Isn’t winters all about looking your best and relaxing in front of a bonfire? I bet all of you are already imagining the last year’s bonfire session with friends and families! Winter season is actually a package; we feel fresh and delighted and dress like a handsome hunk or a diva, on the other hand, we feel like a couch potato and snuggle in the blanket with a hot cup of coffee in hand.

We all have our own reasons to love or hate this season. Most of us hate it because of the effects it has on our skin and hair. So, to counter that, we take up all kinds of measures to keep our skin and hair healthy and resistant to the harsh cold air. But is that all? Aren’t we forgetting something very important? What about the effect of winters on our soft hands and feet? Yes, yes, memories of cracked feet and rough hands would be dancing in your head now!

Well there are a number of reasons for our hands and feet to get dry during winters, and not just because of the cold weather. One of the major reasons for our feet and hand drying is because of the soap we use. It might be possible that the soap we use is non-moisturising, and hence with every wash, instead of adding moisture it takes away some from our hands and feet. Similarly, taking excessively hot water bath during winters can also lead to dry hands and feet. People who keep washing their hands every now and then also feel their hands getting rough. Also, people who work with chemicals on a daily basis also have rough and dry hands. The chemicals steal all the moisture and softness of the hands, which is why the hands get rough. Moreover, after the chemical work, we wash our hands with soap, another reason for dry rough hands.

At times our hands and feet get so dry, that the skin starts bleeding. These kinds of situations should be looked into immediately as it can cause infections and aggravate your situation. Read on for easy tips and remedies to treat dry hands and feet.

Home Remedies to get Soft Hands This Winters!

Imagine what happens to your impression when you shake your dry and rough hands with someone? Not good, huh. So, instead of applying and massaging expensive cosmetic products on your hands to keep it soft, try out the following home remedies; easy and cheap!

Steaming

Steaming is not only good for face cleansing; it is also good for your hands. Steam session will not only remove all the dead cells, but will also remove any kind of dirt that might have accumulated on the surface. Al you need to do is take a bowl with steaming hot water and steam hour hands, both sides. Since steaming removes the dead cells, it will also soften your rough hands. Don’t forget to apply a lotion or petroleum jelly after the steam session, so the moisture stays intact on the surface.

Petroleum Jelly

This is the easiest way of treating rough and dry hands. A container of petroleum jelly is present in almost every household. Applying jelly will soften your hands, and will also keep the moisture stay for long. You must have noticed that when you wake up in the morning, your hand is always dry. Petroleum jelly is the best way to wake up with soft hands! All you need to do is apply a good coat of petroleum jelly on your hands, and gently massage it for 5-10 minutes, every night before sleeping. Don’t remove it or wash your hands; let the jelly get absorbed in your skin overnight. This will help in softening the skin, and also keeping your hand soft and moist throughout the day.

Egg Yolk

You might wonder why egg yolk for hands. Just like egg does wonders to our skin and hair, it can also help in getting soft and moist hands. The proteins in an egg yolk are sufficient enough to treat the driest hands as well. Just take and egg yolk and apply it on both of your hands; let it stay till it dries (approximately 30 minutes). Rinse off with a mild soap, and you will feel a change in the texture of your palm and hand. If your hand is not too dry, then you should apply egg yolk l thrice a week, and not every day.

Sugar and Castor oil/Olive oil

Just like you exfoliate your face, your hands also need some exfoliation. To do is easily, you need some sugar (preferable brown sugar) and some castor oil. Don’t pour too much of castor oil as we do not want the sugar granules to melt right away. Gently scrub your hands with this mixture, till the sugar melts. Wash your hands with warm water and pat dry your hands with a soft cloth or paper napkins. You can also use olive oil instead of castor oil.

Baking Soda

Another easy way to exfoliate your hands is by using baking soda. Baking soda will remove all the dead cells and dirt, giving your skin an even texture; it will also add moisture to your hands. All you need to do is mix adequate portions of baking soda with water and gently massage it on your hands till it dries out. Rinse off with warm water and apply a lotion or petroleum jelly after massaging.

Citrus Fruit

You can try out any of the citrus fruits to even tone the skin texture and also soften your hand. Take a lemon and slice it into two pieces. Pour some sugar over it and gently scrub the lemon on your hands and palms. This will help in getting that prefect soft hands.

I’m definitely trying out the above remedies this summer, and would also make my family members try it out. The above remedies will definitely help you in getting that perfect soft and subtle hands; be it men or women.

Home Remedies for Soft feet!

Aren’t cracked feet the most embarrassing thing whenever you go out? Yes, it is. Read on for some very easy foot masks and tips to get rid of the cracked skin now!

Banana Foot Mask

Banana as we all is great for our face. It extracts extra oil for the oily skin, and adds some oil for the dry skin; which is why, banana can be used for softening our feet.

All you need to do take mash half a banana with a spoon and add one or two spoons of honey to it. Mix it well. Now apply this paste on your feet, don’t forget to apply it between your toes as well. Now cover your feet with plastic sheet or maybe cling wrap. Let it stay for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the plastic and rinse your feet with warm water and pat dry your feet.

Cucumber Therapy

Cucumber is a great way to treat dry skin, be it for face or for skin. Cucumber is refreshing and comes with a lot of nourishing and moisturising components, which will treat your dry foot. It will also remove all the dead skin, making it soft.

You need one cucumber and some honey for this foot mask. Peel the cucumber and blend it with a blend. Blend it till you get a smooth consistency. Add one tablespoon of honey to the cucumber paste and blend again. Now apply this paste all over your feet and let it stay for 15-20 minute. You can wrap plastic over it as well. Rinse with warm water and pat dry your feet. You can feel the change in the texture of your skin just after the first session!

Sugar and Olive oil

Just like we scrub or exfoliate our face and hair, our feet also require some of that as well! Scrubbing or exfoliating helps in getting rid of the dry skin that makes our feet rough. It will also gently remove all the dead cells as well and also the germs that might have accumulated.

One of the best ways to gently exfoliate your feet is by using sugar and olive oil. Take a small bowl and pour one tablespoon of olive oil; add one tablespoon of sugar as well. Mix it, but not too much as we do not want the sugar to dissolve right away. Apply this mixture on your feet and gently massage your feet in circular motions for 5-10 minutes, or till the sugar dissolves. This will help in getting rid of the dry and dead skin. Rinse with warm water and pat dry your feet. Apply a lotion after the exfoliation.

Petroleum Jelly

Just like you applied petroleum jelly on your hands before going to bed, you can do the same for your feet as well. Although petroleum jelly is quite mild for the feet, yet you can try it out. Before going to bed every night, gently massage your feet with petroleum jelly for 10 minutes and let it stay overnight. Your feet will be a little softer in the morning as compared to how it was last night.

Glycerine

Glycerine is the best way to treat cracked and dry feet. There are many people who make it a habit to apply glycerine on their feet every day during the winters. Those who have excessively dry feet get to suffer from cracked feet throughout the year, and it worsens during the winter season. Hence for them glycerine is an easy way out.

Take a few drops of glycerine and gently massage your feet every night before going to bed. Massage your feet for at least 10 minutes to get better results; let it stay overnight. Glycerine works better then petroleum jelly, and those who have excessively dry feet should use glycerine on a daily basis.

Hot Water Sake

Although it is said that hot water tends to extract the moisture and leave your feet drier, hot water sake will help in getting rid of the dry skin.

All you need is a bucket full of hot water, (not steaming hot) and just soak your feet for a while. This will soften your feet. You can add some honey to it as well; it works as an added bonus. Now that your feet are soaked for a while, take a pumice stone and gently scrub your feet with it. Scrub in circular motions; do it all over your feet. For the toe nails portion, use a toothbrush. This will not only remove the dead cells but will also clean the underneath of your nails. Change the water in the bucket and soak your feet in fresh warm water again for 5-10 minutes. Pat dry your feet and you will be able to feel the softness.

Foot Spa

Well, not always can you do a pedicure at home right? Give yourself some quality time and go to a nearby salon and get a pedicure or a foot spa done. Anything done by professionals is always better than what we do at home! So, try out the foot masks at home, but also go for pedicures at regular intervals during the winter season.

With the above foot pa techniques, I’m sure everyone out there will survive winters with soft and crack free foot! Men or women, all of us suffer from the same problems of dry feet and cracked sole. So don’t think twice, try out the above homemade face masks and scrubs for a soft foot right now! So, hair and skin were already taken care of, now our hands and feet are also looked into! Try out the remedies and chose your favourite! And if you don’t have time to devote, then keep going to the salon for regular pedicures and manicures! Happy winters everyone!