Eczema and dry skin are tandem skin problems that cause discomfort and affect other areas of life, like your self-esteem and sleep. Dry skin relief is crucial to prevent these conditions from worsening — and what better way to moisturize than making customized salves in your own kitchen? Here are four easy recipes to check out.
Browse This Article
How Prevalent Is Eczema?
According to the National Eczema Association, 31.6 million people in the U.S. suffer from a form of eczema, with prevalence mostly occurring during early childhood. However, around one in 10 individuals are still at risk of developing the skin condition during their lifetime. Rashes and inflammation can happen anytime, which makes it essential to ensure skin remains healthy and moisturized.
As more people become aware of the importance of keeping skin healthy, the skincare industry is projected to reach around $145 billion by 2028. For the next few years, you can likely expect a rise in demand for products targeted to treat eczema, too. Instead of having to solely rely on store-bought solutions, here are some alternatives to try for dry skin relief.
4 Homemade Salve and Balm Recipes
Natural products, and those made at home and not in a lab, can often have far less side effects. As they seldom include a chemically-based active ingredient, your body is less likely to experience harmful side effects than with medicated creams and prescription drugs. Soothe your itchy skin using homemade salves for eczema and balms for dry skin. Check out these four easy recipes.
1. Beeswax
Applying a liberal amount of this beeswax balm on flaky hands can relieve dry skin and symptoms of eczema. Follow these instructions to make it.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of chopped beeswax
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
8 drops of basil essential oil
14 drops of geranium essential oil
15 drops of lavender essential oil
What you need:
Clean jars
Double boiler pot
Steps:
Fill the bottom pot with water about two-thirds full, enough so it touches the bottom of the top pot. Turn the stove on to medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Add the beeswax while stirring occasionally. Then, mix in the olive oil and stir for one minute. Follow it with coconut oil. Let the mixture sit for another minute. Finally, drop the essential oils and stir well. Pour the balm into the jars and wait for it to cool before putting the lid on.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is considered by many a holy grail in improving skin conditions through moisturizing and easing skin dryness. Here’s how to make your own salve for eczema or dry skin.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
3 tablespoons of rosehip or any essential oil
4 capsules of vitamin E
What you need:
Double boiler
Glass jar
Steps:
Melt the coconut oil using the double boiler over medium-low heat, ensuring the water isn’t too hot as it may degrade the oil’s quality. Pierce the vitamin E capsules and squeeze the contents into the melted coconut oil. Lastly, add the rosehip essential oil while stirring everything well. Transfer to a glass jar. Store it in a cool, dry place. You may also put it in the freezer to solidify and use it as a cream. For application, directly massage it on the affected skin area.
3. Oatmeal
An oatmeal bath is a well-known homemade treatment for skin dryness. Many people with eczema have tried it and had positive results. Check out this tried-and-tested recipe.
Ingredients:
65 grams of distilled water
1 gram colloidal oatmeal
7 grams of vegetable emulsifying wax
10 grams shea butter
15 grams of sunflower butter
Preservative of your choice, like Leucidal SF Complete
Optional: a few drops of lavender essential oil
What you need:
Jars
Saucepan
Fork
Steps:
Place the distilled water and colloidal oatmeal in a heat-resistant container. Combine the sunflower oil, shea butter and vegetable emulsifying wax in another heat-proof jar. Place both in a saucepan with one inch of water, creating a makeshift double boiler. Heat it up at medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes until everything is melted.
Transfer into a clean jar and stir with a fork consistently until the mixture starts to thicken as it cools. Then, mix in the preservative and the essential oil. Stir well. It’s ready for use when the consistency thickens into a cream.
4. Calendula
Calendula has also been a popular home remedy for managing several skin issues, including rashes, wounds, and eczema. Gather these things to make an effective calendula salve for dry skin.
Ingredients:
1 cup of calendula oil
3-4 tablespoons of beeswax pastilles
Optional: 2 tablespoons of shea butter
Optional: Essential oils
What you need:
Double boiler
Glass jars or salve tins
Steps:
Combine everything in the top boiler. Fill the bottom pot with water up to the point it reaches the bottom of the top boiler. Heat over a medium-low range on the stovetop. Stir frequently until everything melts. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes. Carefully pour into the glass jar or tin. Set aside for several hours until fully cool.
Easy-to-Make Homemade Salves for Eczema
Having eczema or dry skin is extremely uncomfortable, but these homemade remedies can help make it more bearable. Make them at home as a natural alternative to store-bought lotions and reduce your risk for side effects.
