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If you have dry skin, you know how itchy and irritated it can get. Cold weather can make it worse, but even humid weather can be bothersome. If you want to alleviate your dry face and skin, you'll have to make sure that you are following a proper dry skin care routine.

If you thought dry skin care was just about moisturizing, you could be mistaken. Dry skin also has to do with acquiring habits that help maintain your skin hydrated and avoiding habits that strip moisture from your skin. Here's what you should do to soothe your skin.

Choose the Right Type of Product

There is a difference in the type of product you should use if you have regular dry skin or really dry skin. If you have regular dry skin then you can use a creamy moisturizer on a daily basis. However, if you have extremely dry skin, try mineral oil or even an edible, non-comedogenic oil (e.g. olive oil).

Change your Daily Cleansing Routine

If you don't have the right dry skin care routine you'll begin to notice that your skin feels tight and itchy no matter how much moisturizer you use. Just like with any other skin type, you should cleanse, tone, exfoliate, and moisturize regularly. When choosing your skin care products, make sure that they are alcohol and fragrance free.

Cleanse with a cream or oil product; avoid using a soapy cleanser. If you clean your skin using soap and water it will become irritated and dry. A cream cleanser, however, can cleanse your skin without stripping away its natural oils.

Next, exfoliate your skin with a gentle product. Experiment a bit and try making your own exfoliant by mixing oatmeal and honey or grapefruit juice. The oatmeal will help soothe your skin while the honey or juice will help remove dead skin cells.

Finally, apply the appropriate moisturizer for your degree of dry skin. If, during the day, your skin begins to feel tight or itchy during you can reapply your moisturizer as needed.

Daily Skin Care Habits

If you still feel that your moisturizer is not relieving the dryness of your skin, maybe there are some daily habits you should modify. Let's take a quick look at what may be affecting your dry skin.

Long showers can help you unwind after a crazy day at work, but they can also make your dry skin worse. Hot water strips your skin of natural oils. Therefore, take shorter showers with warm water.

Moisturize your skin (entire body) as soon as you get out of the shower to lock moisture to your skin. If this is not possible, dry off as much as possible. When water evaporates from your skin, some of your skin's natural moisture also goes with it.