I've had dry skin all my life, getting worse as I grew older. I use Aloe
Vera 80 (by Naturade) in summer and if I have eczema. In winter I use 70%
Aloe Vera Gel All Purpose Moisturing Lotion (by Jason Naturals), which is
heavier. I have a lot of skin allergies and sensitivities to perfumes,
dyes, etc., and both of these are fine.
The thing that has helped most of all with my dry skin is prevention. Some
doctor long ago told me not to use soap all over in the shower or bath.
Just use soap between your legs, under your arms, and on your feet, the
places that really need extra cleaning. Otherwise, just rinse the rest of
your body with water, or scrub with just the cloth without soap. I also
use a very moisturizing soap, Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap (there's also one
with aloe vera). It's so gentle, I can wash my face with it, and doesn't
have dyes, perfumes, etc., that can make dry skin worse. It's also
important to have vegetable oils (in their natural state, not hydrogenated)
in your diet--for instance, used as cooking oil or in salad dressing or
marinades. Even my massage therapist was impressed, since I'm about the
same age as his wife and she's having really dry skin, too.
Aurore