Moisturizers

If I don’t keep moisturizers on my hands them and keep them hydrated they look rough. It’s the time of year that my hands are always cold. Even when the rest of me is warm, my hands are cold. They look like lizard skin; dry, crepe-like hands ready to shed their uppermost layer. We currently have a lizard in the household so it’s easy to make this analogy. And I do every time I pass by its ‘abode’ but at least this reminds me to put on more moisturizer!

Hands that work hard need more moisturizer

In cooler weather it’s a lot more challenging to keep my hands moisturized. Cooler air is often dry and then there is the wind which sucks the moisture right out of exposed skin. My hand are busy hands: cooking, gardening, cleaning, sewing, typing (they get really cold), writing (my favorite way, with paper and fountain pen) brings contact with paper and this adds to the dryness factor. Hands that do gardening expose nails and cuticles to soil which contributes to more drying and inevitable breakage. How about wearing gloves?? Usually I do but sometimes gloves can get in the way when doing delicate chores such as transplanting seedlings or moving small plants.

When I’m cleaning -did I mention cleaning?- using household products like bleach and dish detergent are the major culprits for creating dry skin. I try to remember to wear rubber gloves but there are still times that I’m in a hurry and just don’t. And for that, I pay the price.

Keep moisturizers close at hand

One of my solutions is to keep bottles of moisturizer close at hand. I put a bottle of lotion in the bathroom, right next to the jar of body cream of course, another lotion in the kitchen, one next to my desk and a small bottle bedside. This way lotion is available to all of us and within reach on the go. Plus I’m a little lazy; chances are I won’t run upstairs to fetch a dollop of lotion if I just finished cleaning in the kitchen.

There was a time when selecting skincare lotion or cream took me almost as much time as choosing a pair of shoes or fabric for a dress. If the lotion felt slippery or greasy it was definitely not a good fit for working with paper. Too sticky, it was not absorbed by my skin but rather just sit on top. Too thin or runny, it did little or anything at all.

Formulating a moisturizer

When I began formulating Chloelina lotions and creams, the simpler part was knowing what I wanted in a moisturizer (fast absorption) what I expected it to do (keep skin soft and supple) and how (glide on and and stay on). Most important, I wanted every ingredient in the product be cruelty-free. Everything must be properly preserved without parabens or formaldehyde donors.

Putting these prerequisites together, harmoniously, takes quite a bit more effort than selecting a few ingredients and whipping them together. The ingredients have to work well with each other and the preservative system.

Moisturizing lotion or moisturizing cream?

What is the difference between moisturizing lotion and moisturizing cream? Moisturizer, in general, encompasses a vast array of products. Lotion is generally more liquid. This makes it well-suited to hands and body where you need it to be spread over a larger area and be absorbed quickly. Creams are less liquid, or more viscous, and better for nightime use or for extremely dry, cracked skin that requires occlusive protection.

I want my hands to stay moisturized through at least one hand-washing. It’s simply not practical to be re-applying lotion if I am in the kitchen preparing food, washing dishes and cleaning up. ( Again with cleaning!) All of which require drying my hands many times, usually with paper towels. Side note: I have a paper towel ‘issue’ and purposely buy the ones that can be torn in small sheets to avoid wasting any more than necessary. I try to switch to using a cotton dish towel in between. There is still that paper part again, contributing to skin dryness. So I make sure that I put on lotion immediately after chores are done.

Lotion for nails and cuticles

I use moisturizing lotion just before heading out to the garden, applying my go-to lotion, paying special attention to nails and cuticle area. A little protection before can really help to avoid dry, brittle nails later. Plus the lotion makes it easier to remove soil and debris later.

For the times that I am painting or using spackle, I know that I need to apply cream before hand. Why cream and not lotion? The more occlusive nature of cream helps to protect against the moisture loss that inevitably occurs from direct contact with the gypsum powder in spackle. Cream before painting helps during clean up afterward. It makes it easier to scrub away bits of paint from hands without using abrasive brushes.

Moisturizing cream for nightime

For night-time, I’ll switch to an occlusive moisturizing cream to trap and hold moisture. My favorite Body Cream has some wonderful natural ingredients: olive oil, shea butter and almond oil. If I feel that my hands need extra TLC, I’ll also wear cotton sleeping gloves. It really feels luxurious and the warmth created helps the cream to penetrate more deeply. In the morning, my hands look and feel terrific.