Change your soap. Start in the shower by lathering up with an ultra-hydrating body wash. "Bar soaps can contain harsh surfactants, so it's best to stick with a creamy, moisturizing formula," says P&G Beauty Scientist Rolanda Johnson
Shorten your showers. Nothing is better than letting the hot streams message your back. But it's important to keep your daily showers short and make sure the water is warm, not hot. Pat yourself dry with a towel, but leave a little water on your skin.
Moisturize before you towel-off. Immediately apply a cream that contains hydrators like glycerin, dimethicone, and ceramides, which are lipids that reinforce your skin's protective barrier so moisture can't escape, says dermatologist Eric Schweiger.
Get rid of dead skin. A few times a week, use a gentle exfoliating scrub. It may sound like it would be drying, but sloughing actually removes dead skin so your body cream will absorb the moisturizer better.
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
