9 Of The Best Winter Care Tips For Your Hands

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2. It’s all about the moisture

Gloves are not the only defense you can give your hands against becoming dry, cracked and sore. Using a high quality, deeply nourishing hand moisturizer will give thirsty skin that hydration boost that it needs, acting as a sort of invisible glove against the weather. Good options are coconut oil, glycerine. and cocoa butter-based products high in skin-friendly fats.

Applying the lotion just once a day is not enough though because your skin is so thirsty, it’ll quickly soak up all the moisture it can. With that in mind, be sure to reapply the cream several times a day to keep your hands moisturized throughout, and apply also right before you go to bed to let the goodness and nourishment soak in overnight and repair any damage caused.

3. Avoid over-washing

Washing your hands with harsh soaps can dry them out at the best of times, but this is especially true during the winter. For some of such as chefs, kitchen staff, nurses and doctors who must consistently maintain their hand hygiene, it’s unavoidable. Try substituting strong, highly chemical-based soaps for more natural, gentler ones with just as much cleaning power, or use hand sanitizer instead which will not strip away the moisture in your hands. If washing your hands frequently is simply unavoidable, try to use tip number 2 and apply a deeply moisturizing cream after washing your hands to prevent them from becoming dryer and dryer out throughout the day.

4. Wear rubber gloves

Housework is a part of all of our daily routines, but, as in tip noumber 3, washing-up liquids, soaps, and other household cleaning detergents together with hot water are extremely drying on the skin, stripping it of its natural oils. Avoid this by wearing rubber gloves every time you wash the dishes or do chores around the house involving cleaning agents and, even better, keep a little bottle of lotion next to your sink gloves to remind yourself to top up after doing the dishes!

5. Don’t take hot baths and showers

It’s certainly lovely to step in from the bitter cold straight into a nice hot bath or shower, but this routine could be doing your hands more harm than good. The combination of the hot water and body soap strip away the natural oils from the skin on your hands and this can be hard to even notice sometimes, especially when it’s cold and we’re less sensitive to water that would otherwise feel too hot to bathe in. Try also to keep your showers and baths shorter and apply moisturizer to your hands and body after you get out.

6. Keep your home humid

Humidity can drastically drop in our homes during the winter as we crank the heat up, drying the air out. This lack of moisture in the air can further dry out the delicate skin on our hands. Try to maintain the humidity levels in your home with a humidifier or place small bowls of water next to heat sources to inject some moisture into the air. Having lots of plants in your home can do the trick too.

7. Exfoliate

While it may seem counterproductive, exfoliation buffs away the dead and dry skin cells on the surface of your hands. This will leave your hands feeling softer and suppler and better able to soak up the moisturizer. Be sure to use a gentle exfoliator you don’t aggravate or damage already dried-out skin, and apply lotion afterwards to nourish the newly exfoliated skin.

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