All-Natural Hand Care Tips & Recipes   by Alex G

in Health / Skin Care    (submitted 2011-11-03)

You can tell a lot about a person by the look and feel of their hands. Your hands are always out there for everyone to see and if not taken care of properly they can make you look older. They say something about your lifestyle too, so don't forget about your hands when you take care of the rest of your skincare.

Unlike other parts of our body, there is very little fat, collagen and elastin on the back of our hands, and the skin is much thinner than on our face. This thinner skin combined with sun exposure will make wrinkles appear faster on our hands and anywhere else on our body.

Take a bit of time and treat your hands to a quick manicure to protect them for the elements. Here are a few must-do, daily hand care tips that you should follow.

1) When washing dishes, gardening or heavy cleaning, always wear gloves.
2) Always use hand soap with a low ph and apply lotion immediately after.
3) When out in the sun, don't forget the sunscreen.
4) pat your hands dry, don't rub them. Cold wet hands make fungal infections easier to catch.
5) Watch out for repetitive actions, like typing and mouse clicking as these can cause carpal tunnel syndrome
6) It is necessary to get enough calcium and vitamin B in your diet to keep your nails from getting brittle and cracking.

Whether you go out for manicures and pedicures, or you stay home and do them yourself, always ensure that the equipment and clean and sterile. Below are a few all-natural skincare recipes your can make from home to use in your next mani-pedi. They work great and they have no chemicals or additives found in the commercial products.

Lemon/Rosewater Hand Massage
Combine 1tsp of glycerin, a few drops lemon juice and 5 drops of rose water in a small bottle. Massage this into your hands and cuticles for 20 to 30 minutes.

Lemon Nail Soak
Combine a cup of bottled water, the juice of a lemon, 1tbsp of aloe vera gel and 10 drops of lemon essential oil. Soak your fingers in this for about 10 minutes on each hand.

Nourishing Hand Moisturizer
Mix up some cucumber juice and glycerin and applied on your hands each evening before bed. This will give your hands a fresh, healthy look.

Dry Hand Softener
Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of sugar and a little water. Rub this mixture on your hands and let sit for 5 minutes then wash off with warm water and dry thoroughly.

A Mask for Your Hands
Mix up some egg whites, like a meringue, and spread it on your hands. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. This will tighten your skin and prevent the formation of wrinkles.

Follow the above mentioned tips and keep your skin looking soft, supple, young and beautiful forever! Beautiful hands are the result of dedicated hand care and maintenance.

About the Author

Alex is a freelance graphic artist & marketing pro with a passion for writing. She understands the value of looking and feeling your best when meeting new people and believes in basic, natural skincare. If you enjoyed this article, check out her skincare advice and product reviews at Natural Skincare Secrets Simplified where you can also sign up for her free skincare newsletter.