Healthy hands are happy hands, and as thankful as we are for hand soaps, sanitisers, and household cleaners right now, continuous usage can leave our skin feeling rough and dry. While cleansers and antibacterials make things squeaky clean, they also strip your skin of its natural oils, which can result in extremely dry hands and cuticles.
If you’re feeling this like we are, don’t despair. We chatted with our very own Lisa Kern (@lkern.opi) – and without further ado here are her top tips on how you can keep your skin hydrated in between all those washes.
Protect Your Hands!
Disposable or rubber gloves are key right now, if you can still get your hands on them. When possible, use them when cleaning, and put on a really great hand cream several times a day, especially before bed.
In addition to this, I would suggest using a hand soap to clean hands instead of hand sanitiser. Most hand sanitiser contains alcohol that will dry out the hands faster.
Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise!
Treat dry hands at the very first sign of dryness. Large cracks or fissures can be difficult to treat if you wait too long, so keep your supply of hand cream near you at all times – in the OPI catalogue good options for this are the ProSpa Protective Hand Serum and Moisture Bonding Ceramide Spray.
We love collagen for its skin-plumping qualities, which is why this serum is one of my faves. It’s chock full of antioxidants and collagen-boosting peptides that plumps skin leaving it soft, smooth, and supple. My personal favourite for really dry hands? I love the Prospa Intense Hand and Cuticle Cream. Even after a couple of hand washes, it still keeps the hands moisturized.
Don’t Forget the Cuticles
Your cuticles and nails are equally sensitive to drying out from dry weather, soaps, and household cleaners, and having dry cuticles makes nails more susceptible to the possibility of bacteria entering your nail beds. Yuck!
Make sure to nip any hangnails that might currently be fraying to prevent them from continuing to tear, and massage Nail & Cuticle Oil into your nails once a day to help alleviate dryness.
Mask it Up
Don’t make your hands feel like they’re missing out when you do a face mask! OPI’s Soothing Moisture Mask has an easy-to-wash off formula that leaves skin feeling soft and moisturised. Not only is it quick-drying, but its ultra-hydrating formula will leave your hands feeling soft and healthy again. The moisture-rich cupuaçu butter & avocado lipid complex helps relieve severe dryness, while the chamomile helps soothe itchy skin.
If your hands are extra dry, I suggest this at-home paraffin treatment that will replenish your skin in no time. Apply a good amount of hand cream to your hands, then wrap them with OPI Expert Touch removal mitts or plastic gloves. Heat damp hand towels in your microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes making sure they’re warm but not too hot, then wrap the towels around your hands and allow them to cool before removing your mitts. Once you remove them, rub in any leftover cream.
