Natural remedies for dry hands

With official advice being to wash our hands as often as possible and to use hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of at least 60% to help delay the spread of COVID-19, it's inevitable that we're all going to get very dry skin.

Your skin naturally produces oil, called sebum, which helps protect the skin from moisture loss, but actions — such as washing your hands with a drying soap, hot water, and hand sanitizers — can strip natural oils from your skin.

While it's not exactly anyone's main concern at the moment, dryness can result in painful cracks in the skin if left untreated.

Ironically, by over-washing our skin, we can develop dry cracks in the skin, giving bacteria an entry point into our bodies.

Start moisturizing before there's a problem. The best prevention is to begin using a moisturizer before your hands show signs of dryness. Keeping the skin moisturized is of utmost importance in order to fight dryness.

So here are my simple ways to get relief from dry hands:

Massage your hands for 3 minutes using coconut oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, castor oil, olive oil, etc (you can use more than one). Apply more oil and put some gloves on (or a plastic bag) to allow the oils to penetrate the skin more effectively for 15-20 minutes. Wipe the excess oil off hands, but don’t rinse them; any remaining oil will be absorbed over the next few minutes. Follow with a rich hand cream.

Make a hand mask using some of these ingredients:

Your favorite oil (coconut oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, olive oil, etc). Again, you can also use more than one.

Oat meal. Rich in protein, vitamin E, lipids, fatty acids, and antioxidants, oatmeal is an excellent natural treatment for dry skin.

Egg yolk. Its a great remedy for dry hands since it contains water and fats and will lock moisture into your skin cells. 

Aloe vera. A common ingredient in many skin products due to its antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Full fat plane yogurt. The lactic acid in yogurt acts as a natural exfoliant to gently remove dead skin while the fats restore moisture.

Raw honey. Full of antioxidants and antimicrobial properties  which prevents redness and dry itchy skin. It can help lock in moisture in your hands and keep them soft and also help delay the signs of aging!

Rip avocado. Rich in healthy fats and vitamins that soften rough, dry or flaking skin. Avocado contains essential fatty acids and other nutrients that help prevent premature wrinkling.

Whole milk. Its soothing, and extremely hydrating. Its lactic acid is great for the skin.

Vitamin E. Its powerful antioxidant properties can help to protect the skin from further damage. It acts as an anti-inflammatory to soothe that dry, itchy redness that comes with dehydrated skin. When used topically it can help to prevent water loss from the skin, keeping it moisturized.

Chamomile tea. It has been used since antiquity to treat wounds and urge healing, thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties. 

Rose water. Helps maintain the skin's pH balance. It helps hydrate, revitalise and moisturise the skin. Due to its antibacterial properties, rose water also aids in healing scars, cuts and wounds.

Drops of your favorite essential oil. The botanical compounds in these essential oils can assist in the effort to soothe and heal dry hands:

Lavender

Rose

Sandalwood

Geranium

Frankincense

Neroli

Rosewood

Roman Chamomile

Bergamot

Combine the ingredients of your choice in a small bowl and apply to your hands. 

I recommend spending a few minutes rubbing it in before letting it sit for 10-20 minutes. 

Use gloves or wrap your hands in a plastic bag (this will also help to not get messy).

Rinse with room temperature water. Don’t use hot water it dries out and irritates skin.
Hold off on the soap this time. 

It is better to do it before going to bed, so you won't be washing your hands.

You can play with the ingredients and see what you like and works better for you.

My favorite natural moisturizers are raw shea butter and raw cocoa butter. Both are amazing moisturizers! Their concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids makes them incredible nourishing and moisturizing for skin. They're also rich in antioxidants. 

Bee wax. The hypoallergenic and moisturizing properties of beeswax make it an effective treatment for dry skin and more serious issues like eczema. Beeswax can be used to treat the itchiness of these conditions and prevent further drying out.

Tip. Keep a hand moisturizer in your hand bag or desk drawer to use regularly during the day.

Moisturize from the inside out. 

Food is its own kind of medicine. Boost your skin’s moisture levels naturally by eating more:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Fish, flax, and fermented cod liver oil.

Vitamin E – Nuts, seeds, avocado, spinach, and butternut squash.

Vitamin A – Carrots, sweet potato, kale, broccoli, eggs, and apricots.

Zinc – Pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, mushrooms, and yogurt.

I really hope this is of some help for some of you. And let me know what are your favorite natural products and tips on the comments.

Keep safe! <3