Looking for a strong, effective lotion for my DS's dry skin

[busymama77]

My 5yo gets really bad dry skin during the Winter, and this Winter, it seems to be the worse thus far.  We've used Aveeno, Eucerin, Vaseline, Jergens Ultra Healing.   Nothing seems to be working.

Give me your best, healing lotion!  Something that I can pick up at either WF or Target.  Thanks!

[Alyantavid]

My son and I get horrible dry hands during the winter.  Cracking, bleeding, etc.  It's awful.  I do use Eucerin, every night before bed and I put it on him too.  It does take several days if I let it go, but as long as I do it every night, the dryness isn't too bad.

[Greenlea]

I use coconut oil, its great on eczema too.  When I was pregnant I had horrible dry skin on my face.  The only thing that worked was vaseline for me on that.

[pianojazzgirl]

In winter my hands get dry to the point of sometimes cracking and bleeding.  When they've gotten that bad I use Lansinoh (yes, the breastfeeding mother's salve), put on before bedtime (it's super thick and messy and doesn't fill the same function as a lotion).  During the day I use Glaxal Base.  It is intended as a base for prescription mixed creams and it smells awful and medicinal, but it works and does not sting on sensitive skin.  In the past I've also used Dormer 211 with success.  I also recently bought some hand salve from a woman who has a stall at our local market that contains olive oil, beeswax, calendula and one other ingredient I couldn't read on her hand-written label (lol).  It works very well, though doesn't soak into the skin as quickly as the commercial lotions.  But if you are looking for something natural you could look for salves with those ingredients.

[allnaturalmom]

I'm a pianist and sometimes in the winter my hands get so dry and start cracking that it hurts to play (or do anything, really). I have tried so many things... coconut oil, olive oil, vit e from a capsule, aloe, and silver... plus many combinations of them. I will not use commercial products as my allergist does not recommend them - most contain hidden alcohol and other additives. Also, petroleum products are out. The best thing that I have found, however, (and don't laugh, lol!) is spectrum organic shortening. Use it at night or even during the day if it gets really bad. I read about it somewhere in my researching and decided to give it a try. It does not irritate my skin. If I have a cut/crack on my hands from dryness I will put the shortening on and put a band aid over it before bed.... by the next morning... voila... soooo much better! 

gl

hth

[Chamomile Girl]

I have had good luck with Weleda's Skinfood. It's a lanolin-based pasty lotion. Takes awhile to soak in but is very hydrating and healing for dry cracked skin. They should have it at both WF and Target.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by allnaturalmom 

I'm a pianist and sometimes in the winter my hands get so dry and start cracking that it hurts to play (or do anything, really). I have tried so many things... coconut oil, olive oil, vit e from a capsule, aloe, and silver... plus many combinations of them. I will not use commercial products as my allergist does not recommend them - most contain hidden alcohol and other additives. Also, petroleum products are out. The best thing that I have found, however, (and don't laugh, lol!) is spectrum organic shortening. Use it at night or even during the day if it gets really bad. I read about it somewhere in my researching and decided to give it a try. It does not irritate my skin. If I have a cut/crack on my hands from dryness I will put the shortening on and put a band aid over it before bed.... by the next morning... voila... soooo much better! 

gl

hth

Very cool and very interesting. Thanks for sharing, mama!!

[zoebugsmom]

Both my boys get super dry, cracked skin in the winter.  I put oil in their bath water and use Badger Balm during the day.  Before bed I smear Aquafor on the really dry patches.  It always clears it up in a day or two.

[blessedwithboys]

I like pure shea butter and cocnut oil melted together in a double boiler (simmerer, really).  You want just enough oil keep the butter soft when it cools down.  Make it in small batches to keep it clean, or just make sure to put a popsicle stick in the jar instead of your fingers.

[Mama2Bug]

Originally Posted by Chamomile Girl 

I have had good luck with Weleda's Skinfood. It's a lanolin-based pasty lotion. Takes awhile to soak in but is very hydrating and healing for dry cracked skin. They should have it at both WF and Target.

My DD had Eczema as a baby and it was the only thing that did the trick.

[RiverandJulie]

I have had good luck with Cetaphil.

[pygmywombat]

Bag Balm (yes, it's sold for cows) or Warm Skin (made by Aurora Naturally).

[MissSJ]

We use Shikai's Borage Dry Skin Therapy for Children.  It worked fantastically last winter when my boys had severely dry skin.  It has also worked on eczema. 

[cyclamen]

I really like Cetaphil's "skin restoring moisturizer."    It's not super thick, but it's VERY effective.  I can get dry skin so bad I break out into a rash during the winter.

Another tip I got from a doctor a number of years ago was not to use soap, but to use an oil based cleanser.  So I often just use coconut oil and wash cloth to scrub in the shower.  That really helps the most.

[ZenMamato2]

MSM cream works miracles. Not sure if you can buy it at those places but you could online or at a health food store.

[Unconventional1]

Hands down the best thing we have used (and I have tried so many over the years for peeling, cracking, eczema, etc.) is castor oil- the high quality internal use kind that is hexane free. I get it at a local health food store, but I am sure WF has it. I infuse it with other essential oils and such for a variety of things.

[luv my 2 sweeties]

I second the shortening recommendation.  Compared to other options it's inexpensive, yet effective.  (We've tried it, and it really does work great for us!) If that doesn't work, I'd try a home-made preparation like pianojazzgirl recommends.  You could make your own if you are so inclined, but it is kind of time consuming and may require some specialty ingredients.  hope you find some relief!

[AirMiami]

I use pure shea butter and it's greasy, but it works really well. I had really dry skin during pregnancy, like peeling in 95 degree weather in Georgia, but shea butter fixed it right up.

[Pavlovs]

Originally Posted by busymama77 

My 5yo gets really bad dry skin during the Winter, and this Winter, it seems to be the worse thus far.  We've used Aveeno, Eucerin, Vaseline, Jergens Ultra Healing.   Nothing seems to be working.

Give me your best, healing lotion!  Something that I can pick up at either WF or Target.  Thanks!

Bag Balm is a lifesaver at my house.  It heals wounds and dry skin quickly.  I use it i the winter for dry feet and hands, and we use it on my son's tush because he wears an insulin pump so he continually has a "cut" that needs to heal.  It heads in 2 days with bag balm, over a week without it.

[sophiesgrandma]

When I was a young mother my girlfriend also used Crisco on her little boy, he had very bad eczema so I assume it would work well for very dry skin.