Photo Courtesy of LovingYou.com
The winter months are growing near, and that means having to battle against the effects of the cold air with dry, unsightly chapped hands. BeautyStat wants to keep your hands looking and feeling their best, so we got in contact with a group of skincare and dry-hand combatants including dermatologist Sejal K. Shah, Skyy Hadley (owner of As “U” Wish Nail Spa in Hoboken, NJ) and our beauty obsessed editors for some treatment tips and hand cream product recommendations for keeping your skin — especially your hands — healthy!
With extra layers, sometimes gloves and mittens can s tear at our nails.
“If your nail splits, cracks or tears on the edge, drop a small amount of nail glue on the nail where it is damaged and then lay a tiny piece of facial tissue over the nail glue,” explained Hadley. “Let the nail glue dry and gently buff to smooth. The benefit of using tissue rather than fabric is that when the tissue dries over the glue, it will become clear. If you use a fabric, like silk, you will see the individual stitches in fabric.”
Skyy Hadley
Easy-To-Make At-Home Hand Treatment Recipe:
If you can’t make it into the salon to be pampered, you can make your own moisturizing treatment for your hands and feet that will counteract the drying effects of the cooler temperatures.
1. Take one cup of regular oatmeal and ½ cup of regular milk and heat up over the stove.
2. Stir until cooked, add sugar to thicken the mixture and then let cool a bit.
3. When the mix is thickened, apply to hands and feet. Leave on for 5-10 minutes. The oatmeal soothes dry, itchy skin and the milk acts as an exfoliant to help get rid of dry and dead skin cells.
4. Finish off with pure shea butter as a moisturizer or a product that contains shea butter.
If you don’t have the time for an at-home creation, pick up a pre-made treatment, like Atopalm’s Moisturizing Hand Treatment ($18.00). This hydrating formula is designed to soften hands while reducing visible signs of aging. Moisturizers and antioxidants work to diminish dryness and dullness, while other ingredients tackle tell-tale signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles. With regular use, the hands will become softer, smoother, brighter, and more comfortable.
BeautyStat‘s editors weigh-in on some of their favorite hand creams to use for the colder months.
“Votre Vu Bébé Duette in Framboise ($39.50) is a luxurious hand cream and moisturizing lip balm all in one! Both have a delicious coconut fragrance and apply easily. The top contains the lip balm and the bottom the luxe hand cream! It also comes in coconut.” – Nicole Gordon Levine, senior beauty writer
“Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream ($4.49) is a classic. An oldie but a goodie. It’s super rich and emollient and contains a healthy slug of glycerin. CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream is my new favorite hand cream (launching sometime in January). This formula is lightweight and fast-absorbing, but it’s water-resistant as it contains an OTC level of 1% dimethicone so it can withstand hand-washing. This formula helps prevent and temporarily protect chafed, chapped, cracked dry skin.” – Ron Robinson
“I love this Natural Fruit AHA Complex from St. Ives. It’s rich and creamy without being greasy. And it really works! Just a dab, rubbed in well, and my hands are smooth and silky for hours. It even helps with dry cuticles and nails. The fresh scent and modest price tag are also big pluses. I am stocking on this for the winter ahead. – Yona McDonough
“Aveeno’s Skin Relief Hand Cream is a great, non-greasy hand cream to use at night. When my hands are extremely chapped, the skin usually cracks at the knuckles, which can be really painful. But, this cream brings them back from the brink overnight!” – Theresa Romano, BeautyStat managing editor
“I love NUXE Reve de Miel Hand and Nail Crème ($19.00). It does a really good job of keeping hands hydrated without feeling greasy. I also love the fact that they actually tested this product in the coldest parts of Canada to see how the moisture retention held up! – Erin Sutera, senior beauty writer and makeup artist
“I tote around a few brands, but my current favorites are Burt’s Bees Ultimate Care Hand Cream ($13.00). This cream absorbs nicely without feeling greasy — and is great to use after a manicure.” – Jill Goldsberry
“My favorite hand cream is actually one that I tested through BeautyStat: Desert Essence Pumpkin Spice Hand Repair Cream ($6.29). It’s an all-natural product. It is the hand repair cream, and the scent that I currently have it in is pumpkin spice (which is perfect for the holidays). I love the fact that it completely moisturizes my hands without leaving behind a greasy residue.” – Dawn Santamarina
Dr. Sejal K. Shah shares with us some of her favorite tips and treatments to preventing our hands from experiencing the effects of dry skin and how to maintain healthy, moisturized hands all-year round.
“The hands can age faster than the face because the skin is so thin and there is very little fat on them,” said Shah. “Furthermore, they are exposed to damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation, harsh wind and cold, abrasive soaps and chemicals, and other harmful things that cause them to age even faster.”
1. Use a moisturizer containing SPF every single day to protect your hands from the sun. Harmful UV rays from the sun cause the skin to appear aged by increasing the breakdown of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid and promoting the development of brown spots and pigment irregularities. Remember to moisturize liberally throughout the day.
Some Favorites:
• La Prairie White Cavier Illuminating Hand Cream SPF 15 ($150.00)
• The Body Shop Wise Woman Defensive Hand and Nail Cream SPF 15
• Erno Laszlo Intensive Hand Cream SPF 25 ($65.00)
• Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Correcting Hand Cream Broad Spectrum SPF
15 ($35.00)
• RESIST Ultimate Anti-Aging Hand Cream SPF 30 ($12.76)
If you can’t find an SPF-containing hand cream that works for you, use any broad-spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB radiation) sunscreen product that you like and apply a separate moisturizer for increased hydration as needed.
Photo Courtesy of HowStuffWorks.com/©iStockphoto.com/Andrejs Pidjass
2. Use a thick moisturizer or ointment at night and cover your hands with cotton gloves to improve absorption, especially if they are very dry.
Some Favorites:
• Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Hand Creme ($5.49)
• Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer ($15.00)
• Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve ($15.00)
• L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($28.00)
• Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($4.79)
3. Add products containing antioxidants or growth factors for additional anti-aging benefits. I typically recommend using these at night with a moisturizer as needed.
Some Favorites:
Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream ($15.00)
SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic ($146.00)
Neocutis Bio-restorative Skin Cream
Skin Medica TNS Recovery Complex ($165.00)
ZO Skin Health Oraser Overnight Hand Recovery
4. Exfoliate weekly. Exfoliation helps slough dead skin cells and helps moisturizer penetrate better.
Some Favorites:
• L’Occitane One Minute Hand Scrub ($22.00)
• Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish ($65.00)
• ZO Skin Health Oraser Microderm Hand Renewal ($50.00)
Alternatively, using a nighttime moisturizer with alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids can provide some mild chemical exfoliation as well as anti-aging benefits.
Some Favorites:
• La Prairie Cellular Hand Cream ($155.00)
• Eucerin Professional Repair Extremely Dry Skin Lotion ($8.39)
• CeraVe SA Renewing Lotion
• Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Moisturizer ($45.00)
• Aqua Glycolic Hand and Body Lotion ($22.99)
5. Try a heated paraffin wax bath for deep moisturization. You can go to a salon for a weekly treatment or purchase a unit to use at home from companies such as Therabath, Dr. Scholl’s and Waxwel.
6. Try to avoid frequent hand washing, especially with hot water and abrasive soaps, which strips the skin of its protective oils and leads to dry, rough and itchy skin. When washing your hands, use lukewarm water and a mild non-drying soap or soap-free cleanser, gently pat the skin dry and apply moisturizer immediately. Remove rings because they can trap water and other irritants, thereby worsening dry, irritated skin.
Instead of washing your hands, opt for a fragrance- and alcohol-free hand sanitizer.
7. If the skin on your hands is already extremely dry or cracked, try the “soak-and-smear” technique nightly. Soak the hands in lukewarm water for five to ten minutes, pat the hands dry, apply a thick moisturizer or petroleum jelly, and cover with cotton gloves.
8. Cover your hands with gloves. Wear appropriate gloves when using any strong household cleansers and chemical, doing work outdoors and in cold weather. Use disposable gloves when working with certain foods (for example, very acidic fruits and vegetables) if they irritate your skin. It’s best to use cotton-lined gloves when doing household chores or working with harsh chemicals.
9. If your hands are already showing signs of aging, see your dermatologist to discuss rejuvenation treatments and remember it’s always best to consult with a dermatologist before starting any skin care routine.
ABOUT SEJAL SHAH
Sejal K. Shah, M.D. is a board certified dermatologist in private practice in Manhattan. She practices general and cosmetic dermatology, with a particular interest in laser and light-based treatments and skin of color. Dr. Shah is young, hip and totally up on all the latest skincare trends and dermatological practices. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama, Dr. Shah continued her postgraduate studies at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York where she earned her medical degree. After completing an internship in internal medicine at the St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, she went on to complete a two-year clinical research fellowship at the Skin of Color Center. She subsequently completed her dermatology residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt where she served as chief resident during her senior year and now practices in New York City where she is in the process of setting up her own practice.
So, do any of you lovely ladies suffer from dry hands? What are some of your favorite hand creams? Let us know by commenting below, which will automatically be posted to our Community Forum (click here to check it out!) where you can find other beauty related discussions! Don’t forget to also submit a photo to our Photo Of The Day (click here!) feature, where a new photo will be picked daily. Your photo just might be selected, so get going!
– Theresa Romano
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