What can I use to hydrate my dry skin?

Eat/drink less sugar and drink more water. Dr. gave me a cream that didn’t work. Allergy meds helped but was getting pricy.

@Harper1234 For my face I like and have tried and liked Principal Secret moisturizers. IT Secret Sauce is good. Mario Badescu has a line of skin pproducts, some organic that are not expensive. For body I use Aveeno “intense” cream I buy in n 11 ounce tub at Walmart for about $10.

Change whatever soap you are using to something like Aveeno or other moisturizing cleanser !

I use St Ives apricot scrub for acne along with one of their milder peach scrubbers when washing my face. I follow that with Art Natural Jojoba Oil for the moisture. I’ve found the Jojoba oil absorbs into the skin much easier than both Coconut Oil & baby oil. You can get the St Ives at Walmart or Walgreens for under $5 each. Both places have their own generic brand for about $3 each that works just as well. I get the Jojoba Oil from Amazon for about $10 per 4 oz bottle & IF you don’t overdo it, it lasts a really long time. I also massage the Jojoba into my nails & it absorbs right in & my nails are looking a lot better. With the Jojoba Oil, less is better for sure. Use too much & your skin will become oily. One drop on my finger tip & I start under my eyes spreading as far as it will go. One drop on my finger tip & I spread it on my cheeks & spread as far as it will go. When you first start, it will absorb really fast so you might need a little bit more. After a few applications, you won’t need to use as much. I use the facial scrub in the shower & then use the Jojoba Oil immediately after getting out of the shower & I only blot my face dry so some of the moisture from the shower is trapped under the oil to help with some natural hydration.

When I first started with the Jojoba, I put it on kind of heavy at night before going to bed. I’m a back sleeper & it absorbed completely over night. Then I noticed that my face was getting too greasy & that’s when I started with the apricot scrub to wash my face followed by a fingertip drop of Jojoba to maintain the moisture. Now I do the scrub followed by the oil maybe once a week. My BFF has commented several times about how smooth my skin is looking. I’ve noticed the the droopy eyelids are not near as droopy anymore.

The other thing I did back in the beginning that I don’t do as often now is use a massager on my face. That seems to stimulate the collagen & helps to bring it to the surface. I bought the massager from Walgreens for $40. It heats up & has a wheel so I can better control the intensity of the vibration. This massager is also great for when my back hurts & my legs start swelling so it’s not just dedicated for facial use.

I’ve wasted a small fortune buying those fancy anti-age creams that didn’t work. Now people are commenting on how young I look & I’m turning 70 in a few months. Both the facial scrub & the Jojoba will last for months so the initial buy is where you have the expense. After that you can buy each one of them separately so the cost is spread out. Since the massager can be used all over your body, it a multi-purpose item & really not that expensive considering all the body parts that it can sooth.

My grandmother used moisturizing cream, once in the morning when she put her face on and once at night when she took her face off.
I think she used Ponds.

What is your daily regimen? It’s hard to tell what’s happening without knowing that.

Also have you always had dry skin or has it changed?

A lot of people tend to use too many harsh chemicals (like for blemishes), or for ladies, make-up that doesn’t suit your skin.

Taking a break from makeup for a while helps your skin find its own balance. Medication can be an issue, too.

I use Neutrogena https://www.target.com/p/neutrogena-oil-free-facial-moisturizer-spf-15-sunscreen-38-glycerin-4-fl-oz/-/A-10772533?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google&fndsrc=tmnv&DFA=71700000053233519&CPNG=PLA_DVM%2B0060H00000moksTQAQ-J%26J-Shopper-May-2019-Neut+FSC-Search-Flight-AO+(Control)&adgroup=PLA_NeutFSC&LID=700000001393753pgs&network=g&device=m&location=9012396&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0vmjq4Ht5AIVA2yGCh06ZAI5EAQYAiABEgIY6PD_BwE

The one I linked is oil free, you might want one with oils.

Face creams will be more hydrating than lotions, so you could look at that.

Eucerin brand is often recommended by dermatologists. https://www.eucerinus.com/products/face-care/eucerin-daily-protection-spf-30-moisturizing-face For hydrating and “allergy free” but you can always be allergic to something. It doesn’t have any fragrance I don’t think. Cetaphyl is also recommended by dermatologists, but I don’t know if they make lotions for the face.

One comment about Jojoba mentioned above. A lot of people are allergic so do a small area first if you try it, before slathering a bunch on. I have no problem with it, but many people do.

If you are very dry, and your eyes are dry, and you’re losing hair, and you’re sleeping a lot, or sleeping very little, or maybe your blood pressure is hight ir very low, you might consider having your thyroid checked next time you go to the doctor. Plenty of people are dry with normal thyroids, but it also is a symptom of thyroid disorders.

My sister and I both have had good luck using walnut or almond oil after washing with castile soap.