"Dry" Season - skin and hair tips?

 Curel works pretty good as far as a lotion goes.  It us to be  used in the hospitals a lot before it went more into the public sector.

http://www.curel.com/

One nice thing I have also found is sugar scrubs.  They usually have some sort of mineral oil or something in them and they leave my skin very soft. 

i can relate to winter dryness. i swear by petrolium jelly. i use it on my hands after washing them and on my legs as well. yes, it looks and feels greasy, but it's the only thing i found that works when your skin is so unbelievably dry you wish for new skin... i also use it on my hair, when i dont have hair wax or hair gease at hand. the trick is to use only a small dap, about quarter the size of your fingernail for all of your hair. also it is the BEST lip balm. so yeah, i use it for everything, basically. when it snows and they spray salt, i use it on the dogs' paws as well...

Humidifiers!!!! I really like the "cool air humidifiers" - they really help me, especially if I have one running at night while I sleep. I got this one for my dorm room and I LOVE it: http://www.amazon.com/Medisana-Hah1500EBP-Ultrasonic-Personal-Humidifier/dp/B000AF78KU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1196661348&sr=8-1 (it's expensive and very small, but IMO quite worth it. No filter changing or anything. BF and I each have one!)

I really like Gold Bond brand lotion. It's mentholated or something so it's kind of tingly, but it absorbs quickly with no residue and does a great job of moisturizing. I hate the greasy feeling of really thick creams, but the Gold Bond is super.

For manicure emergencies, I've found that breaking a vitamin E capsule and rubbing it into my knuckles cuticles helps heal them pretty quickly, and I abuse my hands pretty terribly.

For my face, I really really like Biotherm brand lotion. My host sister in Spain was a beautician and recommended this brand to me. It's way more expensive than anything I'd ever put on my body before, but totally worth it, and my 20-euro jar has lasted me well over a year. I've used both of these lotions and had great success with both of them:

A lighter face lotion: http://www.biotherm-usa.com/_us/_en/facecare/index_prod.aspx?prdcode=HD0001&CatCode=AXE_FACE_CARE^F1_VIS_MOISTURE^F2_VIS_MOISTURE_Gel&

More intense moisturizing:
http://www.biotherm-usa.com/_us/_en/facecare/index_prod.aspx?prdcode=004113&CatCode=AXE_FACE_CARE^F1_VIS_MOISTURE^F2_VIS_MOISTURE_Cream& 

For keeping hair frizzies down I really like products with slippery elm because they don't make my hair all stiff and gross. I hate hairspray and gels. I've tried this one and really liked it, but this tube is ginormous and expensive, I'd recommend one about half this size if they have it!
http://www.amazon.com/Formulas-Ecoly-Slippery-Polishing-Gloss/dp/B0007CZVKA

Other than that... I try to avoid blow-drying my hair, I take some fish oil and vitamin E capsules, I slather myself with lotion, and I pray for spring! lol! I know that taking hot showers also significantly dries out your skin/hair, but hot showers are like crack to me, so I'd rather have alligator skin and dandruff than forgo my heavenly ritual of boiling myself daily. :)
 

I as well have long thin straight hair.  My hair is very fine, and it gets staticy, and bleh looking sometimes by the end o the day.  I use AG leave in conditioner.  The one I use is called Fast Food.  And it works!  I actually was told about it by one of my guy friends who has LOOOOONNNGGG straight blonde hair (really pretty hair lol)

http://www.aghaircosmetics.com/products_fastfood.cfm

There is the link to it.  It costs a bit per bottle thing, but for my length of hair (just above my waist) i only use a dime side amount.  So it lasts!

My problem is dry lips.  Badly dry lips.  They crack and I chew them, and they hurt and bleed sometimes from me chewing them.  I use Lip Medex by Blistex, the blue one, and it seems to work sometimes, but sometimes not so much, any suggestions?

 For lips, Petrolium Jelly is the  best....Honestly, slather it on your lips before bed.  As much as you can get on them.  By morning, the chapped part will just roll off and you'll be left with smooth lips.  You can use an old toothbrush to slaugh the dead skin off too.  Then during the day, just smooth a bit on as you feel like and your lips will stay nice and smooth. 

During the dry winter, drinking as much water as possible is just as important as in the summer.  We tend to drink more things like coffee and other hot drinks so it may be even more important.  Take some fish oil and Vit E.  They help with the staticy hair as well as dry skin.  Before towel drying off after a shower, slather on some lotion.  Really, don't worry if it all rubs in.  Leave it that way while you do your other after shower stuff.  Brush teeth, do makeup, clip toenails, whatever.  THEN when there is nothing left to do but get dressed, rub the remainder in.  By this time it should absorb nicely.  If there is nothing left to rub in, add more.  It means your skin soaked it all up and you could use more.

I have found that Umbrell sunscreen is the best for dry skin itches.  Dunno why.  But I use it in the winter under all my clothes...silly I know, but whatever works right?  Stay away from perfumy creams and lotions.  Oh ya, and creams work better than lotions.   

Gee, can ya tell I'm from the Cold Cold North? 

ottoluv

I think eucerin creme or aquaphor are great

My son's uses those...he has eczema and winter's are hard on him. They do work VERY well!

You could also start taking a flax seed oil or fish oil supplement if you're not already. I've been taking flax seed oil for a few weeks now, and can already notice a difference. It seems to have helped with a few problem zits too.

I use a leave in conditioner too.  (I have long straight, straight fine hair.)  Use it sparingly and only on the ends. 

I like the Olay body bath stuff, and if you look around you can find different scents, some unscented.  If you still want to use some soap, look into some of the more natural soaps - Dr Bronner, or soap with goat milk or oatmeal.  I find this stuff at my local organic grocery.

Lotion - I just found Aquaphor made by Eucerin.  It's thick almost like Vasaline.  Use cotton goves and socks at night. 

Humidifier

I also like Burt's bees Apricot baby oil.  Moisturize right after your shower/bath. 

I've also recently started doing this:

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

I've never used a humidifier before. Does it really help? Are there any downsides? I won't have mold growing on my walls will I?

 Well, the only times I've used them have been on the East Coast to counter the brutal over-drying of the air that occurs when you're trying to heat your house a good 30-some degrees (or more) warmer than it is outside. The dryness is so painful that if I pet my dad's cats in the middle of the night my fingers leave blue-green comet trails of static electricity.

In a more humid climate, I'm not sure, they might cause troubles. But when the air is parchingly dry, a good humidifier can sure help get the humidity back up to closer to normal!

Well, you seem to do all the right things.  I have the opposite problem (regarding hair), my hairs thick and although I do have the static problem in the dead of winter, my hair has a tendency of feeling like straw!  If your hair is too dry, my stylist said to put a pea amount of conditioner in my hand and rub thru my hair (it doesn't have to be wet) and leave it in.  Do not rinse.  This will help keep some moisture in.  Also, I use this spray I get at Walmart, to help put shine into your hair, it is kind of oily, so it actually helps with the frizzes.  It's like frizzeaze, but it's actually called something else, and I can't think of the name right now, but it doesn't contain alcohol, which will dry your hair.  Also, try just cocoa butter lotion and put it on after you shower, but before you towel dry.  They say with the water and the moisturizer, it is supposed to help even more.  Then just kind of pat dry.  This is all I know.  Hope it helps!

cakana

I've never used a humidifier before. Does it really help? Are there any downsides? I won't have mold growing on my walls will I?

I've used them before and have found them to be helpful...I was just really bad at remembering to refill them. 

I moisturize a TON and have been working with a dermatologist to find a moisturizer that is right for my face but that won't smell weird (I am really sensitive to smells and get migraines from face lotions that are too perfumey). 
 

I found a really great soap and moisturizer combo in the Vermont Country Store catalog.  It's called Olivella (olive oil based but not greasy at all) and it just has a really faint, nice scent. It's not exactly cheap, but the liquid soap comes in a 1 pint 9 oz. pump bottle, so you get a good amount of it.

Joyce