A Michigan winter routine for hands and heels
Cold air outside, dry heat inside. A simple routine, built on dermatologists' everyday advice, for keeping hands and feet soft through a Michigan winter.
Michigan winters are hard on hands and feet. The cold air outside holds little moisture, and the heat inside dries it out even more. Here is the routine we follow at the shop, built on the everyday advice dermatologists give for dry skin 1.
Michigan winters are very hard on my hands and feet. I have done two applications on my feet, and I am noticing a major positive difference. It moisturizes my hands and feet very nicely, and this will be a must have for me from now on.
1. Shorter, warmer, not hotter
Keep showers to about 5 to 10 minutes in warm water rather than hot, and pat skin dry instead of rubbing 1. A gentle cleanser, used where you need it, goes a long way 1.
2. Moisturize while skin is still damp
The best time to moisturize is right after you bathe or wash your hands, while your skin is still a little damp 1. Dermatologists suggest creams and ointments over thin lotions in dry weather, and point to ingredients like glycerin and shea butter 1.
Our night routine
Work a small amount of Hand & Foot Balm into hands and heels before bed, then pull on cotton socks. You wake up to soft feet.
3. Run a humidifier at night
A humidifier in the bedroom puts moisture back in the air while you sleep. Clean it regularly 1.
4. Gloves for wet work and cold days
Wear gloves for dishes and other wet chores, and when you head out into the cold 1.
For the season
Questions
Lotion or cream in winter?
Dermatologists suggest creams and ointments over thin lotions when the air is dry.
When should I put moisturizer on?
Right after you bathe or wash your hands, while your skin is still a little damp.
Sources
- Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin · American Academy of Dermatology