Taking Care of Your Hands Through the Seasons
Contributor: Province Apothecary
Photographer: Sarah Kunst
With the weather turning colder and winter on its way it means it is time to change up our skincare routines. However today we are not talking about our faces but our hands. We do everything with our hands. They come in contact with all types of products and surfaces as we go about our daily lives that can cause dry skin and brittle nails. We’ve come up with some tips to give your hands the extra attention and care they deserve.
Against the Elements
Both warm and cold weather have an effect on our skin. We know to put sunscreen on our faces but if you want to keep your hands protected putting sunscreen on your hands is also very important when spending time outdoors. The skin on the hands is naturally thin and delicate. Direct sun exposure accelerates the breakdown of collagen and can cause permanent damage to the skin cells that may result in wrinkles and age spots. Using sunscreen daily can prevent that. Put it on and re-apply it to your hands the same way you would to your face.
Cold weather can be equally damaging. It is harsh and drying and not to be underestimated. Protecting your hands means both adequately moisturizing and wearing gloves when the temperature drops. To maintain and restore moisture in your hands as well as protect the skin from the cold, we recommend our Rescue Balm. If you want an extra antioxidant boost to help fight against any hyper-pigmentation or dark spots add 2-4 drops of our Rejuvenating + Hydrating Face Serum into our Hydrating Rescue Balmand massage the mixture into your hands in circular motions 2 to 3 times a day.
Protecting your hands
The harshest and most damaging thing for our skin is direct contact with chemicals. Most often this happens via our cleaning supplies, such as dish soaps, dust wipes, and laundry detergents etc. They can bleach your skin, cause dryness, irritation, and topical burns. Even non-conventional brands have some type of chemical in them or high concentrations of essential oils making them too harsh for direct contact with your skin. The best way to protect your hands from this type of damage is to always use gloves every time you’re cleaning. Use gloves even if you’re doing a quick chore because water, especially hot water, can be the cause of dryness. Water strips the skin of its natural oils leaving the skin tight.
Psoriasis or Eczema
If you are noticing that you are getting periodical outbreaks on your hands that are painful and itchy it may be eczema or psoriasis. Neither have a specific cause. It may be a combination of genetics and environmental factors like stress and diet. If you’re not sure, we recommend seeing your health care practitioner for a diagnosis. To soothe these outbreaks we recommend our Zinc Balm. Apply a generous layer to the affected areas and wrap in gauze overnight.
Nail care
Similar to the way that chemicals can damage your skin they can also damage your nails. So again we stress wearing gloves when coming into contact with any kind of products that contain chemicals in them. Brittle, dry, or thin nails are indicative of a lack of moisture. The nail grows out of the cuticle. If the cuticle is well moisturized the nail will grow strong and supple from the root. We recommend massaging our Sex Oil or Hydrating Rescue Balm into the cuticles once a day to support your nail health. You can do this two or three times a day during the winter months.