Hands On: 4 Steps to Rejuvenated Hands

You’re never without SPF. You eat your fruits and veggies. You (try to) get enough sleep and you work out regularly. Why not ensure that your youthful approach to life reaches all the way to your fingertips?

Brown spots, uneven skin tone, and wrinkles will inevitably appear on your hands over time. However, with conscious efforts made in your daily regimen, you can help prevent these with ease. Sherrie Berry, co-founder of Skin Again, is back this week to share her top 4 tips for keeping hands healthy and youthful. Check out her expert advice below, then let us know what you think!

1. Wash: Traditional soap was made from fats combined with an alkalizing agent, but today mainstream soaps are composed of chemical detergents. Using natural soap — both body wash and hand soap — allows your skin to stay clean without depleting the moisture rich oils your skin naturally produces.

2. Wear Gloves: The two most important times to wear gloves are when it’s cold outside and when you’re washing the dishes. When choosing the right winter gloves, keep in mind that there should be two layers, an outer shell and a lining, that work together to trap air for warmth.  Gloves should not be long enough to go under or over your coat, but should be snug around your wrist.  Lastly, look for gloves with a water-resistant finish. When doing the dishes, or working with other cleaning products, use ethically sourced latex gloves lined with cotton flock. These gloves are reusable, biodegradable, and FSC certified.

3. Exfoliate: As we get older, the rate our skin’s cells turn over slows down and uneven skin tone becomes more obvious. By using an exfoliating product with alpha-hydroxide, you can exfoliate dead skin cells and expose a bright new surface. (You may find these active ingredients more readily available in products designed for use on your face.) Before bedtime, rub the exfoliating treatment in circular motions all over your hands, then rinse. Repeat 1-2 times per week.

4. Moisturize: Keeping your hands moisturized all the way up to the elbows will help decrease wrinkles and fine lines. When your skin is dehydrated, free radicals will creep in and support the aging process. Look for deeply moisturizing creams or balms with certified organic oils to nourish and protect skin. Or, check the pantry — coconut oil is an antioxidant and antibacterial rich product that you likely already own. Apply your moisturizer several times throughout the day, especially after exfoliating and at bedtime.  For a more intense treatment, wear cotton gloves overnight to lock in the moisture.

By Sherrie Berry, Co-Founder of SkinAgain, Positive Energy Skin Care.