Remedy for Super Dry Skin

This winter it has been a losing battle against the dry skin on my legs.  I mean skin so dry that I swear it feels like it's going to crack every time I move.  I've tried every lotion known to man, so don't wast your precious time leaving posts telling me what lotions I should try next.

I was doing fine for a while when I stumbled on the most wonderful smelling lotion lotion every that I bought at my local Sprouts (kinds of like Whole Foods).  It's called Alaffia and comes in a bottle that looks like this.  

And when I say it comes in a giant bottle, I mean it!  It is a full 32 ounces!!!

If you can't find a store that carries Alaffia near you or you want to learn more about Alaffia, visit www.alaffia.com.  They are a fascinating company that does a lot of good in the world!

The lotion is a bit runny, but it is very moisturizing thanks to the shea butter and red palm oil.  And the smell is amazing!

Back to my super dry skin…this lotion seemed to be working, but then it started getting colder and the air got drier and drier and this just wasn't cutting it anymore.  I had to find something else.  Why didn't I just switch lotions, you ask?


Well, here's the story.  I have a disorder called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease which is a combination of Lupus, Scleroderma, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I guess you could say I'm a bit of an overachiever.  So between the side effects from the MCTD and the side effects from the medications I take, the dry skin is that much worse when combined with dry winter air and hot showers.  So I've tried everything.  Trust me.


But for some reason my MCTD flare ups have been really bad and I think the dry skin has been too, so I'm sure they are totally related. Last week I was desperate and did some searching on the internet.  I already knew that my skin always feels the best after I use my salt scrub that is made with a really rich oil.  So I searched for the best oil to use on dry skin.  Over and over again I read that grape seed oil is wonderful for dry skin.  Just regular old grape seed oil that you use for cooking.  You know…the kind that you buy at the grocery store.

Well, how luck was I that I had a half full bottle of grape seed oil sitting on my kitchen counter.  I stopped by Goodwill on the way home and got a soap pump.  Here's where my grape seed oil now lives.

Now, after my showers I squirt about half a teaspoon of grape seed oil into my palm along with a pump of lotion.

Then I rub them together really well and rub the concoction into my skin.  It usually soaks in pretty quickly.



Here's a before picture of my leg before I put the lotion and oil mixture on.  Pretty gross, huh?!?!  Would you look at those flakes???  Yuck!!!

I gave it a good ten minutes before I took the next picture so my skin could drink in the moisture.  Look at the difference!  It's like a totally different leg.

Try it.  I swear you'll be amazed.  The good thing about grape seed oil is that is doesn't have a scent.  I thought about olive oil but I really didn't want to smell like an Italian restaurant.  The grape seed oil has lots of antioxidants and is good inside and outside your body.  I bought mine at Trader Joe's.