Winter Hand Therapy from Spa Index

WINTER HAND THERAPY

Winter often means dry, cracked, chapped hands -- a seasonal hazard. Our hands are first exposed to indoor dry heat and then exposed to harsh outdoor conditions. Often, your favorite or regular moisturizer seem less effective. Here are some tips to help your hands this Winter, as well as a fun bath recipe to try and share with a friend. Who doesn't enjoy an aromatic bath on a cold winter's night?

Drink plenty of water and consider using a humidifier to add moisture to your environment.

Wash Gently. Detergent-laden soaps are drying to the skin, so try a milder herbal soap.

Switch Moisturizers. In the summer when living is easy and humidity high, a light moisturizer is fine. However, when winter arrives, you need heavy duty hand care to soothe and rehydrate. Keep your hand cream accessible -- in your purse, at your desk, in your kitchen, on the bathroom vanity, and by your computer monitor and television. Apply often.

Pamper your hands with a few home spa treats. Once a week, try our super-moisturizing treatment: Soak your hands in hot water with a few tablespoons of baking soda, for thirty minutes. Dry your hands, and apply our Winter Hand Mask as directed, below.

Winter Hand Mask

3 tablespoon oatmeal
2 tablespoons rose water
2 teaspoons almond oil

Crush and mix all ingredients in a mortar with a pestle. Then, heat mixture gently -- just to the warm stage, in your microwave. Carefully apply your mask to your winter sore hands, wrap in cling film, or, a clean towel. Allow to remain on your hands until cool. Rinse. Stores very well.

SpaIndex.com Tip: You've heard the adage "Never cook with wine you wouldn't drink." This holds equally true for home spa remedies. Never use ingredients for your home spa treatments that you wouldn't want to eat. Your skin, the largest organ on your body, breathes and is porous. It will absorb the properties of the ingredients you are using. Don't "clean out the fridge or pantry" to create your home remedies. Use fresh, high quality ingredients for the best results, and do not store the assembled-treatment any longer than the shelf life of the *most* perishable ingredient. In addition, take care to research the properties of all essential oils you plan to use in a recipe. Some are photo-sensitive and can contribute to burning when in the sun, and others are harmful during pregnancy. See our Essential Oils List as a start, but research fully. Finally, insure the containers or jars you will be using are sterile by boiling them in hot water. This will help prevent contamination of your finished product, which could lead to spoilage.

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