10 Natural Remedies for Eczema: The Best thing for Dry Skin in your own Home

There are loads of things in the natural world that can be useful for dealing with dry skin in general. A lot of them you already have in your home or garden and are therefore easy to access. The best thing for dry skin is to keep it as natural and chemical-free as possible. This way the body’s production of natural oils is not inhibited.

I’ve put a list of the best natural remedies for eczema that you may already have access to in your home. Some can be easily found in the garden or easily accessed at any supermarket. All work beautifully in their own way and can be applied in various ways. There’s something for everyone.

Oats or Oatmeal

Oats have been used for thousands of years as a way to soothe and treat the skin topically.  Itchy, irritated, and dry skin is often down to the skin’s Ph level being imbalanced. Oats have a natural Ph and can calm and soothe any itching.

One of the simplest ways to use oats is in an Oatmeal bath, it not only soothes itch and calms inflamed, irritated skin, but is relaxing and calming for you too.

Grind plain oatmeal and add a cup to a lukewarm bath; soak for 15 minutes and enjoy.

Honey

Honey is another of nature’s wonders, with so many benefits to be had. Not only for sweetening tea, Honey is hydrating and can help to treat dry skin and eczema because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Honey can also work as an extremely thick emollient, trapping moisture into the skin. Manuka honey, produced by bees in New Zealand that pollinate the manuka bush, may be the best. Apply honey directly to the affected area, gently cover with a light bandage, leave overnight. In the morning, be careful to remove the bandages gently and wash away any remaining honey.

Stinging Nettle

As an eczema sufferer, your first thought about nettles may be one of caution and doubt, as they’re known for their painful stingers. However, nettles are nature’s own antihistamine and anti-inflammatory. In fact, one of the best treatments of nettle stings (urticaria) is in fact the juice of the nettles themselves.

Nettles can be consumed like spinach, or added to smoothies for their benefits, combating inflammation from the inside-out, or the nettle’s goodness can be obtained by using nettle products topically.

Nettle-infused oil can be applied directly to the skin or used to make other topical products like Nettle Cream and Nettle Soap. 

A great way to get a double-whammy nettle effect is to wash with the nettle soap, and then apply the nettle cream to the damp skin (not completely dried) using the soak-and-seal approach to lock in moisture.

Coconut oil

Known to be particularly gentle on the skin, and an all-round amazing product, coconut oil is wonderful for treating dry skin and eczema, among other things.

Coconut oil is antimicrobial, which means it works to kill bacteria on the skin and has the ability to penetrate the skin quickly and efficiently, so it absorbs easily into the skin, helping to nourish and hydrate the skin without leaving it greasy. 

These reasons make coconut oil an obvious choice, and that’s why I use them in most of my nettle products, including the nettle cream and nettle soap.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV), made by fermenting apples in water over time, is effective in treating dry skin and eczema symptoms. ACV is an acid, so applied topically can help to restore the skin’s PH level, providing relief from inflammation and itch.

Add a cup of ACV to a lukewarm bath, soak and relax, letting the apple cider vinegar soak into the skin OR add 2 tablespoons of ACV to a bowl of water, soak some gauze wraps or a washcloth in the mixture, squeeze out excess liquid and apply it to the skin. 

If you’re having a hot flare, adding some ice cubes to the water to cool it can help. Keep the washcloth on the skin for as long you can, or until it warms up, then repeat again.

Wear clothes that are skin friendly

Soft natural materials like cotton, linen, or bamboo are gentle and feel comfortable against sensitive skin. Avoid anything rough or scratchy, like wool or hemp. If you like wool for warmth in the winter, protect your skin with a base layer like a long-sleeved cotton shirt.

Make sure you choose breathable fabrics, synthetics like polyester, or nylon often aggravate the skin, and can cause a flare to worsen.

Opt for loose cuts, too, avoid clothes that are tight or restricting. These can be unbearable when your skin is already itchy or in pain.

What about soap or detergent?

Detergents and commercial soaps can often be too harsh for dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin because of the chemical makeup. 

Opt for a natural soap, check the ingredients and avoid synthetic fragrances in particular.

For your clothes, always opt for a non-bio detergent. I know if I use the wrong thing for my children’s clothes or bedding, my son’s sensitive skin reacts and flares up almost immediately. I stick to my safe options for my son, nettle soap for his body, non-bio detergent for the laundry, and I avoid fabric softener altogether.

Shea butter

Made from the nuts of the African Shea tree, this buttery solid oil is gorgeous on the skin. It has a melting point at body temperature, it acts as a refatting agent by retaining key fats in your skin and it absorbs into the skin quickly.

Ok, maybe this one is not something you ordinarily have around the house, but it’s easy enough to get hold of. If not on it’s own, choose products that contain shea butter.

I use shea butter in both the nettle cream and nettle soap, it’s lovely to work with, super nourishing, and gives the products a creamy, luxurious quality.

Epsom salts

Epsom salt is a sulfate-magnesium compound that comes from mineral water. Although there is no scientific evidence to report on epsom salts for eczema treatment, many eczema and dry skin sufferers report feeling relief, as well as smooth, silky skin after using epsom salts in the bath. 

The salt bath is a common suggestion for helping relieve sore muscles or joints for sportspeople, for relieving nettle rash or urticaria, sunburn, and insect bites too.

A cupful added to a lukewarm bath, soak and enjoy.

Bicarb (sodium bicarbonate) or Baking Soda

Another household staple that you can use to relieve symptoms of eczema or dry skin, and it’s one of my favourite things to use in the house, with multiple uses.

Bicarbonate of Soda is a mixture of sodium ions and bicarbonate ions. It dissolves fully in water and is commonly added to oral hygiene and cleaning products, as it can help to remove bacteria, odours, and acidity. 

In my home, I use bicarb for so much more than baking. A teaspoon in a glass of warm water helps for indigestion, a cupful down the drain once a month keeps my septic tank healthy, I also use it with a splash of lemon juice to dislodge stubborn baked-on food from pots and oven dishes.

I digress, back to the benefits for your skin. It’s easy enough to make a bicarb bath, simply add a ¼ or ½ cup of bicarb to the bath to help relieve itch and inflammation, and help to prevent future flare-ups.

Read more about the benefits of bicarb here

The best thing for dry skin is always a natural remedy

So there you are, I’ve given you a list of 10 natural remedies for eczema, but you choose the best thing for dry skin, or choose a few that are right for you. Often it’s a combination of things together that work well, and there is no one thing that works best for everyone. 

All of us react differently, have different triggers, and like different applications. So whether you’re a soak-in-a-bath kind of person, or a slather- with-lotion kind of person, there’s something here for you.

I hope you’ve found this helpful. If you enjoyed this post, you may also like to read

7 Natural Remedies to Treat Eczema

How to Reduce Inflammation in the Body Fast

Eczema: Ingredients for the Best Natural Soap Bars

xx Bronwyn