5 WAYS TO ACHIEVE SILKY-SOFT HAND SKIN
Do your hands tend to feel dry and tired? Mine too!
Spring is a difficult time for the skin on our hands, especially as winter mittens are replaced by gardening gloves and digging in the beds exposes our hands to extra moisture and wind. The skin on the hands is markedly less oily, so it dehydrates more quickly and also shows signs of ageing more quickly.
In the last 2 years, the situation has got a little worse, as we wash our hands much more often and use hand sanitisers on a daily basis to protect our health. All of this adds up to additional irritation for the skin, which undermines its defences and damages it.
Even my children admit that their hands have become dry and they feel that they need extra care.
Frequent hand washing removes natural oils which can lead to dry, red or even scaly hands, brittle nails and dry cuticles. I highly recommend washing your hands in lukewarm water, as cold water makes the skin rough and flaky, while hot water dries the skin.
Beautiful, well-groomed and soft hands give you a feeling of confidence and you won't want to hide your hands under the table, so we have a recipe that will make your hands extra silky.
5 ways to prevent dry hands:
- Wear good quality rubber gloves as much as possible when gardening to avoid traumatising the skin on your hands and micro-cracks in the skin, which can affect the condition of the skin.
- Apply a moisturising hand cream regularly. Our Moisturising Hand Cream will improve skin elasticity and help regulate moisture levels.
- Apply cuticle oil to the base of the nails every evening to moisturise, protect and promote healthy nail growth and improve the overall appearance of the hands.
- Just like the body, the skin on your hands needs a scrub from time to time to remove dead skin cells and promote blood circulation, as well as to allow the hand cream to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin.
- Once a month, treat your hands to a homemade hand mask to restore their natural glow and leave them silky and soft. I've described ideas for homemade hand scrubs and masks below.
Sugar and lemon scrub
Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 teaspoon of olive oil or coconut oil and add the juice of 1 lemon.
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C, which helps balance changes in the skin on your hands from sun exposure, sugar is a natural exfoliant and gentle enough to remove dead skin cells, while coconut oil is known for its antioxidant and moisturising properties, which can help restore the skin's natural PH level.
Mix until the consistency of wet sand. Gently scrub both palms, rinse with warm water and gently pat dry.
Finish with our Protective Hand Cream, which will restore the natural protective layer of chapped and damaged skin. It contains mango butter and avocado oil, as well as extracts of chamomile and calendula.
Avocado hand mask
Blend 1 ripe avocado, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cooked oatmeal.
Avocado has moisturising and healing properties, olive oil is rich in antioxidants, coconut oil is hydrating and anti-inflammatory, lemon juice brightens the skin and oatmeal has an additional soothing and softening effect.
Wrap your hands in a towel, which you won't regret damaging a little, and leave the mask on for 10-20 minutes. Then rinse and nourish your hands with our Nourishing Hand Cream, which will improve skin elasticity and provide complete nourishment.
Take care of yourself! Schedule time for your hands to relax and take care of them by combining a hand-care ritual with a moment of meditation. This moment for yourself will be the perfect wellness session to relax your body and mind.
May your touch be as gentle as the first sprouts of spring, looking towards the sun and warmth!
Maija Rieksta-Riekstiņa,
Vegan Fox creator and manager