Keep hands moist – man, that word…

The combination of needing to wash my hands all the time and the dry colder weather settling in is killing my hands. I can’t decide if I am part alligator or just an old lady – ha.

According to this research (and click if you want to learn a ton about skin dryness) “dryness is not a single entity but is characterized by differences in chemistry and morphology in the epidermis depending on the internal and external stressors.” So turns out there is a reason that my skin seems drier than it used to – maybe it is more than just age. There are a thousand option when it comes to over the counter moisturizers, but make sure you are looking for things that reduce the water loss, restore the natural lipid barrier, and that are absorbed right away. Lipids and oils are usually your best bet because they hydrate and improve skin simultaneously. So check your ingredients and look for things that are classified as emollients, since they provide skin barriers and improvement – some key ingredients: fatty acids, cholesterol, and squalene.

Anyways, I have a few routines that help – and I’ve tried a lot over the years!

The first is my go to – Beautycounter’s Body Butter. It’s made of Sunflower seed oil and shea butter and is like a jar of butter. I love it! I keep one in my car, one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. It’s expensive but a little goes a long way. And the smaller size jars in the new holiday set are perfect!

The second is coconut oil. As I’ve talked about before, coconut oil has fatty acids and is an easy cheap option. I keep a jar by my bed and when I feel my hands getting really bad I lather it on, slip on a pair of gloves and sleep in them. I’ve tried a bunch of gloves too and have basically narrowed it down to wanting ones that are thin so I don’t get too hot at night.

Keeping hand lotion near all of our sinks is also helping! Stay, safe, stay clean, and stay moist - ha, couldn't resist!