Between shopping in the cold and cooking food (not to mention scrubbing the pans), rough hands are as hard to avoid this season. I hosted a dinner a couple weeks ago and my hands still haven’t recovered from all the moisture-sapping prep work, but they’re slowly getting softer thanks to these strategies. Give them a try, and let me know some of yours.
Wear gloves…all the time.
Gloves aren’t just for keeping warm outside. Wear rubber gloves when you clean or wash dishes to protect your skin from drying chemicals, hot water and soap. And gloving up freshly moisturized hands before bed is an old school beauty trick that really works.
Moisturize Everywhere
The best way to get in the habit of using hand cream is to have a tube within reach at all times. Stash lotion in your bag, on your desk, in your car, in the bathroom by the sink…anywhere you might need it.
Stop Stripping
If you change up your nail polish frequently, acetone remover can strip the moisture from your nails and cuticles. Try a remover that nourishes nails.
Oil Up
Cuticles are prone to drying out and causing hangnails, so they need more concentrated treatment than the rest of your hands. Rub on a cuticle oil twice a day (whether nails are polished or not). Do apply cuticle oil under the nails as well so that they stay flexible during the cold months.
