My skin has always been fairly dry, I assumed that was partly related to living in Perth's hot, dry climate. Managed it pretty well with bog standard moisturizers.

I'm quite surprised that since moving to the UK around 18 months ago, my skin is drier than ever, especially on my arms, legs and heels. I also seem to have developed a sensitivity to highly fragranced moisturizing products.

There seems to be an unending choice of unscented creams and lotions for very dry skin, so rather than try each one until I find one that works (and hopefully doesn't make me smell like a hospital), I thought I'd ask BE members if they have any recommendations.

Ta

My OH has very dry skin and finds Aveeno products are the best, they do various products which are based on oats ( or extracts of) which target dry skin and always come out well in reviews. He use dry skin relief lotion and I use some of their face creams mostly for SPF.

E45 works for me (Boots sell it, plus many other places) - closest Aussie product I've found is Alpha Keri, if thats any guide.

Thanks Bo-Jangles and Polly, much appreciated

I find coconut oil helps. It has to be the pure virgin one, not the processed stuff. I suffer from dry skin and eczema, I feel your pain! Apparently cold and damp air makes it worse. My skin was terrible in the UK, a little better in NZ but always goes away when in hot and humid places.

I use coconut oil on my skin all the time. I have a little dish of it beside my bed and at night before I go to sleep I put a little bit (you only need the smallest amount) on my feet and legs and rub the remains into my hands. It's great stuff, cheap as chips and smells nice.

Aveeno does a bath soak powder stuff that I used to buy for myself in Canada that turned the water a milky colour. It's a bugger to get out of the tub, but a bath with colloidal oatmeal is very moisturising. Showers tend to strip the oils from your skin, so maybe try bathing instead when your skin is really dry?

Since being back have had same probelm as we are in a very hard water area. I saw a Dermatologist who recommended E45 which must be applied after every shower. Boots best for this.

And this for washing, discovered on my current trip here.

https://www.nivea.co.uk/shop/in-show...993430045.html

Thanks for the recommendations everyone, much appreciated. I'm going to give the E45 a go first but it's good to know about the others too.

I use something like that, with oatmeal, and is the only thing I have found that doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy, and stops the itch-itch-itching of dry skin during the winter.

I always thought that itchy skin was a result of living in Alberta, a fairly arid place. Even tho' I am now back in England, at times a fairly wet place, itchy skin has driven me mad-like needles sticking in my skin-face, ears, eyes, and arms. I have tried everything-sudacreme, hydro cortisone, E45, calamine lotion. Finally I went to the doctor for something to stop the ear irritation. I wish I hadn't. He started off by telling me the many serious internal conditions that manifest themselves with itchy skin, he couldn't just tell me the more likely cause-anno domini- or plain old excezma. I ended up with a one-time prescription for a steroid medication. Worked a treat on my ears.

I quite like this:

Sanex Advanced Hydrate 24H Body Lotion 250ml - Boots

It's light and non-greasy, not heavily scented and it lasts. I hate feeling the slightest bit sticky after applying lotion and this worked just fine for me.

Personally, I would want to explore all other options before resorting to a steroid medication.

That is why I got a one time only prescription, for treatment lasting only 5 days.

Thanks Dorothy. Strangely I only struggle with really dry skin and eczema on my hands. Legs and arms are a little dry and can be easily controlled by coconut oil, but no eczema. I've had it on my hands for years and only ever seems to be controlled with steroid cream and hot/humid places. The only time it ever went away within the last 15 years was when I backpacked in hot and humid countries for 1 year. I returned back to the UK in the middle of winter and it came back with vengeance! I'm a medical mystery apparently