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As the CDC guidelines recommend, we’ve been washing our hands and using hand sanitizer non-stop to slow the spread of COVID-19. But even if washing your hands nineteen times a day–yes, that’s a scientific figure–is what health profressionals suggest, it doesn’t mean that the whole process can’t be harsh on your skin.
The one mistake you’re probably making is not moisturizing them!
As Paula’s Choice director of skincare knowledge Deborah Kilgore explains, frequent hand-washing or using hand sanitizer can take a major toll on your skin and even lead to painful, cracked skin. If dry, hard-to-manage hands have become your new normal, there are some easy ways to show them some love.
These expert-backed tips can bring super dry, dehydrated or cracked skin back to life (even for the most diligent of hand washers).
Apply moisturizer immediately after washing hands or using hand sanitizer.
Handwashing and using hand sanitizer strip skin of vital moisture. Even though they are effective ways of maintaining hygiene, you'll need to add an extra step to your new self-care routine: using a fragrance-free moisturizer.
Deborah suggest the brand's Daily Replenishing Body Cream ($22) which is a top-rated body cream. The antioxidant, ceramide and targeted peptide rich fomula helps to hydrate, smooth and protect your skin all over--especially hands.
If your hands need an extra boost of hydration, add an emollient oil such as a skincare oil or even Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your favorite moisturizer, Deborah suggests.
And severely dry hands can benefit from the same hydrating mask that you use for your face, such as an overnight treatment. Slather your hands with a mask--bonus point if you have moisturizer gloves!--and you'll soothe thirsty, dehydrated, rough-textured, patchy skin overnight.
And for those dry cuticles, use an intense hydrating treatment such a balm or Vaseline at night, dabbed right onto affected areas, Deborah suggests. And voila! Your hands will be back to their old selves.
