We’ve all been there – breakouts, eczema flare-ups and cold sores at the worst possible moment. And if you add dry skin into the mix, it’s a recipe for disaster. These are the most common skin care issues, and we’ve got tips to help you avoid them (or at least speed up the recovery process).

Hydrating Dry Skin

You can get dry skin any time of year, but this skin care issue is particularly daunting over the cold winter months. Ease dry skin, and help lock in moisture with these tips:

Use warm, not hot, water to shower, and wash your face and hands. We know, there’s nothing better than a steaming hot shower, but turn down the temperature as often as you can, and you will be rewarded with healthier skin. Hot water strips essential oils from the skin, whereas warm water is more accommodating.

Moisturize right away. Whether you’ve come out of the shower, cleansed your face or simply washed your hands, get moisturizer on your skin ASAP. It will help lock in the moisture, especially if your skin is still damp.

Use moisturizer at least twice a day. Preferably a natural moisturizer that nourishes the skin with emollients and skin-strengthening powers. Our True Natural Moisturizing Skin Gel contains skin-friendly ingredients such as aloe vera, tea tree, witch hazel, rosemary, vitamin E, argan oil, and sweet almond oil. These all work together to hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.

Protect your skin against the elements. Wear a scarf, hat and mittens whenever you go outside to protect your skin against the cold wind, snow or rain. And don’t forget that you need sunscreen, yes, even throughout the winter months!

Use a humidifier. Keeping your home nice and warm wreaks havoc on your skin. Heating systems dry the air, so you need to add moisture back in. Invest in a good humidifier and have it running while you sleep to help keep your skin from drying out.

Hiding Breakouts

Breakouts are never fun, but combine them with dry skin and it can be a total nightmare. The key is to use a non-greasy moisturizer that will also work to fight bacteria. Here’s what to do when met with this skin care issue.

Don’t over cleanse. It can be tempting to scrub away at pimples, but that will honestly only make things worse. Instead, rinse with warm water in the morning and follow-up with a hydrating, but non-greasy, moisturizer. Save the full cleanse for before bed. This will wash away any dirt, bacteria and pollution from the day. And again follow with a quality, natural moisturizer.

Spot treat. While you don’t want to over cleanse, you do want to shrink those spots and not add any fuel to the fire. Spot treatments are a great way to help dry out the oil associated with breakouts without drying out the rest of your skin. Our True Natural Skin Gel can be used as a spot treatment, working to reduce redness, fight bacteria that cause breakouts, and help it heal faster.

Use the right makeup. Seek out a quality, natural concealer to match your skin tone. Put a small amount of it onto a brush, wiping off any excess. Dab the brush directly over the spot. Next, set the concealer in place with a mattifying powder.

Soothing Eczema

When it comes to eczema flare-ups you’re definitely going to want to follow the advice above for dry skin. But there are some other key points as well.

Avoid triggers. Common eczema triggers include fragrances and dust mites. However, giving your house a good clean to get rid of dander and dust mites could also lead to flare-ups, as chemicals found in cleaning products can aggravate symptoms. Learn what your triggers are and avoid them as much as possible, or work around them. For example, wear long sleeves and gloves while cleaning to prevent your skin from coming into contact with harsh chemicals. Certain types of clothing and laundry detergents can also irritate the skin. Use gentle detergents and if you must wear that wool sweater, layer it with a cotton shirt underneath.

Stay hydrated. While drinking water will not cure eczema, it will keep you from becoming dehydrated, which can aggravate the skin.

Avoid scratching. I know, easier said than done, but itching will make it worse. Instead, use cool cloths to ease discomfort and distract yourself in any way possible. Keeping your nails short will help with this too.

Disguising Cold Sores

Cold sores are more common than most people realize. But that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with this skin care issue when one pops up. Here’s what to do as soon as you notice one starting, to minimize its impact.

Apply aloe-vera or an aloe-based product to the affected area. Our True Natural Skin Gel contains medicinal quality aloe along with other healing ingredients including tea tree and witch hazel that will help soothe and minimize the appearance of a cold sore by reducing swelling and redness.

As long as the cold sore hasn’t blistered, or if it is in the healing stage, it is safe to use a natural concealer. However, it is important not to contaminate the make-up or you will risk spreading the sore. Use a cotton swab to apply it. For best results choose a heavy, creamy-type of concealer and apply just a small amount. Then apply a light dusting of finishing powder (again with something that is naturally disposable).