Constant contact with water and detergents can make your hands rough and hardened. This is because water and detergents strip your skin of its natural oils and cause excessive drying. In order to make the skin on your hands soft, you will have to treat the excessive drying as well as protect them from further drying.
The first step to treating dry skin is exfoliation. Exfoliate your hands to remove the upper layer of dead skin and reveal the smooth soft skin below. You can make your own skin scrub at home out of olive oil, sugar and milk powder. Mix two teaspoons of milk powder with a tablespoon of sugar and enough one teaspoon of olive oil. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and add enough fresh lemon juice to make it into a thick paste. Lemon juice is a citric fruit juice that will help to slough off the dead skin. It is also a natural bleach and will help to lighten your skin. Massage your hands thoroughly with this paste for no less than two minutes. You can then wash it off with warm water. The milk powder will help to nourish your skin while the olive oil will help to moisturize it. If you wish to, you can leave this scrub on until it dries and then moisten it and scrub it off. This will increase the effectiveness of the scrub.
After you have scrubbed your hands, mix a little olive oil and coconut oil and massage your hands well with this blend of oils. This will replenish lost oils and help to tone your skin. You can use this moisturizer throughout the day to ensure that your hands are always well moisturized. Before you go to bed, wash your hands well and then apply a generous amount of this moisturizer to your palms and the back of your hands. Cover your hands with a pair of old woolen gloves or if you do not have any, you can use a pair of woolen socks instead. Wool does not absorb oil as easily as cotton and so more of the moisturizer will be absorbed by your skin during the night. You can rinse your hands with lukewarm water and a mild soap the next morning, to get rid of any excess oil.
In addition to this, make sure that you use gloves while washing and gardening to protect your hands. Use a hand moisturizer on a daily basis and refrain from using harsh bathing soaps.
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