An essential part of skincare that is easy to forget is the care of our hands. Hand skincare is so important! We are often reminded to implement a skincare routine for our faces and yet we tend to overlook our hands as we set out to effectively care for our faces.
Hand skincare is important because the skin on your hands is thinner than the skin on other parts of your body, including your face. This quality makes your hands susceptible to more harm than other areas of our body. Your hands are often unprotected as you go about your daily routines, and your habits take a greater toll on your hands than you may realize. Whether it is washing dishes, or doing yard work, or even simply washing your hands, your skin is exposed to harmful chemicals and environs which affect your hands negatively.
An important first step to starting a skincare routine for your hands is to find a moisturizer that gives your skin more elasticity and eliminates the discomfort dry hands can cause. Frequent hand washing, especially with hot water, will leave your hands dry and unhealthy. There is debate on the use of hand sanitizer and whether the disinfecting chemicals might do more harm than good, but if you choose to use hand sanitizer, it is important to moisturize after use as the alcohol present in the sanitizer will also dry out the skin on your hands.
Another way to implement hand skincare is to remember to apply sunscreen to your hands, preferably something all-natural. This will prevent premature aging, as well as dark pigmentation known as age spots. When you use sunscreen, you are inclined to cover other parts of your body, forgetting your hands; but, as mentioned before, the skin on your hands is thinner and at risk of more harm from the sun’s rays than other parts of your body. A light application of sunscreen will protect your skin and help your hands to remain youthful and healthy-looking.
Exfoliation is a big part of facial skincare and did you know that exfoliating your hands is important too? Exfoliating once or twice a week helps rid your hands of dead skin cells that can make your skin look dry and dull, and exfoliating your hands also helps your skin absorb moisturizer better. There are many ways to keep the skin on your hands smooth and youthful-looking, and while it may be easy to forget to implement this part of your skincare routine, you will find that it makes quite a difference in how you look and feel.
Keeping your hands moisturized, protecting your hands from the sun and other harsh elements, and occasional routinely exfoliating the skin on your hands are all great steps to take in caring for your hands. If you’re like most people, you spend time caring for your skin; cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your face (and neck!) but it's very likely you don't give the same amount of care to your hands. Your hands are one of the first things people notice about you and as much as you work to make your face look healthy and youthful, if you don't take care of your hands, they can be the very thing that makes you look older.