Touch, feel, grasp, pitch, pull, dig, pinch, hold, or shake – whatever you are doing with your hands, chances are you rely on them to accomplish what needs to get done each and every day. Your hands are busy when you are reading a book or writing a letter. Taking a photograph or painting a picture. Washing the dishes or driving a car. Stop for a minute to admire them.
The outer layer of the skin is busy at work. A cycle of new cells is forming at its bottom while old cells are rising to the top. This cell renewal cycle starts slowing down as we age. The thin skin on the top of our hands becomes drier as we age and is the first place to show it as we mature.
Because our hands are so busy, it’s important to give them the care they need. Here are several natural hand care tips that will keep them working well for you and your admirers.
Wash with a mild soap in tepid water
You don’t want to over wash your hands stripping them of their natural occurring oils. Nor do you want to wash with very hot water. Check the temperature before plunging your hands into hot water that can dry out your hands. Use a soap with natural moisturizing ingredients such as sunflower oil and soybean oil. No detergents.
Limit use of hand sanitizers
Primarily composed of alcohol that evaporates quickly, sanitizers may contribute to dry hands. If you are a frequent user of sanitizers follow up with a moisturizing hand cream. For a natural solution look for one with mastic essential oil which– contains anti-oxidants and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Moisturize and condition
Moisturize your hands throughout the day and before going to bed. Choose a non-greasy and absorbent hand cream that locks moisture in. Shea butter, aloe vera, glycerin and extra virgin olive oil are some of the ingredients to look for.
Protect from the elements
In the winter, protect your hands from the cold wind by wearing gloves. When working with detergents and cleaning agents wear plastic gloves. Apply sunscreen when outside.
Diminish wrinkles and rough skin
Select a natural hand cream containing extra virgin olive oil. It is a great moisturizer with omega 3 fatty acids that help smooth out rough skin. Shea butter is another vitamin-rich, moisturizing ingredient known for its anti-aging properties. Grape seed extract is known to boosts collagen development and that can help keep hands supple and more elastic. Coconut oil is known to strengthen skin tissue. Tocopherol (Vitamin E) and Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) promote younger looking skin.
Lighten age spots
Lemon extract exfoliates and brightens skin quickening the rate at which spots fade.
Keep nails and cuticles strong
Vitamin B7 can help prevent brittle nails. Foods with B7 include walnuts, brown rice and green peas. Watch out for nail polish that can dry your nails out. Formaldehyde is known to do so. You can use creams containing vitamin E over the nail and cuticle to moisturize them.
How do we know so much about keeping hands healthy and beautiful? YASOU Skin Care is launching its newest wellness skin care product – a vegan hand cream that invites you to touch the world with beautiful hands. It’s a gluten free hand cream and Leaping Bunny certified that moisturizes, repairs and protects your hands using the best natural ingredients. Coming soon so check back in with us at www.yasouskincare.com
thanks to share! If you wash your hands several times daily with soap, you are probably depleting the natural oils in your skin.
Definitely I love my hands. And I am glad to read about your post telling some of the hand care tips to keep it working and healthy as well. Thanks for sharing these tips with us and for letting us be more aware of the importance of taking good care of our hands.