A soft and gentle hand feels so tender and wonderful. But the weather refuses to make your wish come true. Nor does your heavy manual work helps in keeping your hands from getting chapped and rough.
But that does not mean that you cannot have your smooth and soft palms back. Read on to find out about the incredible remedies on how to make your hands soft and gentle like those of a baby.
What Causes the Dryness of Hands?
Understanding the cause of the dryness is highly essential for adopting a natural remedy to soften the palms.
You might be using an abrasive soap that is causing the dryness or perhaps you are handling harsh chemicals that are making the skin peel off from your palm. Enlisted below are a few general causes of dryness of palms.
- Cold and dry weather
- Overexposure to the sun
- Frequent rinsing of hands
- Handling abrasive chemicals with bare hands
- Excessively chlorinated swimming pool
- Skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis.
- Allergic reaction.
Natural Remedies for Dry and Rough Hands
Elucidated below are 13 highly effective home remedies for dry hands that will soften your hands with time.
1. Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in healthy fats and antioxidants, that nourish the hands, fight against free radicals and help to keep the hands moisturized and supple. It is very effectual amongst other natural remedies for dry skin on hands.
- Take 3-4 tablespoons of rich olive oil(1) in a dish.
- Heat the oil for a few minutes.
- Massage your dry and rough hands with the warm olive oil for about 5-10 minutes.
- Do this daily until your hands seem less rough.
- When the roughness visibly decreases, massage your hand with warm oil for 2 minutes.
- Do it thrice a week until the hands heal completely.
2. Coconut Oil and Sugar
Coconut oil helps to hydrate the skin and nourishes it as well with essential fatty acids. The granulated sugar acts as a natural scrubbing agent and exfoliates the hands by sloughing off the dead skin cells and paving the way for the regeneration of new skin cells.
- Take 2 tablespoons each of pure olive oil and sugar in a dish.
- Mix this well to make a thick and grainy paste.
- Smear the paste over your hands and palms.
- Scrub your hands in gentle circular motions for a few minutes.
- Rinse the paste off and dry your hands using a soft towel.
- Apply a natural and gentle moisturizer like olive oil.
- Do this thrice a week to make your hands soft and glowing.
[Also Read: Best Remedies for Clammy Hands]
3. Milk Cream and Gram Flour
Milk is richly packed with healthy fats. The fat content of milk cream is an ultimate moisturizer. Besides, the cream contains lactic acid that exfoliates the rough skin and helps to maintain the natural pH value of the skin.
Gram flour is a natural scrub and a perfect answer to how to get rid of dead skin on hands? It will get rid of the dead skin cells from your rough and dry hands and make the skin soft and gentle.
- Take 2 tablespoons each of fresh milk cream and gram flour in a dish.
- Stir the ingredients to make a smooth and even paste.
- Smear your hands with the paste and leave it for about 15-20 minutes until the mask gets dry.
- Rub the paste with slight pressure and then rinse it with warm water.
- Do this three times in a week for the best results.
4. Honey
Wondering how to heal cracked hands with honey? Well, Honey is rich in health benefits and is especially beneficial for the health of your skin.
It is one of the most effective natural moisturizer that is packed with antimicrobial(2), antioxidant and humectants properties. The effects of being a humectant include the locking in of moisture to keep the skin soft and tender.
- Take 2-3 tablespoons of raw and pure honey and add one teaspoon of good quality olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice.
- Mix the ingredients to make a smooth textured paste.
- Smear the pasteover your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 5-10 minutes and then rinse it away using lukewarm water.
- Repeat this thrice in a week for better effectiveness.
5. Oatmeal and Honey
Oatmeal is an excellent natural exfoliator. Thinking as how to have beautiful hands and feet naturally with an exfoliator? It gets rid of dry and dead cells from the skin and makes the hands soft and supple.
Oatmeal cleanses the hands and exfoliates them completely. Honey is a natural moisturizer that helps to keep the skin hydrated and nourishes it as well.
- Grind two tablespoons of oatmeal into a coarse powder.
- Add one teaspoon of honey to the powdered oatmeal followed by a few drops of lemon juice.
- Mix a little bit of water and stir the ingredients to make an even paste.
- Smear this paste over your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 5 minutes until the paste dries up.
- Moisten the caked mask with some water and then rinse it with the help of lukewarm water.
- Pat the hands dry with one soft towel.
- Gently apply a natural moisturizer like olive oil.
- Repeat it thrice in a week for soft, supple arms.
[Also Read: Benefits of Oatmeal]
6. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is perfect for rough and peeling hands. The enzyme contained in the Aloe Vera gel nourishes the skin with vitamins and proteins.
The gel is a natural moisturizer that not only keeps the skin hydrated but also helps in healing skin cracks and rough patches. It is one of the best home remedies for severely dry cracked hands.
- Slice a few leaves of Aloe Vera to extract its gel.
- Apply the gel on your hands and palms and leave it for about 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse with some lukewarm water and pat it dry completely with a towel.
- Gently apply a natural moisturizer like olive oil.
- Repeat it twice a day for thrice a week to get soft, gentle arms.
[Also Read: Aloe Vera for Skin]
7. Avocado
How to get soft hands with Avocado? Avocado contains mono-saturated fatty acids that help to keep the skin nourished. It is also rich in vitamins E, A and C which are highly essential for the health of the skin.
- Slice a ripe avocado in half and extract all its
- pulp.
- Add a tablespoon of honey to the pulp.
- Mix a little bit of water and stir the ingredients to make a smooth avocado mask.
- Smear this pasteover your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse off the paste with the help of lukewarm water.
- Pat the hands dry using a soft cloth or towel.
- Gently apply a natural moisturizer like olive oil.
- Repeat it thrice a week to get soft, supple arms.
[Also Read: Benefits of Avocado]
8. Ripe Banana
Banana is not only an excellent moisturizer, but is also packed with vitamins B and C and essential proteins that help to keep the skin nourished and healthy.
- Chop a couple of ripe bananas.
- Mash the chopped pieces to a very smooth paste.
- Add one teaspoon of honey and half teaspoon of extravirgin olive oil to the mashed bananas.
- Mix the ingredients together.
- Apply the paste over your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hands using lukewarm water.
- Wipe them dry using a soft cloth.
- Gently apply a natural moisturizer like coconut oil.
- Repeat it two times in a week to soften your chapped hands and palms.
[Also Read: Benefits of Bananas]
9. Apple Cider Vinegar
If your palms and hands are chapped and cracked then apple cider vinegar is one of the best amongst other home remedies for dry and cracked hands.
The vinegar not only helps to maintain the pH value of skin but also works for moisture retention, skin exfoliation and natural hydration.
- Take a cup of apple cider vinegar in a tumbler that is large enough to soak your hands in.
- Add 2 tablespoons of pure olive oil to the apple cider vinegar in the tumbler.
- Add two cups of warm water to the tumbler.
- Stir well to mix all the liquids.
- Soak your hands in the mixture for about 15-20 minutes.
- Dry your hands with a soft towel.
- Gently apply a natural moisturizer like olive oil.
- Repeat it two times in a week to get soft arms.
[Also Read: Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar]
10. Yogurt and Buttermilk
Yogurt contains calcium, zinc, vitamin B6 and several essential enzymes that nourish the skin and make it healthy and supple.
Buttermilk is rich in lactic acid that saves the skin from flaking with its mild exfoliating properties. This remedy helps to soothe the rough and chapped skin and makes it tender and soft.
- Mix a cup of plain yogurt with a cup of plain buttermilk in a bowl.
- Apply the paste over your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hands using lukewarm water.
- Wipe them dry using a soft towel.
- Apply a natural and gentle moisturizer like coconut oil.
- Repeat it two times a week to soften your chapped hands and palms.
11. Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil enriches the skin with essential fatty acids and vitamins. It keeps the skin moist and soft.
- Add one teaspoon of sunflower oil to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Massage your hands with gentle pressure with the mixture of oils.
- Let the oil get absorbed into your skin.
- Do not rinse your arms after the massage.
- Do this daily for the roughened hands to become soft and gentle.
[Also Read: Benefits of Sunflower Oil]
12. Ripe Papaya
Papaya is rich in antioxidants and nutrients like carotenes, vitamins B and C, flavonoids, folate and pathothenic acid. It also contains copper, potassium and magnesium(3).
All these make papaya a highly effective and nutritious dry hands remedy. Papaya nourishes and moisturizes the skin and makes the hands soft and gentle.
- Chop a ripe and juicy papaya and mash it into a soft pulpy paste.
- Add two tablespoons of raw honey to the papaya pulp.
- Mix this well to make a smooth papaya mask.
- Apply the paste over your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hands using lukewarm water.
- Wipe them dry using a soft towel.
- Apply a gentle natural moisturizer like coconut oil.
- Repeat itthree times a week.
13. Almonds and Milk
Almond contains essential fatty acids and vitamin E that are highly essential for healthy skin. Milk is an amazing natural moisturizer and contains lactic acid that mildly exfoliates the skin and makes the hands soft and glowing.
- Take half a cup of raw and cool milk.
- Grind a handful of almonds into a fine powder.
- Add a tablespoon of the powdered almonds to the milk.
- Mix this well to make one smooth paste.
- Smear the paste over your hands and palms.
- Leave this on for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hands using lukewarm water.
- Wipe them dry.
- Apply a moisturizer.
- Repeat this two times in a week.
[Also Read: Benefits of Almond Milk]
FAQs
1. Why Is the Skin Peeling off My Hands?
You might be using abrasive hand washes or soaps, or handling corrosive chemicals that are making the skin of your hands peel off and blister.
Switch to a mild soap and wear gloves while handling chemicals to protect the skin of your hands. Your hands might even be drying due to the cold and dry weather. For this keep your hands constantly moisturized with natural, herbal moisturizers.
2. Which Vitamin Deficiency Causes the Skin to Peel?
Deficiency of vitamin B3 and A make the skin of the hands and palms become dry and flaky.
3. How Long Does It Take for the Peeling to Go Away?
It does not take more than a week for the peeling of hands to go away with proper natural treatment.
4. What Are Essential Oils for Dry Hands?
The essential oils that cure dry skin are lavender oil, frankincense, geranium, chamomile etc.
