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Hand, Foot Care Tips
Hands and feet are two body parts that get a daily workout. Cold weather and gardening or other manual chores leave hands chapped and dry. Walking and running, whether barefoot or in shoes, make feet rough and calloused. Rough, dry hands and feet not only look unsightly, but also may led to painful cracked skin. Fortunately, there are several products on the market that can protect and treat hands and feet.
Soothe and protect dry skin on hands with a hand cream. Look for ingredients such as extract of almond, shea nut oil, sea algae, and aloe vera that will condition hands. For very dry hands, use a hand moisturizer. Moisturizers also have Vitamin E to help soften and heal dry skin. Cocoa butter is another popular remedy for moisturizing dry skin. Choose a non greasy cocoa butter hand cream that easily absorbs into the skin to avoid leaving hands with an oily residue.
Badly cracked, rough hands and feet need the protection of a skin balm. Look for a balm with ginger root to reduce inflammation and the herb Echinacea to help heal the skin. Skin balm can also be used as an antiseptic for burns, wounds, scratches, bites, and stings.
Those without severe cases of dry hands and feet may opt for an all purpose cream or body moisturizer. These non greasy products can be applied over the entire body to moisturize and protect against dry skin.
Tired, aching feet will appreciate a foot soak. Look for products with natural oils and botanical extracts to relax feet and leave skin soft. To clean and soothe rough, dry feet, try a foot treatment cleanser. This polishing gel with aloe vera and witch hazel exfoliates and moisturizes as it cleans. To exfoliate rough skin on feet, use a foot scrub brush. While exfoliating, the brush's bristles also massage and polish heels (elbows and knees too). After soaking, apply a peppermint foot lotion. Aloe vera and menthol from the peppermint will soothe and cool tired feet and even your legs. To deodorize or for a quick freshener, use a foot spray that also contains soothing peppermint, chamomile, and menthol. Spray some in your shoes also to freshen and reduce odor.
For extra pampering, choose a home spa foot treatment. This collagen-enriched lotion with nourishing oils of peppermint, camphor, and menthol soothe and leaves even the roughest feet feeling soft and refreshed.
Lotions and creams can protect and heal but it is also important to clean hands. Thorough hand washing is one of the best things you can do to reduce the spread of germs and illness. Constant hand washing can lead to dry hands so look for products that clean and have moisturizing oils to leave hands soft.
Bottled hand soaps should be used in the bathroom and kitchen for hand washing rather than bar soaps. Buy an economical concentrate that can provide several bottles of soap. While all soaps will kill germs and remove dirt, some may prefer an anti-bacterial product for handwashing. For times when water and soap aren't handy, carry hand sanitizer wipes or an antiseptic hand gel. These quick-drying products kill germs, bacteria, and viruses. Some wipes and gels can make hands dry so look for products that contain moisturizers.
Mechanics, construction workers, and others whose hands get grimy with oil and dirt will appreciate a heavy duty hand cleaner with pumice to remove tough grease and oil, even tar and asphalt. Choose a hand cleaner with emollient oils and aloe to condition rough, dry hands.
Rid nails of unsightly dirt and grime with a nail and hand brush. A double-sided brush will have short bristles on one side to clean nails, cuticles, and hands. Longer bristles on the other side will brush away dry chapped skin on heels and elbows.
Whether you need a little or a lot of help with rough, dry hands and feet, you can find products that can soothe, moisturize and protect. Daily use of the proper cleaner and moisturizer will keep hands and feet in good condition which saves time and money spent on manicures and pedicures.
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