I work outside as a groundskeeper--8 hours a day every day. It's winter in Russia.

My skin is cracked and almost blistered. I have salt dust blowing in my face all the time from the using salt we put on the pavement. It's been 10 degrees with a brutal north wind blowing. My face actually hurts from the salt and the cold and the wind. It gets hard and dry and literally cracks. I don't need this.

I've got enough lotion on my face right now that I nearly slide out of bed at night but by noon tomorrow it will be like parchment paper again.

Anybody have any brilliant suggestions? I have creams and lotions and vitamin oils but after the first few hours of work in the morning I'm burned. I'm gonna look like a 100 year old Kansas farmer pretty soon.

Coat myself in vasoline? (can't get it here)

From one expat to another, I can send you a jar of vaseline if you'd PM me your address.

Ahhhh, that's sweet.

I was thinking of things i could soak in at night or some kind of cream/lotion/ingredient I haven't tried.

You will_not_believe_this but I wear full makeup to work every day. I've learned to look for waterproof products (when I can decipher the label). I mean, if I'm going out in public with a bunch of Russian guys I want to look good. But this salt is killing me.

I use Johnsons & Johnsons moisturising bath foam in the winter. They really keep the skin from dryness and not too harsh as well so it's quite good to soak in. Do you have nivea facial creme over there? That might help as well. Do let me know if you want them from here. Really. Just glad to help.

Mrs. Madness, Vaseline will help to keep out the winter chill but won't put moisture into your skin. You need something more. I recommend Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Creme. It is the ONLY thing that keeps my skin from splitting and bleeding in the cold weather. Soaks into skin overnight, you can put on another coat under makeup in the morning. Use on face, hands, elbows, etc.

PM your address and I will gladly send you a sample to try!

Could you wear a skull cap like one of these? I could see one "Bedazzled" for a more feminine look. If you wore one over a moisturizer, like Vasoline, your face would get double the benefit. I do the Vasoline/sock thing for my feet sometimes when they are really rough.
Good luck... sounds like a very unpleasant problem.

So now the mystery unfolds. Mrs. Madness, I imagined you being a secret agent, or at least married to one, or the wife of some diplomat in some high office. You are a groundkeeper in Russia? We won't tell anyone…that's some cover up right? Is it just me, or have I seen too many James Bond movies?

As far as the skin treatment is concerned, I think gimster has a great suggestion. Wear a face mask and Vaseline combined. Maybe you can line the masks with silk or cotton, so the Vaseline won't stick to the wool…hey and no nasty secret agent will be able to recognize you. tee hee.

Hannelore, you're too funny. Maybe you and Mrs Madness can collaborate on a book. Mrs M, I didn't realize the weather was so brutal in Russia.