We continually put our hands through the stress of daily chores and regularly expose them to the elements. Despite everything our hands go through, they are often neglected when it comes to our skincare routine.
But in order to keep them feeling soft and smooth, hand care is absolutely essential. They are hardworking, just by simply allowing us to get on and live life to the fullest. Our hands are also one of the key parts of us on show to the world as we go about our daily lives, and are perfect for displaying rings and jewellery.
If you’re looking down at your hands right now and thinking that you could up your game with a regular hand and nail care routine, then keep reading. Our UpCircle experts are sharing their favourite hand care tips, so you’ll know the best ways to pamper your digits. You’ll soon appreciate and fall in love with your hands!
Handwashing: the dos and don’ts
We’ve all increased our hand hygiene in the wake of the pandemic. While washing our hands is very important to washing bacteria away, it can dry out the skin and cause flakiness and irritation.
If you’re one of the many people to have experienced sore or dry hands due to increased handwashing then you are far from alone. To avoid sore hands, follow this simple, yet effective hand washing routine:
- Use warm – not hot – water. Hot water will dry out the skin on your hands much faster than lukewarm water, so turn the tap down a few degrees to protect your hands.
- Use a gentle hand wash. Choose a mild hand wash that includes a moisturiser to lock in hydration and avoid dry skin.
- Avoid hand dryers. Instead of using a hand dryer to dry your hands, use a towel. The heat from the hand dryer will strip the moisture from your hands leaving them feeling rough and flaky.
Wear rubber gloves
To keep your hands and nails in tip-top condition, always wear rubber gloves when your hands are immersed in water or exposed to chemicals, including cleaning products.
Wearing rubber gloves when doing the washing up or cleaning the bathroom will help to minimise any exposure to chemicals and keep your hands feeling soft. To avoid unnecessary waste, make sure to opt for the most eco-friendly ones available and reuse them as much as possible.
Moisturise your hands
Using a good-quality and nourishing had cream at least three times a day will help to protect your hands from becoming dry and chapped. It’s a good habit to get into and a micro-dose of pampering to lift your spirits throughout the day.
The best times to use hand creams are after a bath or shower, exfoliating, and dishwashing. If you have very dry hands, try to moisturise each time you wash your hands – keep a fast-absorbing hand cream next to the sink and use it regularly to keep the hands soft at all times.
What to look for in a hand cream
When choosing a hand cream, look for ones that is formulated with deeply nourishing ingredients that provide immediate relief for dry skin, like shea butter and marshmallow root.
Our hand cream with hibiscus flowers is formulated with over 10% skin-softening shea butter which exceeds the industry standard of 2-3% making it an extremely nourishing hand cream. It is also formulated with upcycled hibiscus flower acids which contain 0.01-1.00% AHAs that gently eliminate pollutants from the upper layers of the skin and stimulate cell renewal.
How to take care of hands in winter
During winter our hands suffer more than ever. So when the temperature drops, cover your hands with gloves, which will keep out the cold and help to prevent painful, chapped skin.
Cold weather zaps the moisture from your skin incredibly quickly, so increase your moisturising routine to avoid cracked, scaly skin. If your hands feel extremely dry in the winter months, try ‘slugging’. Slugging is a technique where you cover the skin with a thin layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) –or simply just keep moisturising your hands throughout the day with our hand cream and let it work its moisturising magic!
How to take care of hands in summer
It’s not just winter when you need to take special care of your hands. In summer, the most important thing is to keep the sunscreen handy! Your hands bear the brunt of harsh UV rays and summer heat, so it is important to keep them protected with a sunscreen of at least SPF 15, to prevent sun spots and damage as you age.
Apply sunscreen daily – even on those days when the sun isn’t shining to stop your hands from looking aged and dry. Check out our newly launched broad-spectrum SPF 25 mineral sunscreen which can be used on your hands too for the ultimate in hydrating, non-greasy UV protection without the usual sun cream nasties!