Washing our hands is such a common and necessary thing that we often forget how much it harms our skin. We can see some of this damage in the form of dryness and premature aging in this part of the human body. This happens due to some of the chemical products certain soaps contain like astringent, which causes irritation, cracking and dryness.
Of course, you should never stop washing your hands with soap, it’s one of the best hygiene practices. By doing this, we can fight against bacteria and prevent diseases. However, you can always do it the right way, taking care of this delicate part of our skin in order to avoid damage. Find out how below.
1. Wash your hands… without water!
No, we’re not talking about alcohol-based hand sanitizer (its active ingredient easily causes dryness). We mean skin cleaning gel products that contain natural ingredients and moisturizers.
These will gently clean your hands while keeping your skin moisturized. Unlike classic soaps, they don’t affect the hydrolipidic layer, preventing skin irritation.
The Rinse-free Rose Hand Wash from Byredo ($35), with its delicate rose scent, boasts sweet almond as one of its ingredients, leaving your hands silky-smooth and hydrated.
2. Keep your pH balanced
pH tells us the degree of acidity, and when our skin’s pH is out of balance, this can cause changes to it and lead to us not being protected against bacterial growth.
It’s not just soap and water or astringent anti-bacterial products that can alter the skin’s natural pH balance– the frequent use of some alkaline cosmetics or chemical products during everyday activities such as cleaning can also trigger dryness and aging in the skin.
Since it’s impossible to stop washing our hands, the best thing to do is to select products with a balanced pH that are free of parabens and sulfates.
3. Gentle soap
As we mentioned, some soaps affect the pH of our hands, but the Soothing Care Hand Soap from Dial is recommended by dermatologists since its pH is balanced. It also contains collagen to soothe dry skin and leave your hands feeling fresh and moisturized. Osestore ($50.49).
Another alternative is the Green People's Manuka & Lemon Tea Tree Antibacterial Hand Wash ($18.50).
4. The best-kept secret
They say that our hands are the first body part to show the passage of time, and many women use repairing serums to keep them looking young. Serums penetrate more deeply than creams do and help the skin produce collagen, so they’re an essential part of every woman’s care routine. You can accomplish two things at once by using that extra bit of leftover face creams and serums on your hands.
You can also opt to use products made especially for this, such as Shine Bright Moisturising & Anti-Aging Hand Mask from Nails Inc. It’s an
anti-aging
mask that’s enriched with collagen and multi-vitamins, including retinol, hyaluronic acid and ceramides that moisturize your hands and leave your skin smooth and supple. Sephora ($8).
5. Last step... moisturizing
To enhance the effects of the serum, there’s nothing like a good balm to hydrate, soften and balance the pH of our skin. Try The Ritual Of Ayurveda Hand Balm from Rituals, made with almond oil to nourish skin and banish any signs of dryness. Glossy Box ($17).
Other moisturizing alternatives
The Industrial Strength Hand Healer, from Jack Black, is a moisturizing lotion enriched with vitamin A and E. You can use it anytime you feel your hands getting dry for instantly silky-smooth skin. Amazon ($15).
Enjoy this hand balm
Last but not least, the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm is highly beneficial for your skin. Its citrus ingredients will nourish your hands and leave them with a pleasant scent. Aesop ($33).
With these tips and products, you can keep your hands clean without sacrificing how your skin looks.
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