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