Dry skin? How to treat your hands well in the winter
For me, winter is synonymous with snow, cold and cracked skin on my hands. Agree? If you also struggle with dry skin, here are a few skincare tips that might help.
What do my knuckles and in the area between my thumb and index finger have in common? From October onwards, they’re often rough and cracked. According to dermatologists, this is because the sebaceous glands on our hands (link in German) take a winter break, so to speak. If the temperature drops below eight degrees, they produce less of the body’s own fat (lipids). As a result, the usual protective layer around the skin is reduced.
Source: Inspocity/Shutterstock
Add frequent hand washing and hot air to the reduced sebum production and your hands will dry out. The good news? There are ways to get through winter with smooth and healthy hands.
Wear gloves – the right ones
As soon as you set foot outside, make sure to protect your hands from the cold. In other words, wear gloves. It’s crucial what material they’re made of. Synthetic fibres can irritate and scratch the skin. Instead, go for breathable material such as cotton, which allows the air to circulate. There are several cotton gloves on our shop, for example by Tommy Hilfiger and Mu Style. If you like lambskin, you could also opt for the ones by Ugg.
Gentle washing
Washing your hands stresses the skin, as it removes lipids. Some experts therefore advise (if possible) not to wash them too often but disinfect them instead (link in German) – with a moisturising disinfectant spray. The aloe vera sanitiser by Soeder is particularly popular on our shop. Many customers praise that it smells nice and doesn’t dry out the hands.
Of course, you can’t stop washing your hands entirely. But don’t use too hot water, even if it’s tempting in sub-zero temperatures. Wash your hands with lukewarm water instead. This protects the skin barrier. And use pH-neutral soap to avoid attacking the skin’s acid mantle.
Take a hand bath
A hand bath is a very simple and effective way to moisturise your hands. Half a litre of camomile tea and two tablespoons of olive oil is all you need to create a spa experience for your hands. Treat them to 15 minutes in the soothing, lukewarm water. This will help your stressed skin.
Source: Maike Jensen
Source: Maike Jensen
Use moisturising creams
There’s no way around moisturisers. The cream does what the sebaceous glands usually do. Creams containing urea are particularly suitable. I’m a fan of the Eucerin moisturiser.
Source: Maike Jensen
Moisturisers containing panthenol or plant oils such as avocado or sea buckthorn oil or shea butter also help sooth dry skin.
Drink enough
This sounds simple, but is often forgotten: stay hydrated. Drinking enough is essential to keep your body, including hands, hydrated. It’s also important to eat foods with plenty of nutrients such as vitamins, zinc, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. However, speak to your doctor before taking any supplements.
Intense overnight cure
Tried all the above and nothing worked? There are also great overnight treatments for dry hands. How about slipping into a hand mask before going to bed? One with shea butter is available on our shop. Alternatively, apply a thick layer of Vaseline to your hands and put them in gloves. To avoid having to use your regular outdoor gloves, use thin cotton gloves for your hand mask. I promise your hands will have a relaxing and revitalising night.
Header image: Andriy Blokhin/Shutterstock
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Cat lady and coffee lover from up north. Always on the lookout for «News and Trends».
