The Only Hand Skincare Regime You'll Ever Need

Reading time: 7 mins

Our hands play a vital role in our daily lives. We often don't give them much thought, they're just so integral to what we do. We use them constantly on a daily basis, and they go through a lot.

Our hands are one of the first places to show signs of ageing. Most of us understand the need for a healthy facial skincare routine to keep our youthful looks as long as we can, but if we don’t look after our hands they can easily give the game away. Using a moisturising hand cream not only keeps our skin soft and smooth but also helps keep them looking younger for longer.

No matter how we use our hands – whether to hold something, hug someone, wash something – we are exposing it to external irritants, and if you think about what our hands go through in a day, of course, it makes sense to care for them as we do other parts of the body.

Keeping our hands moisturised has never been so important. The pandemic has had a huge impact on our lives in so many ways, and protecting our hands has become more prevalent with an increase in daily hand washing. In addition, the use of hand sanitisers can wreak havoc on the sensitive skin on our hands. Consistent hand washing can result in dry, damaged and chapped skin if you aren't careful.

The skin on the back of our hands is very different from the skin on our palms. The skin on the back of our hands is usually quite thin and has few sebaceous glands, resulting in dryness very quickly. The skin on our palms is much thicker and consequently the moisture requirement to penetrate the hands needs to be rich and full of moisture-binding ingredients.

Building a regular hand care routine is the easiest way to keep on top of your hand care. This should ideally be adhered to throughout the day.

Hand care doesn't finish with the skin on your hands though. It's all very well having beautifully cared for skin, but if your nails show signs of neglect, then the job is only half done.

Oleo Bodycare range of vegan hand wash products

Wash your hands well

Wash your hands thoroughly with a gentle product. Any of our natural, cold process soaps, or our beautifully fragranced hand washes fit the bill perfectly. It's important to wash hands after using the bathroom, after visibly soiling the hands and before food preparation or eating.

Harsh chemicals and water can be the hands’ worst enemies. Yet, coming into contact with both is inevitable when going about daily chores. In such cases, prevention is better than cure! Instead of relying on moisturisers and oils to repair the damage afterwards, take steps to prevent dry hands in the first place.

If your hands are frequently in water, it’s worth investing in rubber gloves. These will keep water and any harmful cleaning chemicals from coming into contact with your hands. If wearing gloves aren’t really your thing, just try to avoid overly hot water and opt for natural cleaning products that do not use harsh bleaches, to maintain healthy skin on the hands as much as possible.

Use a hand cream

By using a hand cream straight after you've washed your hands, you'll lock in the moisture that can be removed from the water and from drying your hands. Hand creams work to nourish and moisturise your skin. The Oleo Rich Moisturising Hand Cream has consistently been a best-seller amongst our range. It contains a bounty of rich, plant-based oils that, when used regularly, help to combat the drying effects that life throws at your hard-working hands.

If you are experiencing extremely dry hands, then look no further than the Oleo Intensive Dry Skin Balm. This completely natural, ultra-rich preparation melts on contact with the skin, releasing the wonderful aroma of skin-caring geranium, lavender and patchouli essential oils.

Eczema can be accompanied by dry, itchy, inflamed skin. Our Soothing Body Lotion is a very effective vegan body moisturiser. Containing anti-inflammatory calendula oil and essential oils of profoundly soothing and calming lavender and chamomile.

Exfoliate

Regular exfoliation is key to glowing skin. Done regularly, this will help to brighten the skin by sloughing off the old dead skin cells and revealing the fresh new cells underneath. Follow exfoliation immediately with hand cream to lock in moisture and protect the newly revealed surface skin cells.

When you introduce exfoliation into your hand care routine, start by doing this twice a week. The frequency can be increased if the skin is not too irritated.

Oleo provide a couple of methods for exfoliation. When you use our Zesty Exfoliating Shower Gel, your hands will automatically get exfoliated. Alternatively, you can use our Lavender & Ylang Ylang Sugar Scrub.

Sun Screen

Sun exposure can lead to signs of aging and higher susceptibility to hand dryness, whether it’s hyperpigmentation or texture issues like wrinkles, sagging and cracking. Even 10 minutes of incidental sun exposure each day can gradually build up over time, so make sure to always apply a good sunscreen to the back of the hands every single day: sun, rain, snow or shine.

Winter Protection

It's not only summer sun that can play havoc with your hands. Freezing weather and biting winds will rob your skin of precious oils. Be extra vigilant with your hand care routine and make sure to wear gloves or mittens when outside. If you want some more tips protecting your skin during the colder months, be sure to check out our Top Tips for Healthy Winter Skin.

Lady moisturising her hands in a bath robe

Nails

Make sure that you massage your hand cream into your cuticles and nails as well. Your cuticles will benefit from this as they are essentially dried and hardened bits of skin around your nails. If moisturised daily, they will become less prominent.

Clip your nails according to personal length preference. After clipping, when filing your nails, avoid too much downward pressure, over-filing, or poor quality nail files. All of these can damage and weaken your nail plate.

A hangnail is jagged piece of hard skin that pokes out loosely from the side of your fingernails. They often come about during winter, when your skin is more prone to drying out and cracking. Despite their size, these hangnails can actually become quite painful and uncomfortable. Those who bite their fingernails or trim their cuticles too close to their nail bed are more prone to getting hangnails. Most importantly, this exposed skin between the nail and the hangnail is a real risk for infection. It is important that you don’t rip or bite it off, no matter how tempting it may be, as this will be painful and further open the wound to infection.

Following this basic hand care routine should not take up too much of your time. You'll be rewarded with hands that do not reveal your age and in addition you'll have hands that will want to be held.