DRY itchy skin is the most common beauty woe when the temperature drops.

The arms and legs become scaly, and one feels a tightness on the face and torso as if the skin were being pulled in different directions. One scratch and you be bleeding or scarred.

Taking a shower provides short-term relief as the water moistens our skin up to a few minutes only.

As water evaporates skin once again feels tight as the cleanser we have used has stripped the light oil barrier that locks moisture in.

There are many options available to you to make your feel great and smell wonderful as well.

Body cleanser

Dove is one those classic soap-free solid body bars. But if you have been using it all year round and it isn’t of much help now, switch to the Bodywash.

Personally, I find the classic pink or white Dove bar a bit granny-scented, but I am pleasantly surprised at the Body Wash Beauty Moisture with moisture milk.

It’s the most hydrating of the bunch and best for the driest of skin types as it leaves a protective film that locks moisture in.

It smells very clean but creamily comforting at the same time. It also does not clash with one’s cologne.

The Exfoliating Body Wash smells great with a fresh laundry-inspired fragrance much like Clean’s or Philosophy’s Pure Grace; but it can feel drying for those with very dry skin.

It’s best when matched with the Beauty Moisture Body Lotion after bathing.

Shower oils

L’Occitane Shower Oil is applied to damp skin in the shower, then further emulsified with water as it is massaged on from the neck down.

It sloughs off dry scaly skin while lifting off dirt and odor-causing bacteria. It rinses off clean without a greasy residue and leaves skin baby-soft. Your elbows, knees and feet will thank you.

If your fragrance preference are vanilla-based pick the Amande (almond) Shower Oil, which smells like sugar-coated almonds.

If you prefer refreshing scents, Grapeseed Shower Oil which smells like fresh red grapes is more your style.

In true L’Occitane tradition, the great smell lingers on long after you have left the bathroom. You can smell it on your body as well even without cologne.

The Body Shop Moringa Body Line is making waves abroad as it is high on vitamin A, a key ingredient for moisture and antioxidant protection.

Moringa is actually malunggay, which grows in most Filipino backyards and is a common leafy green found in our soup.

The line is for normal to dry skin and has a floral-green bouquet. Used in Ayurvedic medicine some 4,000 years ago, moringa seed oil comes from the moringa tree, which is native to northern India. It is known as the “miracle tree” due to its wide variety of beneficial uses.

In India as well as in Philippine provinces, it is used as a natural antibiotic, aid in childbirth and in treating liver problems.

The oil was highly treasured by the ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian civilizations for protecting the skin and for the making of perfumes.

I use the shower gel and body butter before bedtime whenever I am out of town and stuck in an air-conditioned hotel room which robs the moisture off anyone.

Body moisture

Clarins is one brand I know that gives equal importance to the skin of the body as much as it does to the face. It has created a potent body-treatment serum that goes before a pampering body moisturizing lotion to seal in potency.

After a shower, one towel-dries and applies the recommended treatment from the neck down.

1. Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum Age defying Concentrate—Recommended for those aged 30 and above. It combines pre-Retinol vitamin A and water-lily extract to dissolve rough dead skin cells and moisturize one’s body throughout the day. It smoothes out wrinkles and fades discolorations so skin stays looking young.

2. Clarins Satin Smooth Body Lotion goes over the serum. Its active ingredients such as the Sorbier bud restores the skin’s luminosity for that glow; the Katafray Plant extract from Madagascar, a Clarins exclusive, combines with peach tree blossom for hydration to make the skin soft; and the Hyaluronic acid, a gel-like substance can hold up to a hundred times its weight in water to make the skin baby-like plump.

Note: All products mentioned have been road-tested by author.

Clarins is exclusively available at Rustan’s. L’Occitane is at Essenses.