum

For more tips on dry brushing click here http://www.joyoushealth.ca/blog/2010/06/15/dry-skin-brushing-for-glow-immune-health/.



Follow these tips and may dry skin be gone!

May we all be experiencing warm spring breezes and flowers blooming very very soon!