Colorado's arid climate can make it difficult to tackle dry skin, *especially* during the summer. My daughter is on the brink of having eczema and it seems to get worse when the weather is hot and dry. It got really bad last summer with an added heat rash, so her pediatrician prescribed Desonide cream and it seems to be the only thing that really works to clear it up. We only use it though when we see she needs it. Other than that, we do the following things to prevent it:
Tell your friend to stay away from all products that contain fragrance of any kind. The yummy smells need alcohol to work properly and the alcohol contributes to drying the skin out further.
Our doc recommended Baby Aquaphor baby wash because it is gentle and fragrance free. California Baby also makes a good natural baby wash.
We also use an all-natural lotion. We apply a healthy dose of lotion at least once a day. When we see her skin is starting to look bumpy or dry, we apply it more frequently. Keeping her "greased up" (as my husband calls it), seems to do the most in terms of prevention. In my opinion, you can never have too much lotion.
I also copied a few tips from Ideal Bite here:
Cream
Look, No X E Ma! by Four Elements - eczema cream with 100% organic ingredients; made with hand-picked herbs ($10/2 ounces).
Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Skin Creme - contains rich emollients like honey to hydrate skin, and anti-inflammatory aloe vera to reduce red patches; paraben-free ($10/2 ounces).
Soap
California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash - gentle, nondrying wash free of fragrance and harmful chems ($12/8.5 ounces).
DIY - soak baby in an oatmeal bath.
Detergent
Ecover Ecological Laundry Wash - gentle, plant-based, nonbiological (chem-free) detergent ($10/51 ounces).
http://www.idealbite.com/mama/archives/ready-leave-behind...