5 Ways To Prevent Dry, Chapped Hands During Winter

Winter is that time of the year that can be a bit too hard on your hands. The lack of moisture turns your once soft and supple hands to dry, chapped and even cracked palms. What makes matters worse is the fact that you could be washing your hands regularly to avoid catching the flu, so you end up stripping that film of natural oils on your skin. Did you know some skin types are more vulnerable than others when it comes to the dry winter weather? Regularly applying lotion does not seem to work either, so what can we do to prevent these dry bleeding palms?

1. Moisturize

Each time you wash your hands you need to moisturize. Make it your religion. Whatever you do, wintertime means you must have an effective moisturizer at hand. The bad thing about most lotions is that they do not work well, so you need to go for oils. Jojoba oil is especially great for soothing dry, cracked hands, but olive, almond and coconut oils have been known to work wonders.

2. Exfoliate

Just like you pamper your face, your hands need some careful attention too to prevent cracking. Create some home made remedies that will gently exfoliate your hands and leave them feeling smooth. One great example is a mixture of grated coconut plus some brown sugar placed by the sink for a quick exfoliation and moisturizing procedure. Gently rub on your hands then rinse with warm water.

3. Avoid extreme heat

Avoid hot water! It might be tempting to curb the outside freezing temperatures by using hot water to bathe or wash hands, but this will only make your skin dryer. Always use warm water on your skin. Your skin's natural oils will not be washed off, which means you will be able to maintain smooth skin.

4. Glove them up

Unless you are quickly dashing to the car to get something, you must never leave the house for long periods of time without wearing gloves. A little protection goes a long way in keeping your hands moist and soft during the dry winter weather. Oils can also get messy especially when you are going to bed, so investing in some cotton gloves would help. Wear these gloves to keep the oil on your skin and give it time to work on your palms. If your palms were cracked or bleeding, by morning they will considerably feel better.

5. Get a humidifier

The outside is cold and dry, while the inside is warm and dry. The key thing here is the dryness that surrounds you during wintertime. While we have seen that you can help the conditions outside by wearing gloves, getting a humidifier inside the house will generally help matters. Keeping your skin supple will no longer be such a tough task because the air inside your home will be less dry.

Remember, the more natural the products you use on your skin, the better. Most soaps and lotions have additives to help them smell nicer which could be harsh or harmful to your skin. When it comes to exfoliating and moisturizing, go natural. It is way more affordable and the effects can be seen within a short time. Say goodbye to those dry winter hands!

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