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Article: How to Heal and Protect Overwashed Hands

How to Heal and Protect Overwashed Hands

How to Heal and Protect Overwashed Hands

Caring for our Hands

Washing our hands is of the utmost importance as we all work to maintain health for ourselves and others. But we’re now in the position of learning how to heal and protect overwashed hands, since we were not prepared for the dryness and cracking that comes with putting our hands into constant contact with water.

We need our hands for so much during this time, including working from home, staying in touch with family and friends, and making meals. So, we want to make sure that they’re as cared for and protected as they can be. Here, why constant washing makes your hands dry and our tips for healing and protection. 

WHY EXCESSIVE WASHING DRIES OUT YOUR HANDS 

Learning how to heal and protect overwashed hands is so important because hydration is sealed into your skin by its outer protective layer—called the stratum corneum. It is made up of both lipids (which are fats) and your skin cells. When you wash your hands, you’re stripping your skin of its healthy lipids by drawing moisture out. And when you use harsh soaps and scalding hot water without making sure to infuse moisture back into your skin afterward, this can exacerbate the dryness. 

OUR TIPS TO HEAL AND PROTECT OVERWASHED HANDS 

Wash your hands with lukewarm water. 

Scalding hot water feels like the ultimate cleanser of impurities, but it can take a toll on your skin. So, use a lukewarm temperature while washing—it's both effective and gentler on your hands. 

Cleanse with clean, gentle hand soap. 

Figue d'Ete Artisanal Hand Wash

Hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps can be drying and hard on your skin. And since the CDC recommends washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—especially before and after eating, as well as before touching your face—you should lean on soaps full of nourishing, safe ingredients. Our hand washes are made from 96.5% natural ingredients in the practice of traditional saponification, so they’re gentle to both your skin and the environment. 

Moisturize with nourishing hand cream when your hands are slightly damp. 

Rose Olivier Hand Cream

Slightly damp hands create the perfect canvas for moisture because you can seal that remaining water in your skin. So, do a little less drying and a bit more hydrating to get your skin back to full health. Our hand creams are infused with a deeply nourishing formula of Provence olive oil, lavender extract, and shea butter.

Use a more intense cream at night & wear knit gloves to seal in moisture. 

Creme Intense Hand Cream

The day requires a number of tasks around the house, but overnight is the perfect time to let your hands repair and restore. Apply our Crème Intense for the ultimate in hydration and slip on knit gloves to seal-in that moisture. When you wake, your skin will be as good as new. 

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