Hand hygiene is a top priority when we’re living in a middle of a pandemic, but with the constant hand washing and sanitizing, we need to learn how to manage dry and cracked hands in the safest way possible.
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Wash your hands—it’s a constant reminder that is now forever engraved in our minds even when all of this is over. We all learned that frequent handwashing goes a long way to keep the germs away and most importantly, keep a pandemic from happening in the first place. Nevertheless, there’s no better time than now to treat our hands with a bit more care.
With the relentless exposure to water, soap, and disinfectants that our hands go through in a single day, the top protective layer of our skin can dry out and become irritated. Over time, this can result in rough, itchy, and cracked skin.
Here are five tips to make hand care a pamper session rather than another needed chore:
1. Choose A Hand Soap Catered To Your Needs
Normally, picking out a hand soap just means get anything available on the grocery rack or whatever has a good deal for the month, but now, we have to be more diligent. Similar to our skincare items, hand soaps have different ingredients so reading the label is a must. For those who have dry and tough knuckles, opt for soaps that with oil ingredients for extra moisture. If you’re experiencing irritated itchy hands look for ones that have antioxidant-rich ingredients.
Here are our recommendations for hand washes that are equally nourishing as its stylish packaging:
The Love Beauty and Planet Liquid Handwash Line
The eco-beauty brand that’s known for its mission to perform small acts of love for yourself and the planet, their handwash line have gentle formulas that are great for the skin and the environment as well. It’s perfect for those with sensitive skin since these handwashes are vegan, cruelty-free, and made with no parabens, dyes, or sulfates. Even better is that each bottle is made with 100% recycled materials so don’t forget to recycle the bottle after you finish it up.
Choose the Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower Petal Soft Handwash or the Murumuru Butter and Belgian Rose Majestic Moisture Handwash if you need extra moisture since it has extra hydrating properties; The Coconut Oil and Ylang Ylang Tropical Fresh Handwash when you want it to repair and protect the skin; and the Tea Tree Oil and Vetiver Pure and Positive Handwash to detoxify and relax.
Fresh Formula Daily Squeeze
Part of their New Normal Essentials, Fresh Formula’s Daily Squeeze is a dual-purpose moisturizing hand and body wash. Made with glycerin, this helps absorb and retain moisture while cleansing thoroughly. It’s floral orange scent, can also get rid of if any order without leaving a sticky residue.
Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash
A real indulgent treat for your hands, Aesop’s hand wash will soothe any irritation with its formula that’s enriched with notes of Mandarin Rind, Rosemary Leaf, and Cedar Atlas. The signature recycled bottle matches its calming quality and can make your bathroom sink ritual feel more luxurious.
2. Exfoliate The Dead Skin Away
It’s the same concept with exfoliating in your skincare routine. Exfoliation can help get rid of the dead skin that makes our hands rough and make it smoother. Scrub your hands at least once a week with a good exfoliating agent to get rid of any dead skin that accumulated throughout the week. Our hands are also much thicker skin than our face, so don’t be afraid of hand scrubs. They won’t make harmful minor cuts into your skin like it does on your face but it’s always best to choose finer, less abrasive granules. The best ingredients for hand scrubs are oils and milk, which are sure to help boost your skin’s moisture levels.
Tip: Use lukewarm water when exfoliating so that granules can melt and be more gentle against the skin as well as make your hand retain more moisture.
Here are our recommendations for gentle yet effective hands scrubs:
Human Nature Natural Body Scrub in Coffee & Vanilla
An all-natural body scrub that does not use any plastic microbeads, so it’s not harmful to you or the environment. It’s another clean brand that’s safe to use for sensitive skin with its fusion of coffee and calming vanilla scent that’s great to make you feel calm while it uses aloe extract to make sure your skin does not dry out.
Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep Lavender Vanilla Sugar Scrub
A sugar scrub formulated to relieve you of stress and help you sleep better. This scrub will help you destress while giving your hands the attention it needs. It works best to use at night, so you can fall asleep to smooth and relaxed skin.
Lush’s Salted Coconut Hand Scrub
A creamy coconut scrub with sea salt as its natural exfoliant to slough off dead skin cells. All you need is one small scoop of this scrub and it will brighten skin and soften your skin with regular use since it also has lemon extract. It will leave your hands in tip-top shape with a delicious coconut scent.
3. Moisture, Moisture, Moisture!
It’s a no-brainer that with dry hands, one must moisturize with the best creams to solve it. However, if your hands are irritated because of harsh soaps, then a moisturizer might not be enough. If your hands become irritated to the point that it’s painful, you may need to start with an over-the-counter hydrocortisone and speak to your physician if it doesn’t get better.
Hand moisturizers can also come in different forms from serums, lotion, cream, and ointment. It’s the same rules again with skincare, serums are the most lightweight, and ointments being the thickest. If your hands just feel rougher than normal, serums and creams can do but if you already have flaking skin and cracked knuckles, invest in heavy ointments to heal it.
4. A Face Mask For Your Hands
If moisturizers are not enough, there are actual hand masks available in the market that you can leave on for 15–20 mins at a time to help lock in moisture. A hand care hack is that you can put on a pair of gloves and create a DIY mask. Apply a heavy moisturizer first such as Vaseline and then put your hands in the gloves and leave it on. Doing this once-a-day can lead to drastic results in a day or two.
5. End The Night With A Good Massage
After washing and moisturizing your hands, take time to massage your hands. Mimic the massage you get when you get a professional manicure done, this will help the lotion you apply spread evenly on your palms and finger and at the same time relax the tension in them.
The Love Beauty and Planet Liquid Handwash line are available in 400mL bottles for Php 290 in all e-commerce retailers nationwide. For more information, visit lovebeautyandplanet.com and follow Love Beauty and Planet Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.
