Dry hands and stubborn cracks that never seem to heal are a big problem for many.
Here are four simple tips on what you can do about this skin issue.
1. Wash with gentle soaps
The first thing everyone thinks of is hand creams. But if you want to tackle the problem, you should first look at what you wash your hands with.
Common conventional hand soaps rarely contain any nourishing ingredients and have very strong soap agents to make the product last longer.
The soaps wash away the skin’s natural oils and are very drying.
Without the natural oils in the skin, there is nothing to protect the skin and keep it supple. When the skin is stiff and dry, it cracks easily.
Soaps we gladly recommend are:
Dr. Bronners & Vermont Soaps soaps, both of which are concentrated and lather a lot.
Their liquid soaps are therefore excellent to dilute with water. Note that the large liquid bottles do not contain thickeners, so these are runny soaps.
We know many don’t like bar soaps because they get mushy, but we warmly recommend bar soaps because they lather wonderfully while being mild and not drying.
This is great for those with dry, dirty hands. Aleppo soap, made from laurel oil and olive oil, also works very well as a bar soap for dry hands.
2. Care for your hands with creams
It’s hard to wash with good soaps at work or school. Then you can use hand creams to add moisture and nourishment to the skin after washing your hands and in the evening before bedtime.
Apply thoroughly in the evening and feel free to put on a pair of thin cotton gloves.
Weleda Skin Food
A thick and slightly sticky cream, but super effective as it contains lanolin, which is very soothing on skin cracks. It softens hard skin and makes it easier for the skin to heal. It’s water-free and therefore excellent in winter cold.
Zoya goes pretty
A very nice and neat jar to carry with you. Perfect if you spend a lot of time out in the cold. They provide great weather protection while softening and caring for the skin.
3. Wash dishes with rubber gloves
Don’t underestimate dishwashing gloves! Dish soap is made to be great at dissolving grease, and that includes the natural oils on your hands.
Also, water itself is drying, so bring out the dishwashing gloves. It makes a bigger difference than you might think.
4. Protect your hands from the cold
Last but not least! Protect your hands from cold and wind with warm mittens, especially important if you cycle a lot.
Even if you’re diligent with everything else, if you don’t protect your hands from the cold, the skin can crack, which makes healing skin cracks more difficult.
