Written by Tenley Haraldson.
Dry, itchy, painful, ashy, red: Rough hands can be just as uncomfortable as they are embarrassing.
With our natural tips, you'll not only learn how to get soft hands – you'll also discover how to keep your hands moisturized all year round.
What Causes Dry Hands?
We all know that a drop in outdoor temperatures, bracing wind, and dry air caused by heating systems can reduce skin moisture. But when it comes to dry skin (aka xerosis), there might be a few more culprits to consider.
Sun Damage
You should be applying sunscreen to your face, but don't forget about your hands. Sun damage can lead to wrinkles, texture changes, and skin spots (which can develop into skin cancer if they're not regularly checked by a doctor). Before going out, apply SPF and regularly reapply throughout the day.
Underlying Health Issues
If you've already been diagnosed with a dry skin issue (like psoriasis or eczema), you probably know that moisturizing with the right products is key.
If you've never experienced super-dry skin, they could related to a variety of health issues, from a vitamin deficiency to hypothyroidism to diabetes. Be sure to speak to a doctor if:
- super dry skin appears out of nowhere
- you're losing sleep due to discomfort or itching
- you have open sores or infections
Frequent Hand Washing
We're obviously washing and sanitizing hands more than ever before, but that tends to disrupt skin barrier function. Ingredients like synthetic perfumes, alcohol, and triclosan can strip the skin's moisturizing oils and exacerbate dermatological issues.
Puracy Natural Foaming Hand Soap has been designed for routine use. Its 99.09% natural formula is loaded with essential oils, plant-derived moisturizers, and coconut-based cleansers (to replace sulfates).
Dish Duty
Dipping your hands in a sinkful of hot, soapy water is a major culprit for dry skin. While it might be might amazing for grease and grime, most dish soap does the same thing to your skin's oils. Not our 99.96% Natural Dish Soap: It's been specially formulated to keep skin balanced and hydrated with plant-based moisturizers like aloe and coconut – no gloves required!
7 Tips for Naturally Soft Hands
Everyone deserves super soft hands to have and hold. With just a few tweaks to your daily routine, you might find success with these hand treatments.
1. Drink More Water
Not getting enough water affects a multitude of bodily functions. If you're noticing deeper wrinkles and a powdery dryness, you're probably dehydrated.
Consider creative ways to ingest more liquids, like starting your day with 1-2 glasses of water, drinking more herbal teas, or diluting your drinks with extra ice.
2. Wear Gloves
When it's cold out, covering up is common sense. But when you're doing yard work, grab a pair of gardening gloves. Your hands will be protected from scratches and you won't have to scrub them when you come back inside.
3. Get a Manicure
If you've got unhealthy cuticles, you already know how uncomfortable they can be (both visually and physically). Shellac and gel polish can cause brittle nails, but a simple monthly manicure appointment to remove hangnails, combat dry cuticles, and hydrate skin. Keep things going with an organic cuticle cream every morning and evening.
4. Turn Down Water Temps
A hot shower sounds inviting but can strip skin of necessary moisture. If there's one thing to change about your shower routine, it's opting for a lukewarm shower whenever possible. Even when you wash your hands, warm water is just as effective (as long as you're washing for 20 seconds).
5. Sock It to Me
If you need some extra-extra moisture, we recommend following Jonathan Van Ness' self-care routine:
- Make a healing hand scrub with 2:1 brown sugar and coconut oil. Apply to hands and gently scrub in circular motions, focusing on the areas with the driest skin.
- Rinse in warm water.
- Slather hands in a natural lotion, put your hands in socks, and go to sleep.
- In the morning, remove socks and gently rinse with a pH-balanced soap.
- Admire your super soft hands. Repeat once a week.
6. Find pH-Balanced Products
Alkaline skin (anything between 8 and 14 on the pH scale) is often associated with dermatological conditions like dryness, dermatitis, acne, eczema, and fungal infections. Many manufacturers don't provide details about their products' pH levels, but a recent study revealed that the majority of soaps and shampoos have a pH of 9-10!
Healthy skin should be slightly acidic. To improve moisture retention and epidermal function, yours should land somewhere between 4 and 6.
7. Get a Moisturizing, Natural Lotion
Speaking of pH-balanced formulas: Our Natural Face & Body Lotion lands between 4.5 and 6 on the pH scale. This fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-greasy formula isn't just deeply nourishing for all parts of your body: It's also formulated to rebuild stronger, healthier skin.
Puracy Products for Natural Hand Care
Puracy biochemists develop each plant-based formula to work with your skin, not against it. From your scalp to your fingertips, we've got you covered (literally)!
If you're not totally thrilled with the results – for whatever reason – we stand by our 100% money-back guarantee. We think that's pretty smooth, too.
