I have incredibly dry and itchy skin on my legs and arms - “standard” internet suggestions are simply unrealistic for me and I am in need of some advice

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Do you have hard water? Ours was very hard and destroyed my skin. Getting it softened or adding a shower head with softening salts is a fix for that.

I keep a bottle of moisturiser on the side table next to the sofa so that whenever dry skin is bothering me I can just put some moisturiser on. It doesn't matter if you're not doing it perfectly (e.g. on damp skin after a shower, exfoliating, moisturising your whole body). Something is better than nothing

I have really dry skin and I swear it doesn't exfoliate itself as well as other skin types. If I don't mercilessly scrub the dead skin off, there's no amount of lotion in the world that's going to penetrate the dead skin.

I realize this isn't exactly the answer you're looking for. But I use these Korean "Italy Towels" and do a full-body scrub once a week or every couple of weeks when I'm feeling low-energy. You just stand in the water until your skin softens up, rub your skin vigorously, and the dead skin literally balls up in huge clumps. It's disgusting and very satisfying to literally SEE it happening. I think that's what gets my dopamine going.

Focusing on intense exfoliation once every week or few weeks makes it feel more manageable to me. I have a body oil I like that tickles my brain in a good way, but I know you can also get spray-on lotions along these lines which may be a good workaround for you.

There is a spray version of eucerin. Its much faster to apply and feels quite different than moisturizer. That might be worth a try

You will need to find a lotion you can tolerate. Perhaps glycerin, which you can buy cheap at the drug store might be ok or a heavy cream that's not as viscous as regular lotion. Go to sephora and tell them your problem and ask for samples.

Consider this https://heyhanni.com/products/splash-salve

Few options:

1. Get a baby oil or palmers body oil and rub that in as soon as you’ve turned the shower off - takes <30 seconds.

2. If you get baths a couple of times a week, use an emollient or oil in the water.

3. Get a spray on moisturiser or dry oil spray. These are really quick to apply and rub in.

As a bonus to any of the above: Use exfoliating gloves or a body brush a couple of times a week. Literally <2 min task.

I’d also recommend talking to your doctor as this could be related to diet or a vitamin / mineral deficiency.

For me the only thing that works is moisturizing DAILY. Whenever I forget or don’t feel like it for even a day, my skin exacts its revenge 😅

A korean "italy towel" is a scrub mitt you use once a week or once every two weeks in the shower (or in the bath) will get rid of the buildup. Make the shower really steamy and do it second to last, after your hair, and your dry skin will peel off in ribbons. It's kinda gross but also satisfying. The finish up with the most moisturizing body wash you can find. you will be baby soft afterwards, it's ridiculous. I have severe KP on my arms and legs and this totally eliminates the texture of the KP for about 4 days (but not the actual red spots, sadly).

I also have dry skin and so does my kid. I find what works best for me is anything overnight weekly or every other week. So I'll do a coconut oil rub on my feet right as I am ready for bed, wrap them in saran wrap and put some socks on, and crawl into bed. Feet are soft and smooth for 1-2 weeks after, because coconut oil is a pure humectant and the saran wrap acts as a barrier (replacing the occulusive in most smelly moisturizers) to keep all the moisture in for that night. If coconut oil isn't your thing, shea butter or some other pure humectant will do the job.

I hate the smell of most heavy duty moisturizers, so this is a work around that I can handle because it lasts so long and I only have to do it once every other week or month, depending on the season. I do it on my hands sometimes too, and wear mittens, plus I have a particularly dry elbow that I'll do it on, and use a compression sleeve that people use for sprains.

Just be careful about walking around if you don't have carpet and you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. It's not slippery exactly, but the lack of friction between the saran wrap and the sock means moving fast is not a good idea.

Drink more water, make sure you get some salt, try looking into food intolerances. I get itchy when I eat gluten. Tested negative. However, never never fails for me.

AuDHD Esthetician here. You should look into a shower oil. Like dissolves like, so it’ll clean up the old dirt and oil, while also helping to seal in the moisture provided by the water from your shower. You can go an extra step by also applying it after you towel dry. The oil will have a thinner texture from the lotion, and should absorb faster.

I’m in the same boat, and this is what I do. I use straight sweet almond oil, but grape seed oil would be a great starting point if you don’t want to get a pricier shower oil or risk dealing with a sticky oil like olive, castor or jojoba.

If you’re not worried about price and want to go straight for the fancy bottled stuff, Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil is fragrance free and hypoallergenic. Try to stay away from the ones that foam as they could dry you out further.

I hope this helps!

I have ADHD hacked this problem!!! I run really cold so I usually shower way too hot, which leads to itchy dry skin. Solution? Bathroom space heater + Nivea in-shower body lotion! I'm cozy and I don't forget to put on lotion because I already do it in the shower. Win win win. Took me 30 years to figure this out hahah

Consider visiting a dermatologist: by your own admission your hygiene could be a factor beyond just lack of moisturization, and there may be an oil, fungal, bacterial, or chemical imbalance affecting you systemically.

Otherwise you may want to consider taking baths instead of showers and researching moisturizing cleansers that are gentle but effective for hair, face, and body. Cleansing conditioners, shower oils, in-shower lotions can all help but if you already struggle with product usage the dermatologist might have better functional advice.

1. You might have dry skin because of winter weather, nit drinking enough water or an oversensitivity to soap/perfumes:
2. try a month without perfumes. No scented washing detergents, soaps, anything. This might be the culprit. Neutral anything.

3. drink enough water.

4. If that doesnt work, You might just have a dry skin type.

5. Daily moisturizing with a neutral fatty creme.

If you can’t handle moisturizing, use either a moisturizing gel in the shower or a glycolic acid shower gel— it increases cell turn over to shed dead cells.

I don’t like the feel of sticky moisturizers either so I tend to go for oils if I can but if I’m really dry in the winter I just try to deal with the feeling for the night. Shower, lotion up and then I wear leggings and a long sleeve shirt to bed so I don’t feel myself being all sticky.

I really like in shower lotion. That might be worth trying for you? I don’t like the lotiony feel that you get if you put lotion on right after taking a shower. But the in shower lotion rinses off and leaves moisture in your skin without feeling grimy to me.

What is it about the lotion do you not like? I don’t really like the way it feels on my skin, but I found that putting clothes on top of it was my problem. if I put lotion on immediately after getting out of the shower then it would be ‘soaked in’ by the time I got dressed, so I just hang out naked until it’s dry.

For exfoliating, I use a soap that has a loofa in it (like this) so washing and exfoliating are the same step.

I get very dry on the front of my legs from knee to ankle and nasty elbows in the winter once the heat is on. Make sure your humidifier is working well, you can get a portable one too.

The best cream I had was from a local beekeeper, with honey, pollen, propolis and olive oil. All natural, cured it right up. And I’ve used a zinc based diaper cream at night on the bad spots.

But check your humidity.

Is this because your skin is dry, or because you need to remove excess dead skin?

If it is dry skin, then drinking enough water and taking good quality omega 3 supplements helped me a lot. I went from super dry skin having to moisturize every shower, to hardly needing it at all. But, I probably had a deficiency because of not eating fish or other omega 3/fat sources.

If the problem is dead skin building up due to infrequent showers or exfoliating then maybe try: - Go swimming or soak in a jacuzzi or similar. After a while the dead skin will just fall of when you dry yourself of. In fact just rigoursly drying yourself when ever you do shower might help. - If you have money: Go to a spa or hamman to get exfoliated. - Try dry brushing. Exfoliation does not have to be on wet skin. You can have a partner or friend dry brush you as a wellbeing ritual, or do it yourself while watching tv, listening to a podcast etc. Should improve circulation too.

If you do manage to do some scrubbing in the shower: I use regular sugar as a cheap scrub, and do the scrubbing while my conditioner is working. (But I too struggle with showering being hard, so understad if this is not possible)

Is it just the skin on your arms and legs or possibly other parts of your body? It could be that you need to drink more water on a regular basis or increase the amount of vitamins and minerals you get from your diet.

Are the affected areas often exposed compared to other body parts that are usually covered? So for example if you usually wear shorts, do you notice that the affected areas are below the knee while your thighs, which are normally covered, are fine? If that’s the case you might be able to just layer more effectively to prevent the issue.

I wouldn’t use a chemical exfoliant, especially since your skin is inflamed and your barrier is showing signs of damage; there’s been a trend of people discovering chemical exfoliants and overusing and it can do more damage over time. I swear by goat’s milk soap, the only lotion I can tolerate is baby lotion, and you should focus on buying unscented products. I have eczema and when I get really bad flare ups, I fill a clean cotton sock with oats and bring it with me in the shower. Right before I’m about to get out I soak the sock and rub it on my skin. It has the effect of an oatmeal bath but without the soaking in a gross pool of oats lol

I keep a bottle of Eucerin by the toilet. Since I'm sitting down anyway, I lotion up any parts I can reach. Since I usually wear my sleeves rolled up and loose pants, I can get my forearms and lower legs regularly.

For the upper arms and thighs, I keep a bottle of spray moisturizer where I change clothes. I hate the feeling of clothing over lotion, but the spray stuff isn't so bad. I spray it on before I put on my pajamas (ok, it's shorts and a tank top, but close enough) and by the time I meander my way to bed, it's dry and doesn't bug me.

Hot showers can make dry skin worse. Have you tried cooler showers as a low effort way to help? (Not fun, but easy to do.)

I have psoriasis, so I’m pretty familiar with dry, itchy, scaly skin at this point.

I found relief from this CeraVe cream with pramoxine in it. The pramoxine is a topical analgesic so it numbs and takes away the itchy pain. It works sensory-wise for me because I get immediate relief from applying it and I think my brain has come to associate the feeling of putting on the lotion with the feeling of itch relief.

Now that I have proper meds to treat the psoriasis, I don’t use it as often. But it was a huge help when I was constantly in pain.

1. My doctor told me to only wash my pits and groin, not arms or legs unless actually dirty.

2. Drink more water. Seriously. My skin, especially my knuckles on my hands aren’t near as dry as they used to be. I can tell when I haven’t been drinking enough water as my hands start to get painfully dry.

3. Also, yes on the blood work to rule out any health issues.

Good luck!

I can't help with the sensory feeling of lotion, but I use everyone unscented lotion-it feels very light and once it's on I can't feel it anymore. Big hint though: if I'm tired after a shower I lay in bed and put lotion on while laying down and closing my eyes. It makes it feel super low effort and gives me a min to relax

I agree with spray lotions!

I had eczema growing up and I could NEVER remember to put cream on and I hated the feeling, thankfully I grew out of the skin condition but I still have very dry skin and I have body oil which I love!

I use baby oil post shower instead of lotion. You put it on before even toweling off. Straight onto your wet skin which is so convenient because I can just leave the bottle in the shower right next to the shampoo and soap.

The baby oil creates a fine film but is dry to the touch enough to wrap yourself in a towel immediately. So you basically shorten the time it takes to dry yourself off after the shower too.

And the baby oil moisturizes your skin enough that you can skip it every now and then if you really don’t have the energy to be bothered.

Plus baby oil is cheaper than most lotions and has a fairly neutral smell minimizing sensory overload.

Dry brush! try and remember to do it before showering. You will literally see your dead skin fly off you lol

Helps move your lymph fluids around too as a by product. Dry brush, hop in shower, recommend sugar scrub once and a while for ultra smoothness, if you can apply a shower oil after turning the water off before getting out that will help - try to softly pat dry or air dry

Sometimes I don’t dry off, just put on my robe, go sit on my bed and gradually lotion myself so it seems like a nice little treatment vs “having” to do it

Can apply a heavy body cream like nivea but try to do it within 3-5 mins of leaving the shower to lock in the moisture but sounds like that is a sensory no go which is understandable

I also realized sometimes my itchy skin was a symptom of my anxiety - lotion def helped but I’d still squirm from discomfort after applying. Once I got medicated it hasn’t happened since

I had to just stop using soap- I got so itchy every time I showered, made it even harder to get in there. Daily warm water and a clean rag “rinse” is way less intimidating than a “shower”.

Same … I find layering helps. Oil IN shower after towel dry. Thick cream (I use cerave). Let it soak in. More oil if you need to I lock it in. Let each layer soak in before you do another. Lukewarm showers.

After showering, I apply an AHA/BHA lotion to my driest areas after I have patted myself dry with a towel, then I put on my flannel bathrobe and do other things for a few minutes.

This is related and also not, but if you have a skin picking issue like me then this would be nightmare. I keep faux nails on to prevent myself from picking. I like get or tips because the rounded edge means picking is useless. Just a tip if that happens to be an issue!

I have eczema and super sensitive skin, and I’m prone to stress hives. My apartment is basically a tropical terrarium. I have multiple humidifiers running 24/7 and keep the thermostat set around 75-80 degrees. Keeping my environment humid and warm has done more to help my skin than any topical treatments or supplements or diet and lifestyle changes.

Full disclosure, I have to really stay on top of cleaning to prevent mold growth in my apartment, but scrubbing the bathroom ceiling and the windowsills once a week is easier for me than skincare 🤷‍♀️

Uhm, “scaly” says to me that you might have an autoimmune condition and should check with a doctor about that. But I’m a chronic patient, so your “scaly” and mine may differ.

But in other directions, I will take Vitamin E supplements when my skin gets really dry and itchy (topical is fine but I find oral helps better), especially during the winter. I also find that my skin prefers oils and butters to lotion, so shea and cocoa butter or light oils like sesame or even hemp. (Of course, allergy limits and warnings apply.) Damp and warm skin does take up hydrating and moisturizing products better, but you could do this after a bath, too, or even use a bath additive like a milk bath that would get you started.

I would absolutely not do chemical exfoliation without medical supervision, at least from an aesthetician, as chemical burns are real and many skincare products should not be mixed or used in close proximity to each other.

Okay I have a solution that works really well for me, and I love it so much I am glad to have a chance to share it with other people. I have a lot of sensory issues with lotions and the feeling or smell of something on my skin.

I buy Neutrogena Body Oil and I put it in a continuous mist spray bottle. My recommendation is to get the biggest bottle you can find, that one is 17 ounces/500 ml. The ones that are smaller don't work as well.

After a shower, while my skin is damp. I spray oil all over myself, and it goes on in a very fine mist. It is very fast to apply, and I would even go so far as to say it is kind of fun to do. I run my hands over my skin to rub it in a bit, give it a bit to absorb, and put my clothes on. It does not smell like anything and doesn't make my hands or clothes feel gross.

I would not recommend exfoliating at this stage, give your skin a chance to heal and calm down with some moisture. I have a non-chemical exfoliant that I swear by but honestly you don't need to.

This use to happen to me. I see it as two fold - exfoliation and moisturizing.

In terms of exfoliation I tried all the stuff people recommend but really just went back to the basics. I use a washcloth and soap/body wash. The first few times I didn’t really see a difference but as I’ve been doing it more and more i notice it helps a lot. I bought a pack of 10 from target or something and just throw them in with my laundry. My friend also likes wool bars of soaps-bars of soap covered in felted wool so you’ve got your exfoliant and soap in one.

In terms of moisturizing-find what works for you. Not all lotions are created equal and the only way to moisturize isn’t only lotion. I tried different brands and different textures. I found that I liked the “whipped” lotion textures more. There’s also lotion bars that might be more appealing to you since they melt as you use them. Also there are alternatives to lotion you might prefer like shea butter, oils (you could spray bottle this), Vaseline/aquaphor and aloe Vera. Some of these may fall under barriers and not moisturizers but they do help.

Hope this gives you some helpful ideas.

My dad's a dermatologist and generally his go to is just to start washing your body with an emollient like Diprobase or Aveno, and then after the shower use the same thing to moisturise the bits that are dry with.

No soaps or body washes or exfoliation, nothing fancy or complicated, just the emollient. While the skin is still bad maybe apply some in the bad bits a few more times in the day if you can, this should speed up the skin getting better.

If you can't stomach using the lotion after the shower just using it instead of body wash should help.

They are quite cheap for a big pump bottle and just available at any chemist or pharmacy usually.

No harsh soaps or chemicals. Just simply emollient. If you Google Diprobase it will show you lots of alternatives depending on where you're based. They tend to sink in very quickly and have a very neutral smell so hopefully that won't be too overwhelming.

If you have particularly bad bits sometimes a mild steroid cream can help but that's best to use under the supervision of a Dr. if it's going to be for regular use and the type will depend on the area of skin. If it is a very specific type of eczema then you might need more specific help so would recommend seeing a dermatologist!

But honestly try just washing with emollient and then emollient after. Hope it helps and any questions just hit me up x

Ps. If it works and it gets better just keep using it. Don't go back to body wash. Some people are prone to dry skin and using harsh chemicals like exfoliators will only make it worse.

PPS. I personally find the texture and smell of Aveno nicer than Diprobase but it is slightly more expensive I think.

Ppps. It feels weird at first to wash with a moisturizer instead of body wash or soap but it does make you clean.

Olive oil & sea salt mixed to make a scrub. Use it in the bath.

It both exfoliates & moisturises. And it feels gloriously indulgent.

The bath will be an oily mess, but if you live alone you can just adjust for that.

Eg buy a cheap non-slip bath mat like they make for kids.

If you don’t live alone then bribe or blackmail the other occupant to help you clean the bath after.

Note: I don’t manage to stay in the bath long anymore - but if I have my iPad on a stool nearby (ie so I cannot accidentally drop it in the bath!) with a film playing, I can stay in long enough to relax.

If it feels more comfortable for you, you can use Shea or cocoa butter whilst in the shower. You can just rub a block of it on your wet skin.

Lush also makes shower conditioners that you use in the shower though ofc they’re possibly a sensory nightmare depending on how you feel about strong smells.

Alternatively just a good exfoliant once a week could probably help somewhat!

PS putting regular body lotion on damp skin would make me itch and irritate my skin… not sure that advice is one size fits all anyway!

I understand showers are difficult. Do you like taking a bath? I hear that an oat/oatmeal bath is good for dry skin. May be a way to treat yourself and make it a mini spa day to make it feel like less of a chore to help with the motivation piece.

Use cream. I make my own shea butter cream but you can buy body butters.. I wouldnt do any sort of chemical exfoliation

Humidifier in your bedroom perhaps?

If possible can you fo tor a doctor or a dermatologist so they can see what's available? It could be that you only need a short period of a topical. I also find that when a doctor tells me do something, I'm more likely to do it even when my executive functioning is low

I have eczema. Moisturizing is essential. But I’ve never needed to exfoliate. I use cetaphil gentle cleanser all over my whole body. I take very quick showers. Just soap on my armpits and bottom/crotch and rinse everything else. Then lotion when I get out most times but not all the time. I also have a humidifier because it’s dry in my house in the winter.

Take lukewarm showers, use a sulfate-free soap, pat dry, apply cream from a jug (not lotion from a bottle) to your body afterwards. If this is too boring for you, listen to music or a podcast while you do it.

I have been doing this my entire life. At a certain point you have to say "Doing this activity sucks, but the effects of not doing it (in your case, superdry skin) suck worse." You can get used to it. I don't shower every day (I'm a big "rinse my crotch with water, swipe my pits with alcohol wipes" person) because it IS such a whole thing.

I absolutely hate the feeling of lotion on my body after a shower. What I started using a few months ago to help with the extreme dryness is body oil. I get mine from the Body Shop. After I'm done showering and dried off I just spray 3 sprays per arm, 4 on each leg and a couple at my chest and just rub it in and it's already soaked in and feeling dry within 30 seconds. I spray all my body first then rub it in. I would say the entire process takes maybe a minute to do and I'm not left feeling sticky and anxious.

Edit: for exfoliation, I use one of those exfoliating cloths that you can find on Amazon. I just ball the cloth up and squeeze some of my soap onto it. That way I'm washing my body and exfoliating at the same time. I only exfoliate when I feel like it so maybe once every one to two weeks depending on how tired I am.

I'm 57 now and struggled with terribly dry skin most of my life. Itching, flaking...it drove me crazy. In my 40's I changed up my routine and I haven't had a problem since.

• Internal hydration - make sure your body is getting enough water
• Stop using "commercial" bath soap, even "moisturizing soaps" can dry out your skin
• Don't frequently exfoliate, as that can exacerbate the issue; until your skin is softer, only use a gentle washcloth or no scrubbing at all - just suds up and rinse; allow your skin to heal
• Look for natural soaps like Tom's, Pacha, Castille and more - nearly every grocery store has them or you could order online
• My two favorite all-natural oil moisturizers:
  • Jojoba oil - soaks into the skin beautifully; it's the only thing I use for my face but works for the entire body
  • Coconut oil - smells great and is an amazing moisturizer; in solid form in the jar, just put a spoonful in your hands to melt it and rub it on your skin

I'd look into what your washing your clothes with also

I am just here to commiserate mostly, because I could have written this. I HATE lotion, cream, etc. and will only use it on my knuckles once they’ve become so dry they crack and bleed. The one thing that worked well for me while I was doing it in college was that I got a “shower oil” that I used in place of body wash. I think it was aveeno. It worked really well and didn’t add extra steps. It does, however, make the shower incredibly slippery.

Some companies make moisturizers that you put on directly after you shower while your skin is still wet. It’s usually much less thick and easier to incorporate into your routine.

Edit:spelling

Omg I do the in shower lotion that Nivea makes. I HATE putting on lotion when I get out of the shower and this solves that. You just slather it on just before you get out. I also use a loofah (i know they hold germs idc) and the naturium salicylic acid body wash. My partner who has psoriasis also uses the same body wash and uses exfoliating gloves. I don’t treat it like exfoliating, I just use the same thing that I would wash my body with to exfoliate, so it doesn’t feel like an extra step :)

I keep a bottle of lotion in the shower. For some reason my brain is more willing to accept it if I do it before I get out. I still can’t get myself to do it every time, but it’s helped me to do it when I can. And I don’t exfoliate, that’s too many steps.

Hear me out, I freaking hate the feeling of body lotion, sensory nightmare is a great description!. I’ve had the same problem and to add on top my new hyper fixation is paddle boarding and standing in the sun for hours on a reflective river is a recipe for sunburn so my need for body lotion is enormous. emu oil cream has literally been my savour, it actually penetrates your skin where most moisturisers just sit on top and leave a disgustingly sticky feeling, it feels like silk in cream form but within a couple of minutes feels like nothing. I just leave it next to my bed side table

Look it up on skincareaddicts

I switched to using l'occitane almond shower oil - literally the only wash, oil, or whatever that works for my skin. I also bought a lotion with glycerin and urea in it but don't often have to use it anymore. I know this seems like a standard suggestion but it was a huge game changer. I used to scratch my itchy legs so much that I had a patch of hardened skin on which steroids didn't even work.

I hate lotion, so I can completely relate. One thing I’ve found that helps me is using a goat milk soap instead of something like Dove. I like to buy from a local maker.

There are in shower lotions and they’re amazing. Super hydrating, don’t have to worry about rubbing it in or anything, doesn’t feel super slimy or gross.

Vaseline makes a lotion that comes in a the same kind of can as spray on sunscreen. You can even apply it on damp skin. It’s way better than not wearing lotion at all and takes less then 30 seconds to spray on.

(Check: contact dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema)

My overall skin got so so so much better when I stopped using soap on it unnecessarily. Unless you've been walking in the sewers, you only need to lather your genitals, underarms, and scalp like 99% of the time.

It's all about maintaining your moisture barrier.

If a particular area gets bad, you can slather it in Vaseline and wear socks/sleeves/other to cover overnight. Then shower in the morning.

I also fixed my facial dry skin + cystic acne by using a squalane (oil) cleanser instead of soap.

This is all assuming that you don't have a skin condition and there aren't other factors, like contact dermatitis (repeated exposure to a low level irritant or allergen in your environment which can cause symptoms similar to what you described), eczema, or psoriasis.

I also have dry skin (mine IS due to a medical issue, though). I honestly can't believe people have time to moisturize so much. Like... do other people not have hobbies? And distractions?? I know I go off-routine more than most people, but still... I'm always amazed by how much time people are willing to put into their daily routine when they could be doing something NEW and EXCITING. Anywayyyy back to your question, Retinol-based body lotions help me most, even when I don't use it every day, whereas other lotions kind of just sit on top of my skin at best. My skin is really dry, too, and I'm starting to loose elasticity now that I'm in my 30's. Honestly I think a lot of it comes down to skin type. I suggest buying something more expensive but using it less frequently, like once a week. I went with Paula's Choice or something like that, but there are lots of different options at different price points (still more than drug store standard lotions, though)

For me its gentle soap (sulfate free and all, intimate wash or baby soap is the goat) or no soap at all in those areas, fewer showers and less hot showers, absolutely no scrubs or anything weird, baby oil is better than lotion because you remember better because its an inside shower thing and it's not sticky, gentle drying patting with the towel no pulling on the skin, no tight polyester clothing, maybe a water filter, and check your vitamins with the doctor if possible plus obviously staying hydrated and all... At least trying to do these help me because i have atopic dermatitis and dry skin and these dont require constant reminders it's just "dos and donts.

Hope it helps

Do you happen to have red bumps on your upper arms or thighs? If you do, that's keratosis pilaris (DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGE THIS, the top images are severe cases and they're jarring to see), which can be exacerbated by using cleansers with sodium lauryl sulfate (the foaming agent in most commercial soaps). Switching my body soap and my shampoo to SLS-free cleansers has improved my skin's tightness and itchiness dramatically.

Talk to your doc about seeing a dermatologist, or your pharmacist about different body washes.

If they are local to your area, they should have an idea about whether your water might have a high mineral content etc.

I found, for me, that a non soap based body wash was what I needed. I also moisturise maybe once every couple of weeks, in areas that need it, with the same brand of moisturiser as my body wash.

I also use a face wash, and facial moisturiser straight out of the shower. The trick is to only use the smallest amount to moisturise, but not have it feel like it is sitting in a film over your face.

Further tip, wash and condition your hair BEFORE washing your body. I used to sometimes do it the other way around, and always found the residues messed my skin up.

I am in Melbourne Australia, so have good water quality is good, and can recommend brands if they are applicable to your location.

Please stick with the process of finding a solution. It is absolutely worth it to make showering a less crap experience, and it will improve your outlook to not have your skin bothering you all the time.

Take care. Big hugs (If you consent)

As others suggested, maybe you actually need help treating the cause rather than the symptom? I really like how people pointed out it could be hot water.

For me personally I have experienced dry skin due to my use of biotin, I have noticed that getting off the 21 day pill and continuing with biotin besically broke my face into a constant hot itchy mess.

You should try to get off any vitamins, tablets and drink more water. Not to mention changing to a non-bio washing powder to ensure its not your clothing causing this either.

Unfortunately, if you are not moisturizing every day and you’re prone to dry skin, you’re going have dry skin. I really like the idea someone else mentioned about keeping a bottle next to you while you watch TV/near the couch. Try an extra hydrating body wash WITHOUT fragrance. Fragrance can be an irritant if you’re sensitive! Also, and I know we all hate to hear it, but are you drinking enough water? You may not be getting enough liquids.

Get some glycolic acid pre-soaked pads. I use some by Beauty Pie but other brands do them too. Don’t be scared off by the acid in the name - it actually leaves my skin feeling moisturised and very happy. And it even dissolved the hard skin on my feet!

Cera Ve moisturizing cream. Put it on whenever you remember. It's thick and really lasts.

Do you shower daily? Showering a bit less could be helpful too. I had to switch to every other day for eczema control and it helped general dryness as well.

jojoba oil is very similar to natural skin oils and absorbs all the way. I can get my husband to use it and he HATES lotion. I recommend it to everyone w/ cracked hands etc and they say it's a life changer. it's great to put on after the shower (or even in the shower) and also to have on hand for those times when skin just feels so dry. I've also used it on all my babies and they never have any of the skin problems that are common to run into with a newborn.

If you want MAX moisture for your effort and are willing to deal with a bit of greasy feeling for a minute beef tallow or tallow based lotion is going to be the best.

Last rec check out the lotion bars and soaps from chagrin valley soap and salve. Their lotions are "super fatted" and leave my skin feeling SO much softer. I

I'm a believer in trying to resolve stuff through diet. I would add omega oils and collagen to diet. I take bone broth for skin also. Obsessed with bone broth at the moment as it makes my arthritis so much better. I get skin flare ups from stress. I am literally allergic to stress 🤣 as I get big huge blotchy red rashes if my cortisol levels shoot up. Oh the joys! I feel your pain though, I get cradle cap from not hair washing often enough, and for letting it air dry... but hair washing is such a task!

Did you test for hard water? Apparently that makes dry skin worse. I have the same problem! I live in NJ and it’s cold 🥶 I use eczema honey soap and then Dime body oil with either Weleda body butter or eczema honey soothing lotion on top of the body oil. For my face, I use a gentle cleanser like Cerave and then Primally Pure soothing serum before applying Mario Badescu moisture magnet. Stay hydrated and don’t take hot showers, as tempting as it might be!

I don’t have suggestions for topical treatments that you can tolerate but are you hydrating enough? That could be contributing to the dryness

Get a salicylic acid body wash. That will help exfoliate. If you are showering daily don’t use the salicylic acid wash every day that’ll be too much exfoliation. I also find using a washcloth in the shower is a good physical exfoliant, I have like 20 and use one per shower. Damp stuff grows bacteria quickly so it feels cleaner to use a fresh wash cloth every time I shower.

I don’t like putting lotion on right after a shower but I tie a bunch of stuff together after a shower to put lotion on. Like I dry off, and start my skincare (face), as some of my face stuff dries down I put my comfy clothes on, then finish my skincare (face) and by that time my body skin is dry enough that it doesn’t feel wet and slimy to put lotion on but my skin is still damp-ish. I also use a lighter weight lotion so that it absorbs quickly. Just the cerave daily moisturizing lotion.

Theraplex Clear Lotion

Aloe gel

I have similar issues and I’ve been able to improve the condition of my skin by only using moisturising body wash (I swear by anything from Lush) and by using a scrubbing mitt to wash every time I shower. When I can face it, I use body moisturiser (Sympathy for the Skin, again from Lush. I swear I’m not sponsored by them!). I can’t stick to any kind of routine and self care is something I really struggle with, so I get how unrealistic any “just do this simple every day” advice can be, but at least rubbing the dry skin off is by washing with a scrubby thing is something!

I have eczema and I really like the ShiKai Borage Therapy lotion. It's a little pricey but very hydrating and absorbs really quickly.

I’ve had dry skin forever, too. Honestly, I rarely exfoliate because it doesn’t seem to do much/makes things worse (I’ve read that we waaaay over-exfoliate, anyways). Drink tons of water. Way more than you think you need to. Get a humidifier if your house feels dry. And try to take less hot showers - I struggle with this (love me a scalding shower), but it really does make a difference for your skin.

Like others have said, find a lotion you can tolerate, put it on whenever you’re itchy or before bed and then put on leggings / a long sleeve shirt so you don’t really feel it, and let your skin absorb it up!

The brand Good Molecules makes a soap-free cleansing bar (Hydrate & Cleanse) that feels amazing! They have a lot of great products that are reasonably priced.

Still exhausting but a rinse off shower oil.. good luck actually remembering to do it because I never do. I'm just ashy, luckily I'm not itchy.. I'm sorry 😔

Glycolic acid on a makeup pad, and just put that all over the area (it's cheap - especially if you get The Ordinary and even though it says acid, I promise, it's not scary. Really helped me when I was getting ridiculously dry feet (especially the heels) and knees... You don't have to worry about doing it everyday - I do it here and there, not on a specific routine.

For hands, I just discovered the Nursem hand cream and it's DIVINE.

I don't know if this is viable for you but I find you can go a REALLY long way with just exfoliating. I personally like that step because it feels nice on the itchy. Perhaps choosing just one thing can get you enough of the way there?

I personally do not have sensory issues with lotion, but I still tried (and love) in-shower body lotion -- you put it in basically like a body wash after you clean yourself, and then rinse it off. All of it happens when your skin is wet, so there isn't a weird slick/suffocate-y feeling on the skin afterward but moisturizes well. I think the stuff I used was Nivea brand, I got it at Target (US).

there are a couple in-shower lotions on the market! i like this one from nivea i get it at target for like $8 and there are other ones from other brands. none of them really smell super pretty unfortunately but they don’t smell bad they just kinda smell clean. i use it at the end of a shower i just turn the water off, lather it on and turn the water back on to rinse off the extra. wayyyy easier than a traditional lotion it takes like 10 seconds.

i tell everyone about this bc i want the market to expand so more brands will make them and there will be more fun ones to pick from lol

You can use a sugar or salt scrub in the shower then moisturize after. I use neutrogena sesame oil. You put it on while your skin is wet, then towel dry.

I'm similar, I'm going to try getting a spray moisturiser so it's easier to put on and try to remember after shower, put it somewhere ill go etc

TBH the advice from skincareaddiction does work.

IMO I put lotion on damp skin, it absorbs quicker and I use A LOT less. The lotion I use I can cover my whole body in 4-5 pumps. I use straight after I turn off the shower. It will takes 2 minutes at most.

1. Arms, upperchest, and upperback
2. tummy and lower back
3. 1 leg all the way up
4. other leg all the way up
5. extra on my elbows and knees if needed.

The lotion I use is NIVEA. It is pretty thick. I think if you have a thinner one, you could could use even less.

I see people recommended oils as I well. For that I recommended putting it in a spray bottle and just spray yourself down after every shower.

Things that helped me have softer skin:

-taking showers that were shorter and with water that wasn’t so hot

-not washing my arms/legs with soap. Unless your arms/legs are dirty or sweaty, you really don’t need to wash them; doing so strips them of their natural oils

-body oil. During the winter, I’ll take a shower and then, after turning off the water, add a small bit of body oil to my hands, feet, arms, and legs. I like using alba botanica.

Get the body wash that is also in shower lotion - Nivea in shower body lotion or even Dove Deep Moisture body wash. It’s one step instead of 2 and not sticky. Also using more lukewarm/cool water in shower, hot water only dries you out.

I put my bar soap in a exfoliating glove and love it for keeping my skin soft. I also keep some occlusive lotion everywhere so I can just slather it on whenever during this time of year. If your skin in flaking off and you haven’t gone to a dermatologist definitely make a trip!

It doesn’t have to be wet. I towel off gently then put on my oil. I skip days and don’t like creams. Try body oil instead maybe, it soaks in much faster but seems to moisturize longer than lotion.

Hyleronic acid tends to be a smoother consistency. My face chronically felt dry to the point of having to put cream on every hour or so. I feel like it penetrates my skin instead of just sitting atop it!

Also if you have scolding he'll water showers like I do, that drys you out too. If you can tolerate baby oil use that after the shower. It helps to lock in the moisture

I have had chronic itchy dry skin(eczema) my whole life; the two things that have made it disappear are eliminating dairy from my diet and removing all scents and perfumes from my life(including in clothing detergent, and hand soaps).

Ps. I hate lotion, never apply it. I do sometimes add a couple drops of jojoba oil to my baths though.