Getting Your Winter Hands Ready for the Spring

By Patricia Conte for GalTime.com

Cure your dry hands just in time for Spring!
Cure your dry hands just in time for Spring!

The winter weather can have devastating effects…on your hands and cuticles. If you can't spend the last weeks of winter in the tropics, there are some things you can do to help ensure healthy hands and cuticles for the Spring.

For more than 100 years, professionals at the renowned Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas have been applying their expertise in beauty and spa treatments to guests. To lend a helping hand in the quest for healthy skin and nails, trainer and nail technician at the Red Door Spa in Phoenix, AZ, Gina Georgescu offered some advice.

Hand washing is important to prevent the spread of germs and to keep from catching a cold or the flu, especially in the winter, but all that washing can dry out your hands and cuticles. What's a gal to do? Moisturizing, of course, is important. "Use a moisturizer after washing and drying your hands," says Georgescu. "Make sure your hands are thoroughly dry before applying a rich cream, made especially for your hands. The skin on hands is thin, so a moisturizer made specifically for hands is usually heavier than other moisturizers."

Related: The Perfect Moisturizer, Rain or Shine

Like most products, quality is key. Georgescu notes, "When you're buying a moisturizer, a rich cream with pure shea butter is very good, as is grapeseed oil. They'll provide a protective layer." Look for vitamins A and E in the ingredient list, and keep in mind that the more water there is in a product, the less it will help moisturize. "You may spend a bit more on a product for its quality, but it's worth it in the long run."

If you're lucky enough to have the pleasure of a spa treatment, you can expect several steps in the process. Exfoliation, which is important to help remove dead skin cells and to open pores, is also a way to help regenerate new cell growth, which means nice, smooth skin. Quality moisturizing products that contain vitamins and minerals are always used, and a warm paraffin treatment is the final step to help lock in the moisture.

There's still weeks to go before the temperatures and humidity levels rise. In the meantime, don't get irritated over what the winter brings, including dry skin. Consider a few more tips from skin care expert Renee Rouleau to keep on hand:

Related: Women Waste 75% of their Skin Care Products

  • Wear gloves whenever possible--Not only does it help protect your skin from the dry elements of the air, but also when worn in public places, there is no need for the use of hand sanitizers as your hands are already protected.

  • Keep hand lotion in your bag and use it throughout the day--Keeping lotion on the hands throughout the day is essential, especially after washing your hands when the water tends to be drawn out of the skin into the dry air. Apply at least twice during the day.

  • Use a humidifier in your bedroom at night--To best prevent dry skin, it's important to keep moisture in the air. The nightly use of a humidifier helps you do just that. Keep it in the place where you spend the most time - your bedroom. By keeping moisture in the air, you can keep it in your skin as well.

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