1. Avoid using harsh cleansers: Cleansers that contain high level of surfactants or detergents although may cleanse your skin well it's also stripping the skin's mantle of the oils needed to protect it. Instead use mild cleansers such as oil based scrubs, cleansing creams or natural soaps. These will still get all the dirt and sweat of your skin and leave the natural oils your skin needs on. A simple way to know if your cleanser is too harsh is to assess your skin after a shower. If it feels tight, itchy or becomes flaky odds are you need to change cleansers.
2. Avoid excessive showering: Unless you're working in job that makes you very dirty or sweaty one to two 15 minute showers a day is more than enough. Believe it or not water is very harsh on the skin as it is and when combined with the average soap it can lead to very dry skin. The skin needs a minimum of 12 hours to restore some of it's natural oils. If your showering every 5-6 hours you're simply not allowing your skin to naturally do what it was intended to do. When done for a prolonged period of time the skin can become so depleted of it's natural oils that the PH begins to change. When this happens you will begin to see the signs such as dry skin, acne, Eczema, rashes and in extreme cases where the mantle is very damages you will see infections.
3. Avoid petroleum based products: Many of us with dry skin have found that highly emollient creams tend to help relieve the tightness and flakiness that comes with dry skin. Because of the visible results we often reach for petroleum jelly, and other petroleum based products. Often even under the recommendation of our doctors. The only problem with this is that petroleum does not provide any skin nourishment or moisturizing. Although it works well as a barrier it also works good at preventing your skin from absorbing moisture from the air and can clog your pores. A better alternative to this type of barrier product is Shea butter.
Shea butter (Karite butter) comes from the shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii), which grows in West and Central Africa. Its seeds are harvested to make shea butter for food, skin and hair products. Shea butter is extremely therapeutic; helping to heal cracked, aged or damaged skin. It contains some ultraviolet protection, approximately SPF-6, and is therefore useful in sun products. It penetrates the skin leaving it soft and smooth and has constituents that help to heal bruising and soreness. Because it's very emollient it also is a great barrier that will still allow your skin to breathe.
Other Uses: * Daily skin moisturizer (face and body) * Dry skin relief * Dry scalp * Skin rash- including diaper rash * Skin peeling, after tanning * Blemishes and wrinkles * Itching skin due to dryness * Sunburn * Shaving cream to reduce razor irritation * Small skin wounds * Skin cracks * Soften tough skin on feet (especially heels) * Stretch mark prevention during pregnancy * Minor burns * Eczema * Sun and wind protection * Even skin tone * Reduce blemishes and scarring * Eliminating scalp irritation from dryness or chemical processing * Preventing bumps after shaving * Reducing acne (especially in combination with African Black Soap) * Absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue * Helps restore elasticity to skin * Restores luster to hair
So before you reach for that petroleum jelly think of mother nature. Shea butter as well as other natural oils and butters that will give your skin the building blocks to get healthy again.
If you would like to know where you can find products that will help you skin become and stay healthy during the cold weather season please visit our site JonesSoaps.com There you will find a variety of cleansers and moisturizers that are made with safe & natural skin nourishing ingredients.
