I have a confession: my hands have been a wreck lately. Dry skin, hangnails, little cuts, all of it. And while I’d love to take myself to a nail salon for some pampering, sometimes these luxuries just aren’t in the books!
But that doesn’t mean we can’t give our hands some regular TLC. In fact, making a little sugar scrub might be the nicest thing to do for yourself today. Here’s my routine for worn-out hands!
My At-Home Hand Treatment Routine
- Exfoliate with a scented sugar scrub (recipe below)
- Massage my hands with Vaseline.
- Make it last by wearing sunscreen.
Citrus Sugar Scrub Recipe
You will need:
1/4 cup granulated sugar (not too coarse)
1/8 cup cooking oil (canola works well)
1 pinch fresh lemon zest and juice from a lemon wedge
2 drops grapefruit essential oil (where to buy)
What to do:
Mix the ingredients together until combined. Run the lemon wedge over dry hands to brighten the skin. Then use the scrub, make sure to gently work it into any dry areas, and also up your forearms. There should be enough scrub to use it twice.
Once you’ve rinsed off the sugar, your hands will be pretty oily. Let the oil rest on your skin, if possible, for a full minute. To get rid of the excess oil, use a bar soap or mild face wash. Try to avoid liquid hand soap, which is harsh and will strip your hands of moisture!
The Vaseline Massage
While some people prefer to use massage oil, I find Vaseline to be much cheaper and less greasy when I’m massaging my own hands. I know it sounds funky, but it works! Slowly press your right thumb over each finger on your left hand, and then switch. Use Vaseline on cuticles or areas that are chapped. (By the way, did you know that Marilyn Monroe slathered her face with Vaseline every morning? Check out this video by my favorite makeup artist.)
Making Results Last
Every time I use this scrub, my hands are almost instantaneously brighter and softer. The best thing to do to maintain this is to keep our hands moisturized. If you do a lot of driving, then it’s absolutely essential to wear sunscreen, especially on the backs of your hands! Finally, get those rubber dishwasher gloves and protect yourself from detergent and hot water.
What hand treatments do you like to use? Have you ever made your own sugar scrub? I’d love to hear about it!
