DIY Spa Series Week 9

Bare, Beautiful Hands

How well do you take care of your hands?

Research shows that most people don't take the time to care for their hands properly. Did you know that our hands have very few oil glands? Because of this, they tend to get dry easily. Every day, our hands come in contact with a lot of things such as gadgets, furniture, food, chemicals, detergents, dirt, etc. When your hands do a lot of cleaning or are constantly exposed to the sun, dirt, wind and cold, they become more prone to further damage. Take washing the dishes for example. This may seem like a simple task, but dish washing liquids are extremely alkaline. While this is great for dissolving dirt and grease,  this strips your skin of the natural acid mantle that protects it! The same thing happens when you use harsh alkaline soaps - they dry and age the skin on your hands!

Just like your neck and décolleté, your hands will give away your age. So what's a girl got to do? Simple. Take special care of your hands. You should exfoliate and moisturize them on a regular basis. Regular care makes beautiful hands, making them soft, smooth and supple.  Here are some of the things you can do:

• Use high SPF sunscreen on the backs of your hands every day.
• When washing the dishes or your clothes, gardening or doing any kind of heavy housework, always wear gloves.
• Have a cut of lemon handy near the sink. Lemon juice removes stains, whitens the skin and cleans the nails.
• When washing your hands, use a mild pH soap.
• Apply lotion on your hands every time after you wash them.
• Get regular manicures from your favorite reputable nail salons.

Since exfoliation is very important, we've got a homemade hand exfoliant recipe for you today that will help you get soft, hydrated hands without spending so much! Enjoy!

Sweet Sugar Exfoliant

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. of any of the following oils: olive, vegetable, baby or safflower
3 tbsp. sugar

Instructions:
1. Mix two tablespoons of oil  with three tablespoons of sugar until it forms a paste.
2. Rub the paste on your hands gently for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Rinse off with warm water and pat dry.
4. Use this exfoliant once a week.

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