We use our hands everyday so it’s fair to say they go through their fair share of abuse and hold a huge responsibility in our everyday routines.
Dry skin on our hands may be characterised by being rough to the touch and scaly in appearance. You may even experience irritation and itchiness in these areas.
On the flip side, our feet are underrated human tools that bear the weight of entire bodies and it is unsurprising that they can be overworked.
Friction from ill fitting footwear and continual pressure on the soles of our feet throughout the day can contribute to the health of our feet and the skin around it. Continual friction and pressure can cause the skin on our feet to thicken and develop into calluses. For our skin this means increased dryness and cracking at the surface.
Thankfully, we’re here to help. This section will teach you all you need to know to combat cracked and dry skin on our hands and feet.
How are the skin on my hands and feet different from the rest of my body?
The skin on our hands has two most definitive sections. The first being the back of our hands which is the thinnest part and the palms which are fatty and resilient. The lack of hair on our hands compared to our arms and legs means that there are less sebaceous glands that provide moisture.
In terms of care, this means the back of our hands are more prone to dryness whilst the palms can produce more moisture due to the sweat glands.
For our feet, our soles and heels have some of the thickest skin of our body. They support the weight of our bodies and carry us on our daily commutes withstanding the pressure throughout the day.
Continuous friction from wearing tight shoes that don’t fit quite right means that the body products thicker skin in response to this that leads to skin on our feet that is slightly discoloured and tougher.
How can I prevent dry hands?
As mentioned above, the skin on the back of our hands is much thinner than the rest. They don’t have as tough of an exterior as some other parts of the body so it’s important to perfect our handcare routine to prevent dry and irritated skin.
Use a gentle handwash:
One major cause of dry hands is frequent washing and sanitising of them. Opting for a hydrating hand wash will allow you to clean your hands of bacteria whilst nourishing the skin in the same step.
At Evolve Beauty, we designed our hand washes to deliver hydrating ingredients to the skin and revive overworked hands all whilst making them a treat to use.
Our organic Pomegranate and Goji Aromatic Wash uses aloe vera and goji berry to comfort and hydrate and calm dry, itchy skin. For more citrusy fragrance, try our African Orange Aromatic Hand and Body Wash to refresh the skin whilst calming irritation.
| Pomegranate and Goji Aromatic Wash | African Orange Aromatic Wash |
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Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!
Perhaps the most important step in preventing dry hands is moisturising. Be generous in application and massage into the hands taking extra care in any dry patches.
Look out for organic moisturisers with ingredients that are vitamin rich like shea butter and hydrating ingredients like glycerin to retain moisture and leave your hands feeling softer for longer.
You can try to keep the habit of applying moisturiser by keeping your handwash and hand cream side by side at the sink or even keeping a small tube of hand cream by your desk or bedside table. This will remind you to rehydrate throughout the day and follow a handcare routine.
How can I remedy dry and cracked feet?
One good lifestyle change is to opt for better fitting shoes. This will not only help absorb some of the pressures your feet go through but will also be more comfortable for you in the long run and improve blood circulation.
A Simple Footcare Routine To Tackle Hard and Dry Feet
- Exfoliate. The first step in any footcare routine is getting rid of hard and dead skin on the feet. Exfoliating is important here. You can use an in-shower scrub like the Tropical Blossom Body Polish or a pumice stone to buff hardened skin away. This will help our nourishing moisturiser to penetrate deeper into the layers of our skin. Try doing this step once a week will help with skin cell renewal.
- Cleanse. Use a gentle body cleanser to wash any impurities of the day. Wearing socks and tight shoes creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow so it is important that the feet are clean for the following steps.
- Moisturise. To soften dry feet, intense hydration is key. Using a creamy moisturiser will seal in any water from your shower and help repair the skin’s natural barrier. Our Citrus Blend Aromatic Body Lotion is formulated with shea butter and aloe vera to soothe irritated skin and tackle dry patches on the feet. Add a few drops of a nourishing body oil to help boost hydration!
Top tip: You can seal this added moisture in by putting on socks after your moisturising step. This will ensure there is no moisture lost through evaporation at the surface-level. Doing this before bed will allow you to wake up with beautifully soft feet that’s ready to take on the day.
Our hands and feet are tools we use everyday so it’s important that we take extra care to prevent dryness and irritation in these areas. We use our hands for almost any activity and our feet bear the weight of us throughout the day. The key takeaway from this is to moisturise to fight dry skin on your hands and feet.
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