There's one part of the body that gets hit hard during the winter months: our hands! Cold weather can be brutal on our skin, leaving hands dry, cracked, and painfully chapped. Not to mention hot water, soap, and drying (& horribly formulated) hand sanitisers that make the matter worse. But I've got a solution to dry hands in winter: 3 soothing recipes to slough away dry skin cells, replenish moisture, and nourish parched skin.
These simple and amazing hand care recipes will keep your hands healthy and happy: a luxurious nurturing hand soak, a nourishing cuticle oil, and a restorative hand balm.
Our Remedies To Soothe Dry Hands In Winter
The skin on our hands is thinner and more delicate than other parts of our body, making it more prone to dehydration and damage from the elements. And once that skin dries out, it takes a little more TLC (tender loving care) to get your hands back to baseline. I recommend using these recipes together as part of a 3-step process. That way you leave no stone unturned in your hand-healing journey.
All three recipes are made with natural, plant-based ingredients and essential oils, so you can rest easy knowing that they're minimally processed and free from additives, fillers, and synthetic fragrances.
So, whenever you're ready, go ahead and say goodbye to rough, itchy hands and hello to happy, soft and hydrated ones!
Step 1 | Soothing Dry Hand Soak
I can vouch for this warm, soothing hand soak for leaving hands feeling soft, smooth, and nourished. Milk contains lactic acid, which helps to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, while macadamia oil is rich in fatty acids that nourish and moisturise the skin. Together, they help hydrate and soften dry, rough hands.
Ingredients
3 cups warm water
1 cup organic whole milk or goat milk
1 tablespoon Macadamia oil
Instructions
Fill a large bowl with warm water. Add the whole milk and macadamia oil and stir well. Place your hands in the bowl and soak for 10–15 minutes. When you're done, gently pat hands dry with a clean towel and apply a hydrating hand cream.
For an extra relaxing experience, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the soak. If you have particularly dry or rough hands, add a tablespoon of raw honey to the mixture for extra nourishment. If you experience itchiness add a cup of lukewarm oat milk to the soak.
Step 2 | Nourishing Cuticle Oil
During the winter months, cold weather and dry indoor air can be particularly harsh on our skin, especially the delicate skin around our nails and cuticles. But a good cuticle oil helps to moisturise the skin, which can prevent cracking, peeling, and hangnails from happening in the first place.
In this cuticle oil blend, we use organic jojoba oil, that mimics the skin's natural oils, so it sinks in beautifully while delivering serious nourishment, and sweet almond oil, a vitamin-rich oil that helps to protect the nails and cuticles from damage, smooths your skin and is non-greasy. A few drops of orange and mandarin essential oils for their skin softening skin benefits and to add a cheerful and fresh citrusy note.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Organic Jojoba Oil
1 tablespoon Sweet Almond Oil
20 drops Orange Essential Oil
10 drops Mandarin Essential Oil
Instructions
In a small glass dropper bottle, combine the jojoba, sweet almond and essential oils. Replace the cap and shake well to combine. To use, apply a drop or two of the cuticle oil to each nail and massage gently into the cuticles and nail beds. Repeat daily, or as needed, to keep your nails and cuticles healthy and hydrated.
Step 3 | Overnight Hydrating Hand Balm
This DIY overnight hand balm uses a mixture of shea butter, vitamin E, and lavender oil to soothe, nourish and protect. Shea butter has been the all-purpose balm since Cleopatra's Egypt because of its high nutrient content and amazing emollient and humectant properties. Perfect for hydrating dry and cracked skin. Vitamin E contains antioxidants moisturising and conditioning skin—lavender and German chamomile essential oils are known for its calming properties.
Ingredients
¼ cup Shea Butter, melted
½ teaspoon vitamin E Oil
30 drops Organic Lavender Essential Oil
20 drops German Chamomile
Instructions
Add ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the melted oils into a container and let cool for several hours. To use, start by washing your hands with a gentle cleanser and drying them thoroughly. Take a small amount of balm and rub it between your palms to warm it up. Massage the balm into your hands, paying special attention to any areas that are particularly dry or cracked. If your hands are in a very bad shape, add a thick layer of the balm and cover your hands with cotton gloves overnight to help seal in the moisture and protect your hands while you sleep. In the morning, remove the gloves and wash your hands with warm water to remove any remaining balm.
Alternatively, for an intensive treatment use our Cocooning Rose Balm for maximum care. Easy to spread and jam-packed with all the nutrients and vitamins your skin needs. Restorative, nurturing and soothing.
Now that your hands are super soft, give yourself an at-home manicure—with or without polish!
Stay warm,
Sonia x
Dry Hands in Winter? Our Best Remedies For Soft Hands.