Coping with dry, brittle hands in the winter months can be a painful experience. Cracking, chapped skin is irritating, at the very least, and unsightly. Unfortunately, no matter what we do, many of us struggle to keep our hands properly moisturized during these months.

Our panel of expert contributors have supplied us with some natural beauty care advice that will help us determine why our hands are so dry and a few tips to help put the moisture back into our skin.

Banish Dry Skin

Dry skin can be caused by a combination of environmental stress and poor nutrition. You may need to experiment to see what is causing your skin to become dry. Here are 4 tips to keep your skin moist and soft:

1. Hydrate! When cells are dehydrated, they lose their plumpness and structure. Make sure you are drinking at least 1.5 quarts of water a day (no caffeinated beverages!).

2. Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids (good fats) such as fish, nuts and seeds. For more severe condition, consider supplementing with fish, flaxseed or evening primrose oil.

3. Look into poor calcium metabolism – calcium is a drying mineral, and if it’s not processed properly, it can get dumped into the “wrong places”, including the skin. You can find out by having a hair analysis done.

4. Look into your thyroid health, a low thyroid hormone level can cause many symptoms, including dry skin.

Ling Wong, Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Coach, Thoughts For Foods Holistic Health

Clementine Hand Scrub

My skin often gets dry and brittle from the cold winter, so I make a gentle orange hand scrub.

• Oranges are rich in vitamin C and Alpha Hydroxy acids and help to remove the dead skin.
• Honey and olive oil help moisturize the skin.
• Baking soda acts as a gentle exfoliant.

Ingredients:

1 tbs clementine juice
1 tbs honey
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs olive oil

Directions:  Mix together all ingredients. and then gently wash your hands with the scrub.

Erika Katz, DIY Beauty Expert, Bonding Over Beauty

How do you fight off dry, cracking skin on your hands during the harsh months of winter?

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