Among the parts of the body that becomes really dry during the winter, are the hands. They can be rejuvenated easily with simple, everyday kitchen ingredients.
The skin on the back of the hands is thin and has few oil glands. Hands also come in contact with soaps and detergents daily, which have havoc on the skin, making it rough and dry. This is more so in winter, when the skin loses moisture. So protect your hands by wearing rubber gloves for your washing chores. Surgical gloves are easily available at a chemist shop bath time is appropriate to pamper the hands and supply them with the oil and moisture they need. In fact applying body lotions and creams soon after bathing, while the skin is still damp, helps to seal in moisture.
Home remedies for hands:
1. Before bath apply oil on hands and feet and massage on the skin. This help to soften the skin. Sesame seed oil or olive oil can be used. For extreme dryness, use pure warm almond oil.
2. A traditional home pre-bath treatment is to mix gram flour with curd and a pinch of turmeric into paste. Apply the paste on the hands and feet. After 20 minutes, dampen with water and rub the paste gently on the skin and wash off while bathing. Do this two or three times a week.
3. For dry and dark hands, take 2 tablespoons sun flower oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoon coarse sugar. Mix together till it becomes a paste. Apply and rub into hands. Wash off after 15 minutes repeat thrice a week.
4. For dryness of the hands and feet, add one teaspoon pure glycerin to 100 ml rose water. Apply on hands and feet to relieve dryness.
5. To soften the skin and lighten the skin colour of hands, you can also take some sugar and add lemon juice. Rub this on the back of hands and wash off.
6. Take a cup of warm milk, soak hands in it for five minutes to strengthen nails and soften skin.
7. Take fresh orange peels, pierce them with a fork. Rob the peels on the hands to brighten the skin.
8. For every dry hands and nails, mix together one table spoon almond oil, one tablespoon sesame seed oil, one tablespoon wheat germ oil. Apply daily and massage it into the skin.
9. Mix almond oil and honey in equal parts and massage into the nails and cuticles.
10. For dry nails, warm any vegetable oil and soak fingers in it for ten minutes. Wipe off with a moist towel.
A Luxury treatment for hands:
Take four teaspoons of almond oil and mix one table spoon rose water. Add half teaspoon tincture benzoin, drop-by-drop. Mix together. Apply this on the hands. Wear loose cotton socks on the hands and leave overnight. Rinse off with plain water the next morning.
Source- The Hans India