Winter is brutal on our hands. Smooth, supple, and soft in September, hands can turn red, chapped, and rough by February. If a lack of moisture is making your once-silky hands feel more like alligator paws, then you need some serious hydration to the rescue. This isn't brain surgery, but there is a bit of science involved. Certain products may give you a little extra moisture where you need it, and a few tips and tricks can ensure that your hands stay moisturized all day, every day.
1. Use skin-friendly soap when you wash your hands. The magic word to remember when soap shopping is glycerin, which won't dry out your skin the way harsh and super-sudsy soap can. When you lather up, use a mild mild glycerin liquid or bar soap, and try not to over-wash those mitts. You're not scrubbing a cast-iron pan, so settle down and be gentle.
2. Stay away from blazing hot water. It'll make your poor hands feel even more parched and dry.
3. Put on hand cream directly after you wash your hands to lock in moisture. And don't think just any old lotion will do - to make your hands really happy, look for hand creams with lanolin, glycerin and hydrating oils. Use a lighter, less greasy formula in the day, then break out the super thick stuff at night.
4. Before you go to sleep, slather plenty of thick hand cream or ointment all over your hands, then slip on a pair of cotton gloves. You may feel like a mime, but all that moisture inside the gloves will percolate while you sleep, and you'll wake up with super-soft and silky hands. You can slumber in these lubed-up gloves once a week, or every day if you're feeling especially chapped and dry.
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