Take a look at these 9 at-home skin fixes that have stood the test of time: DRY SKIN In Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian holistic system, practitioners approach health conditions based on the five elements: air, space, fire, water, and earth, explains Nisha Saini of New York Ayurveda. When there’s an imbalance of the water element—something almost everyone experiences in winter—the skin becomes dry.Try it: To treat dry skin on your body, gently brush off dead cells with exfoliation gloves, which are gentler than a scrub. Try Earth Therapeutics Exfoliating Hydro Glove ($4, ulta.com). To moisturize, massage rich sesame oil mixed with a couple of drops of essential oil like basil or geranium into skin. (Just make sure you’re getting your money’s worth; check out these 7 signs your essential oils are fake.) ACNE “According to traditional Chinese medicine, acne signals a problem within the digestive system,” says Ken Rosenberg, a practitioner at the Institute for Health and Healing in San Francisco. For example, too much phlegm in the body can show up as cystic acne on the skin.Try it: Avoid dairy, which is considered “damp” in TCM because it contributes to phlegm. (Scientific research also shows a possible link between dairy and acne, as dairy proteins may cause inflammation and lead to pimples.) Rosenberg also suggests skipping shellfish. “They’re bottom feeders, which we believe leaves residue in the blood, contributing to problem skin.” ROSACEA Sensitive skin problems like rosacea are associated with the fire element in Ayurvedic medicine. Not surprisingly, cooling your body and blood is the key to treating the issue, says Sanai.Try it: Cook with ghee, or clarified butter, which will cool the body from within, Sinai says. To calm skin topically, apply a cooling cleanser made of one tsp almond meal and ½ tsp each of orange peel and dry powdered milk. Add enough rose water to create a paste. Massage all over your face and neck in a circular motion for one minute, then rinse. MORE: 10 Foods That Soothe Inflammation ECZEMA Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners recognize eczema as a sign of an imbalance of your body’s Qi—their name for energy. Specifically, it signals an excess of the elements wind and heat in the body, which lead to redness and flaking, says Peggy Robinson, doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine at Cornerstone Healing in Brooklyn, NY.Try it: To keep skin hydrated and moist, boil honeysuckle flowers in water like a tea, let cool, and apply to affected areas. If you can’t find honeysuckle, try Tea Haven’s loose Honeysuckle Flower Tea ($17 for 2 ounces, teahaven.com). The flowering herb nourishes and relieves heat, which surfaces as redness on skin. Adding cooling foods to your diet, like mint leaves or peppermint, will also improve circulation and aid in cooling your skin. COLD SORES Blisters around your lips are set off by the herpes virus, so your first defense is strengthening your immune system, says Chicago-area naturopathic doctor Kelly Simms.Try it: Eat foods rich in immune-boosting vitamin A (like sweet potatoes and red peppers), vitamin D (like canned sardines) and probiotics (like yogurt). Pop a multivitamin and a probiotic supplement to ensure you’re getting enough of the above. Dab licorice gel or salve (find it at health food stores) onto the sore. Licorice contains active compounds like triterpenoids, which research shows have antiviral properties. MORE: 6 Ways To Prevent Cold Sores Photo by Michael Grayson/Getty Images PSORIASIS “In TCM, we think of psoriasis like an invasion of a pathogen in the body. It’s the most difficult skin condition to alleviate,” says Robinson. That means treating the body from within, and identifying root causes. Controlling stress, which leads to outbreaks, is the first step.Try it: Deep breathing. “The lungs are important in Chinese medicine. The respiratory system is what circulates toxins out of the body. If you’re not breathing well, your skin gets stagnated,” she says. Most of us take shallow chest breaths. Instead, practice stress-relieving belly breathing. When you breathe in, your abdomen should inflate and then deflate when you exhale. Practice once in the early morning, midday, and evening. The goal is to make breathing this way a habit. FOOT FUNGUS Yeast called candida is a normal part of our gut flora, but when it overgrows it can show up as skin fungus, says Simms. Both stress and a diet high in refined sugars can make this overgrowth worse, and make you more susceptible to fungal problems.Try it: Taking anti-candida supplements like garlic, which offers a higher concentration of antifungal properties than eating the root. Topically, use oils like tea tree or neem on toenail or foot fungus, says Simms. Twice a day apply oil directly to the nail or affected area on the foot, and cover with a bandage. If you don’t see any improvement, see your dermatologist since fungus can be tough to treat. MORE: The 100 Best Supplements For Women HIVES Hives can be set off by a number of factors, including allergens in food or beauty products. “Your goal here is to support your liver, the organ that filters out the histamines that cause outbreaks,” says Simms.Try it: Switch to plain or olive oil-based soaps, which are non-reactive on skin, to eliminate possible allergens. Drink dandelion or nettle tea (available at health food stores) to improve your liver’s ability to detox the body. Research in animals has shown that dandelion can also help protect liver cells from damage. And consider taking an oatmeal bath: Oats contain compounds called avenathramides that decrease inflammation and irritation. Simms suggests grinding one or two cups of oatmeal, submerging in a bowl of water, then adding it to your bath. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Photo by gojak/Getty Images OILY SKIN Oiliness “is a compensatory function of skin,” says Sujatha Mannal, a homeopath who trained in India and now practices at WholeHealth Chicago. In layman’s terms, that means a lack of oil prompts the body to overcorrect and send oil to the skin’s surface. The solution? Bring back balance.Try it: Add more healthy fats into your diet by cooking with grapeseed and sesame oil, for one. And incorporate it into your beauty regimen, too, says Mannal. In place of your usual washing routine, dip a cotton ball in coconut oil (the oil is hard at room temperature, so soften in the microwave first) and swipe onto skin. Its antibacterial qualities cleanse without drying. Then rinse with water and remove excess oil with a cotton ball dipped in witch hazel. Follow up with your usual anti-aging serum and daily moisturizer. MORE: 6 Gross Ingredients Lurking In Your Beauty Products
