New Year New You

With all your other beauty woes in winter it’s easy to forget about your hands. Take at look at some of our simple tips and make dry chapped hands a thing of the past.

Dry cold weather can wreak havoc on unprotected hands so even if you’re not out building a snowman wear a pair of gloves.

Dry air inside and out can lead hands to dry out, consider using a humidifier in the house to up the moisture content in the air.

Wear rubber gloves when doing house work.  They may not be fashionable but they will save your hands when doing the washing up. Overexposure to both water and harsh chemicals in dishwashing liquids and soaps draws natural moisture and lubrication out of your hands. For the same reason, do not wash your hands too often with strong soaps or always moisturise after washing.

Moisturize your hands several times a day, and consider applying moisturiser before bed or before venturing outdoors. Some people recommend sleeping in gloves or socks after applying a thick moisturiser.  

Try pampering your hands every so often with a herbal oil massage or deep moisturiser or treat yourself to a manicure.

When choosing a hand cream look for products with ingredients such as shea butter or natural oils like avocado oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil, which moisturise and heal.

Try using products with high beeswax content if you’re going to be outside all day skiing, etc. Your hands will be sticky and waxy, but will be protected from further chapping and retain existing moisture.

Lastly, drink plenty of water; staying hydrated will help keep you healthy and stop your skin from drying out.

WINTER WONDERS

• Beat chapped lips this winter
• Fight the frizz in the cold weather