Daily routines for foot and hand care

Why looking after your hands and feet is important

Looking after our hands and feet is much more than aesthetics. We need to pay attention to them for reasons of hygiene, health and wellbeing. 

• To avoid infections: regular manicures and pedicures help to prevent fungal infections, ingrowing nails, corns and cracked skin. Moreover, it improves the appearance of our hands, which are usually the parts of bodies that are most exposed to the elements.
• To detect health problems: our nails can be a reflection of our general health condition. Changes in colour, texture or shape, and dryness or sensitive skin can be indicative of nutrient deficiency or other medical problems.
• To avoid dehydration and flaking or peeling: our hands and feet can suffer a lot due to the elements and other daily activities. Frequent contact with water, cleaning products and the elements dries out our hands, whereas our feet, particularly our heels tend to get dry and form hard skin.
• To prevent hard skin: regularly applying moisturising cream and nourishing oil keeps our skin soft and supple, thus avoiding cracking and hardness caused by a lack of moisture. 
• To avoid ageing: the skin on our hands is sensitive and requires hydration and protection to prevent it from ageing. Therefore, in the same way as we care for our face, we should not forget about our hands, since they too suffer as time goes by.

Daily routine for hand and foot care

• Use creams that are rich in moisturising ingredients during the day and at night, such as shea butter, almond oil or olive oil. Those ingredients are highly moisturising and can nourish the skin on your hands and feet. Moreover, when we use them on our feet, it delays the appearance of corns or hard skin.
• Weekly exfoliation of your hands and feet: to get rid of dead skin cells and allow the moisturising creams to penetrate better. You can use files, utensils for feet and hands and a gentle exfoliant containing natural ingredients such as sugar or sea salt.
• Use moisturising gloves and socks: for intensive treatment, you can apply a generous amount of moisturising cream to your hands and feet before going to bed and then use cotton gloves or socks to keep the moisturiser in all night.
• Oils are very useful too, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil or argan oil, since they provide more intense hydration to the dryer parts of our hands and feet. Apply a few drops of oil to the dryer areas and gently massage it in.
• Drink plenty of water: internal hydration is just as important as external hydration. Make sure you drink the recommended amount of water every day.

Tips to protect our hands and feet from daily wear and tear
 

• Wear gloves to protect your hands from the cold.
• Use gloves when washing the dishes or using cleaning products.
• Protect your hands and feet from the sun to avoid burns or sun spots, especially your hands.
• Use moisturising and protecting soap, such as glycerine soap.
• Avoid washing your hands in very hot water, as this dries out the skin. It is best to use lukewarm water.
• Dry your hands and feet properly after washing them.
• Hydration, hydration and more hydration is the key to prevent them from drying out and getting chilblains, irritation or redness.  
• Use products to prevent rubbing when you change your shoes.