Winter often means dry, cracked, chapped hands — a seasonal hazard. Our hands are first exposed to indoor dry heat and then exposed to harsh outdoor conditions. Often, your favorite or regular moisturizer seem less effective. Here are some tips to help your hands this Winter, and a recipe for a Winter Hand Therapy Mask.
Drink plenty of water and consider using a humidifier to add moisture to your environment.
Wash Gently. Detergent-laden soaps are drying to the skin, so try a milder herbal soap.
Switch Moisturizers. In the summer when living is easy and humidity high, a light moisturizer is fine. However, when winter arrives, you need heavy duty care to soothe and rehydrate. Keep your hand cream accessible – in your purse, at your desk, in your kitchen, on the bathroom vanity, and by your computer monitor and television. Apply often. Keep your foot cream near your favorite spot to watch television, or next to your bed to remind yourself to use it nightly.
Pamper your hands and feet with a few home spa treats. Once a week, try our super-moisturizing treatment: Soak your hands and feet in hot water with a few tablespoons of baking soda, for thirty minutes. Dry, and apply our Winter Hand and Foot Mask as directed, below.
- 3 tablespoon rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons rose water
- 2 teaspoons almond oil
- Crush or pulse oats finely and mix all ingredients in a mortar with a pestle.
- Heat mixture very gently — just to the warm stage, in your microwave (the oil should NOT be hot).
- Carefully apply your warm mask to your winter sore hands or feet (best to do this on separate occasions).
- Wrap in cling film, or, a clean towel.
- Allow to remain on your hands or feet until cool, and then rinse.
i’m really interested in that soak, actually just bought a can of baking soda to try it, but I’m just wondering what it does? Is it exfoliating?
Viveka. Thanks for the excellent question. Presoaking your hands and feet in baking soda and water does several things — it removes detergents, lotions, grime; it neutralizes any odors in the feet; it relieves mild irritation from winter dryness or overworked hands from gardening and similar toil; and, it lightly exfoliates the skin, leaving it much softer and ready to absorb any ingredients you use thereafter. In fact, if your feet and hands are particularly rough and grimey (from working in the yard or wearing sandals), you can make a paste of baking soda and water and rub the paste into your hands and feet, rather than the soak. The soaking method is preferred for a more gentle treatment. Follow with this winter hand therapy mask, or your favorite moisturizer, for extra soft skin.