There’s nothing more frustrating than dry, itchy skin and constantly feeling like you need to scratch your delicate skin to achieve relief. If you’re one of the many people who find their skin itching up a storm from November to April, we are here to help! Itchy winter skin is extremely common. Today we’ll share some of the common culprits of itchy skin along with our favourite natural cures so that your skin can feel soothed and soft all winter long!

Common causes of itchy skin

In our previous post about winterizing your skin, we talked about how the drop in humidity during the winter leads to a lack of moisture in the air. Since our skin holds water within the cells it can get drawn out from the dry air through a process called osmosis. Dry air literally steals water from your skin! This can leave your skin dry, itchy, and more prone to environmental irritation, which can lead to skin that becomes overly sensitized. 

You may also find that other culprits can contribute to drying out your skin causing irritation and itchiness. Some common factors include: 

• Cold air
• Windy weather, especially when it’s cold!
• Harsh soaps and detergents, which can compromise the skin microbiome and skin barrier. 
• Body washes that contain an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
• Products that contain artificial fragrances, phthalates, petroleum-based ingredients, or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives can cause allergic reactions and itchiness. 
• Hot baths and/or showers
• Food allergies

What can be even more frustrating to those with itchy skin, is that the body will sometimes try to compensate by producing more oil, which can leave you with oily and dry, itchy skin at the same time! Fortunately, there are plenty of safe, effective, natural cures for itchy skin that we will outline below!

Natural cures for itchy skin

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

If you have dry itchy skin, it is imperative that you moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! In fact, moisturizing 3 times per day, for 3 weeks is one of the most effective ways to treat dry itchy skin, based on research. 

Our Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter is a natural and effective way to help relieve itch and moisturize the skin while protecting the skin barrier from any environmental irritants. Our luxurious body butter is crafted from a rich blend of organic plant-based butters and oils including organic cocoa butter, shea butter, and skin-soothing sunflower oil. The fats found in these butters help to create a soothing, protective barrier on the surface of your skin that helps to retain moisture and prevent your skin from drying out, while still letting your skin breathe. That means they won’t clog pores or suffocate your skin. 

These nourishing butters are also rich in vitamins A, E & K, and a variety of fatty acids that deeply moisturize and soothe dry skin, which can prevent cracking and damage to the skin barrier. They also absorb beautifully, with no greasy residue, leaving your skin feeling soft, supple, and smooth. In addition to these soothing butters, we added anti-inflammatory, skin-healing extracts from Canadian sourced chaga and propolis to help nourish, repair & protect the skin, while improving skin regeneration and elasticity.

If you have dry, itchy skin, eczema, or just want to feel soft and smooth all winter long, then make sure to stock up on our Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter! It even comes in a small travel size so you can take it with you wherever your winter adventures take you!

2. Invest in a humidifier.

To counteract the lack of moisture in winter air, invest in a humidifier that can help prevent your skin from becoming dehydrated, itchy, and dry. Make sure you have one in your bedroom at night since this is likely the room you will spend the most time in throughout the course of your day. You can purchase a small one that you can move around your house depending on where you are or purchase a couple to keep in the rooms you use most often. Your skin will thank you!

3. Hydrate from the inside out

While drinking water water alone is not enough to keep the skin hydrated, drinking lots of liquids or enjoying water-rich foods such as cucumbers, smoothies, or soups, is one way to help support your skin from the inside out. 

You can take your hydration game to the next level by sipping on a cuppa one of our amazing functional wellness teas throughout the day. Whether you’re looking for a little detox support, want to promote radiant skin from within, need help unwinding, or want a delicious boost of anti-inflammatory tea, we have a tea for you! Want to try them all? You can save 10% when you purchase our Tea Rituals Bundle. Want to know more? Get to know our best-selling, deliciously detoxifying Everyday Detox Tea here!

4. Support your skin barrier and skin microbiome 

We won’t go into a lot of detail here since we have written extensively about both the skin microbiome (part 1 and part 2) and skin barrier before, but using products that help keep both of these important parts of the skin healthy and functioning can prevent dry, itchy skin from setting in. Our Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter we talked about above is perfect for supporting your skin from the neck down, but when it comes to caring for the delicate skin on your face and neck, our Essential Skincare Bundle can’t be beat! 

Our Fresh Face Cleanser contains humectant ingredients like organic vegetable glycerin, which helps the skin stay hydrated, while ingredients like organic comfrey root and golden jojoba gently clean the skin without stripping your natural oils. Follow up your cleanser with a two (or three or four!) spritzes of Magical Mist Toner, made from a blend of anti-inflammatory organic plant hydrosols that are designed to soothe the skin while infusing it with nutrients. It also creates the perfect dewy surface to apply your hydrating AND moisturizing Hella Hydrating Serum. Made from the dynamic duo of organic cold-pressed rosehip oil, a natural emollient, and hyaluronic acid, a humectant, applying this serum is like giving your skin a big drink and a mighty infusion of skin-loving fatty acids and nutrients. 

Want to try all four products? You can save 25% by purchasing our Clean Beauty Starter Bundle! It contains our Fresh Face Cleanser, Magical Mist Toner, Hella Hydrating Serum, and a 100g jar of Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter to keep your skin moisturized, healthy, and glowing all season long! 

5. Try natural supplements 

Sometimes we might need a little extra support in the form of targeted supplements to help support itchy skin. If you're feeling unsure about where to start or which supplements might be best for you then we suggest speaking to a healthcare practitioner who has knowledge in natural health supplements to advise you on dosage and brand recommendations. Some of our favourite supplements for itchy skin include:

• Quercetin: a phytonutrient that can help inhibit the release of histamine.
• Gamma linoleic acid (GLA): a fatty acid often derived from borage oil that can help moisturize the skin internally to prevent itch and skin inflammation. 
• Omega-3 fats/fish oil: an essential fatty acid that helps to reduce overall inflammation in the body, which can decrease irritation and itchiness. 
• Vitamin D: can help support skin barrier health and function to prevent itchiness.

6. Use natural, organic skincare

Since there are many ingredients in conventional skincare products that could trigger allergic reactions, swapping your routine over to clean, organic products can make a huge difference! We’ve written a whole post on why your skin deserves organic skincare, but the main takeaway is that it won’t contain those harsh ingredients that could cause dry, itchy skin. You can feel confident using our entire Hello Joyous Skincare Line knowing that each product is free from harsh chemicals, preservatives, detergents, synthetic fragrances, and any other junk you don’t want on your skin!

7. Test for food allergies 

One of the compounds released when we eat foods that we’re allergic to is called histamine. It is released by the immune system and, amongst other symptoms, it can lead to itchy skin. If you’ve tried eliminating skin irritating products and the other suggestions on this list, then we suggest working with a qualified healthcare practitioner who can help you get to the root of potential food allergies that could be triggering your skin itchiness. As always, gut health is intimately tied to skin health, so getting to the root of your food triggers can go a long way towards healing your skin!

We hope this post provided you with the knowledge you need to make empowered and educated decisions when it comes to protecting your skin this winter!