Three Tips for Beautiful Hands

With all the cleaning and cooking and laundry that homemakers have to do, who has time for complicated beauty routines during the day? I don’t, but I still want to take care of my hands, which take the biggest toll from housekeeping.

I try to do these three simple tips to keep my hands from chapping and drying out, even as I do the dishes and cook for my family:

1. Wear gloves. I cannot emphasize this too much. I wear gloves for both washing dishes and preparing meals. For dishwashing, I have rubber gloves that protect my hands from the harshness of soap and frequent exposure to water.

I also wear gloves when handling meat and ingredients with a strong smell (like onions and garlic). For the latter, I use food preparation gloves. I know of a homemaker who uses powder-free latex gloves when she prepares her family’s meals. Of course, I still wash my hands before and after handling food. But wearing gloves minimizes the scrubbing that results in chapped hands.

2. Pamper yourself with some moisturizing handsoap in the kitchen. Do NOT use the dishwashing soap for washing your hands. No matter what the manufacturers say, dishwashing soaps are made to remove grease. Can you imagine what they will do to the natural oils in your skin?

3. Exfoliate. Even when you’re in the kitchen, you can give your hands a treat. What you need is right there in your kitchen counters!

Place a small scoop of sugar and 2-3 drops of oil (vegetable or olive) in the palm of your hand. Rub the mixture together and all over your hands to remove dead skin. Knead and massage your hands, paying special attention to your fingers. Do this for 2-3 minutes. Rinse in cool water and pat dry. If you find that your hands are too oily, wash them with some mild soap before drying. Don’t forget to apply lotion!

Do the housework, but don’t forget to take care of your hands too!

Tags: beauty tips, homemade beauty, housekeeping, homemaking

Image: MSN Arabia