How I manage dry skin caused by excessive hand washing
Constant hand washing has taken it's toll on everyone's skin. It makes you sound very scummy but I promise I was washing my hands prior to the current crisis, I just wasn't scrubbing them like a surgeon with strong antibacterials soaps after touching EVERYTHING - door handles, postal deliveries, grocery trolleys etc. The skin on my hands has always been delicate, in childhood I had a lot of hand eczema and I think that leaves a lasting effect. My hands are on the brink of cracking and feel as rough as sandpaper. At first every cream I applied stung, that included products I was using for years but the sensation does get better with time as the skin starts to repair itself. Personally, now we are in self isolation I can have a break from intensive hand washing. Of course I haven't stopped this practice, I can just relax a little as I figure my own home environment is safer than the office I was in last week.
You'll have already seen these products featured before but I wanted to re-cap on what I'm using to get me through this period of extremely dry skin. Now that I'm at home full time I'm surrounded by my favourite hand soaps. I reviewed Madara Ocean Love Soothing Moisture Soap the other week but my usual brand of choice is Organii Liquid Soap and I buy the Neutral (fragrance free) on a regular basis. I think the price point is good and the ingredients do not feel stripping on my skin. We also have the Citrus scent in our guest bathroom. As a side note I recommend Organii shower gels and the shea butter scent is my go to for quite some time.
When it comes to moisturising I have three products on rotation depending on how my skin is feeling and the time of day. Nature's Kitchen Gentle Therapy Rescue Cream is great for immediately after hand washing because it feels nourishing but not sticky or greasy so I can continue with daily tasks. I generally use Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream for body and face but it will also double up as a hand cream. Multi functional products are great for this time when we have limited access to shops and online ordering, that's why I purchased a back up the other week. Balmonds is a brand formulating for eczema and other skin conditions so I feel as if I'm getting a targeted treatment to help me mange and maybe prevent the onset of eczema. I also know it works well on the rest of my body so there is confidence in the performance. Balmonds do have a dedicated hand cream which I can also recommend. I save the Odylique Ultra Balm for intensive treatments. This is the type of product you layer on just before bed or whilst watching TV and let it sink in undisturbed. Ultra Balm has many uses so a great all rounder for battling extremely dry skin.
Sarah x