Winter Cycling - Dry skin - face and hands?

I did a search first, honest I did. But I must have done a lousy job because nothing useful came up. This has to be a regularly recurring topic in this forum.

It's only the end of November, and my face and hands are so dry they're ready to drop off. Today, after shaving, I slapped on the aftershave and just about blacked out. At this rate, I'm just gonna be just a grinning skull by spring.

What do guys use for the dry skin on the face and hands that isn't girly or perfumy, isn't greasy, and doesn't cost department store cosmetic counter prices?

There's this stuff: http://www.aubrey-organics.com/product1.cfm?product_id=806

It's perfect. It isn't very greasy, doesn't smell much, and keeps skin from getting windchapped or sunburned. On the web site it's expensive, but I've seen it in local stores for much less. You don't have to use very much.

My mother and brother both have some form of eczemas. I don't but have sensitive skin and can't much stand to shave. I trim very short without much problem, business casual at work allows for that. I use regular lotion on my face and hands daily. After the shower, dishwashing, whenever they feel dry, etc.

I find Curel ultra healing moisturizing lotion at wal-mart, not too expensive. It's not greasy as long as you don't put too much for your skin to absorb. I usually do my hands and then rub the excess on my face, starting at my nose and sides of the lips where it gets bad. It doesn't have a lingering perfume smell, you can tell it's lotion when you put it on.

They have to use the expensive stuff when they break out but do fine with the above for regular use.

badger balm. for real. it seems a little pricey at first, but the stuff lasts a really long time and a little goes a long way. i paid $9 for a 2 oz tin and four years later, i'm still on the same tin. great for the hands. i haven't used it on my face though.

Thanks for the responses. I don't have any unusual sensitivities -- the reference to how much the aftershave stung was just a way of jokingly emphasizing how dry my skin has become.

Badger balm and Burt's bees both make some industrial strength products for this. I also switch to lotions with a high wax content (Aveno) to combat the drying of cold, low humidity, and 2x showering. When you're done for the day: shower, grease up, and put on cotton.

What do guys use for the dry skin on the face and hands that isn't girly or perfumy, isn't greasy, and doesn't cost department store cosmetic counter prices?

I've had ongoing problems with dry skin up here in AK. So bad at one point I had to go to an internist. He made a suggestion I've followed--don't take off the oils in the first place. Your skin will protect itself if you let it. I switched from using regular soap to using Grandpa's pine tar. I also take a sauna style shower, with mongo very hot water followed by blasting pure cold for a minute or two. These methods have helped enormously.

For very dry days I will still use some simple hand cream, akin to Eucerine. Nothing fancy.

I use lotion pretty much whenever I wash anything; I carry little sample-size tubes of hand lotion with me all the time. For the face I like Neutrogena's oil-free face lotion - pretty light, no girly smells, does not make me break out. I can't remember how much it costs exactly, maybe ~$10? available in most drug stores.

I'm told it's also good to make your showers as short as possible, but I've never been able to follow that advice.

I've had ongoing problems with dry skin up here in AK. So bad at one point I had to go to an internist. He made a suggestion I've followed--don't take off the oils in the first place. Your skin will protect itself if you let it. I switched from using regular soap to using Grandpa's pine tar. I also take a sauna style shower, with mongo very hot water followed by blasting pure cold for a minute or two. These methods have helped enormously.

For very dry days I will still use some simple hand cream, akin to Eucerine. Nothing fancy.

Ha - despite your clever attempts to throw us off by using a false identity and listing your location as Alaska - I know it's really you Grant Peterson !!! You're the only one that offers up a plug for Grandpa's pine tar for every conceivable condition, and that's gonna give you away every time.

Just kidding -- thanks for the input -- I was surprised to read that you saw an internist for those issues, but I guess it's all related.

I had no idea they plugged Grandpa's pine tar at Rivendell till you mentioned it. It is good stuff, though. I got hooked on it when I was living off grid up north and had to rig my own bath with a propane cooker and a 55 gallon hog feeder. PTS was the only soap that didn't leave a film behind. So I could use it in the tub and not have to worry about the lack of a rinse-down. It also leaves my skin clean but with some natural oil on it to prevent it from getting overly dry.

Here's what works well for me. Aloe Vera gel (like the kind you use for too much sun exposure).....then a pair of disposable nitrile gloves under your regular gloves. The nitrile gloves act as a vapor barrier, further hydrating your skin. Not greasy, not smelly, and your hands will be as soft as a baby's butt. :D

The other thing I use for hydrating just about any part of the body is using hair conditioner (Suave makes an aloe vera conditioner that costs about a $1) and applying that after I clean with a shampoo (after all shampoos are just liquid soap with more skin conditioners).....then I rinse off lightly and towel off. This keeps a very, very light sheen of what is ostensibly a lotion without the greasy feeling.

The nice thing about Aloe Vera is that it is also designed to heal your skin.....so if you have small cuts, abrasions, chaffing.....whatever.....it helps that while it keeps your skin from getting dry. Great stuff!

elephant lube


for real

Get a buzz cut and stop using shampoo. Worked for me. That's the worst culprit for dry winter skin. Just rinse your hair with water in the shower. By the time it grows out it won't need shampoo because your scalp will have stopped pumping out so much grease to compensate for what the shampoo removes.

I tend to not shave during the week as my job is one where a few whiskers is an acceptable look and use some fairly intense moisturizers on my face and hands to prevent dry chapped skin.

I prepare my own moisturizer by using a neutral base and add tea tree oil as an antibacterial agent and this also works as an excellent after shave balm that does not cause painful blackouts.

Vanicream is what pharmacies use to fill lotiony prescriptions. It's super thick and good. But pretty expensive. It's the only lotion I can use on my face. It's not scented. It's OTC, but it's behind the pharmacy counter at my Target, so I have to ask someone to get it. It's like ~$15 for a 16oz. tub that lasts two of us several months.

Go look at the Vaseline products ... they've got a variety of lotions for various situations. Some are scented, some aren't, and most come in a fairly basic-looking bottle, nothing fancy or girly.

I use Vaseline Creamy Problem Skin Therapy for dry hands, and also as a skin protection in my sitting area for rainy rides.

You can find Vaseline products in any department store or pharmacy relatively inexpensively.

I 2nd the pine tar soap. I had read about it on here and saw it at the grocery. Haven't looked back since, even starting to like the smell. Skin feels great, not oily or dry, just perfect. I actually used it to shave with Friday and it did great. My facial hair isn't the thickest so...

Stay away from soaps, shaving cream and aftershave with alcohol or SLS/SLES in it. If they have it, no matter how hydrating or whatever they claim to be, toss 'em.

Olive oil works great for skin too, you can leave it on your hands overnight but I started getting zits when I used it on my face. If you use it, wash your face after 20 min or so. Don't use lite olive oil...for anything.

Sounds like your aftershave has alc. in it. Do you use it for antiseptic, for the smell or conditioner? All?

Vaseline Intensive Care hand lotion. I don't drink as much water as I should, so I get all raisiny [that's not a word, is it?]. The VIC goes on my head, face, hands, arms, legs. It's dead cheap and absorbs into my skin immediately. When it's really cold out, I keep the exposed bits of my face from getting frostbite by rubbing Carmex on them. Bridge/end of my nose, temples, lips and upper parts of my cheeks get a light coat. It's basically a light wax, so it doesn't give me zits.

I've had good luck adding a humidifier to my office and another one to my bedroom. This with only minimal lotion keeps my skin from being dry. My lips need regular chapstick, particularly before heading outside.

I use lotion pretty much whenever I wash anything; I carry little sample-size tubes of hand lotion with me all the time. For the face I like Neutrogena's oil-free face lotion - pretty light, no girly smells, does not make me break out. I can't remember how much it costs exactly, maybe ~$10? available in most drug stores.

I'm told it's also good to make your showers as short as possible, but I've never been able to follow that advice.

+1 on both accounts. I use with Neutrogena of Lubriderm, both came highly recommended by the Pediatrician when my daughter needed some cream.

I also have very sensative skin and use no soap on my face and avoid any harsh deoderant soap in the shower (only use Dove). I will and then use some liquid deoderant. I only use a tiny bit, about a nickle size dollup on my hand, and only hit the critical areas (i.e. under arms and crotch). I keep a bottle of cream at my desk at work and will put some on after I get to work and I've cooled down a bit. The stuff has pretty much no smell and it is creamy and absorbs very quickly. I will not use any kind of aftershave as it causes my skin to break out.

Happy riding,
André