Winter Dry Skin Care: Hand, Lip and Foot Care Guide

When the temperature drops, some parts of your body tend to feel it before the rest. Hands get dry and tight from cold air and constant washing. Lips get chapped from wind and central heating. And feet, tucked away in boots and thick socks, can end up with rough, dry heels without you even noticing.

These hardworking areas deserve a little extra attention and care. Here's our simple guide to keeping them soft and comfortable all winter.

Hands: your hardest working skin

Between the cold outside, the heating inside and all that hand washing, it's no wonder hands get dry in winter. The skin on the back of your hands is also quite thin, so it can show dryness quickly.

Simple habits for softer hands

  • Wash with lukewarm water. Very hot water can leave your hands feeling drier. Pat them dry gently rather than rubbing.
  • Moisturise after every wash. This is the big one!. Keep a cream in every sink and in your bag so it's always at hand. The small Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream tube fits easily in a pocket.
  • Wear gloves outside. Cold wind can really dry hands out, so gloves are a must!
  • Wear rubber gloves for chores. Washing up and cleaning products can be tough on your skin, protecting your hands helps to reduce the dryness caused by cleaning products. But after After removing your cleaning gloves, wash yours hands with gentle soap and moisturise.

For a pump bottle by the sink, try Rubee Hand & Body Lotion or Rinju Body & Hand Lotion.

An overnight hand treat

If your hands are feeling particularly dry, try this before bed: smooth on a generous layer of a rich cream, like Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Original Solid Formula or Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Face + Body Crème, then pop on a pair of cotton gloves and leave them on overnight for extra nourishment. You'll wake up to hands that feel noticeably softer.

Lips: the first to feel the chill

The skin on your lips is thin and doesn't have the same oil glands as the rest of your face, which is why lips are so quick to dry out in cold, windy weather.

  • Keep a balm with you. Apply it throughout the day, and always before you head outside. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Ultra Moisturizing Lip Balm is small enough for any pocket.
  • Try not to lick your lips. It feels like it helps, but saliva evaporates quickly and can leave lips drier than before.
  • Don't pick flakes. It's tempting, but it can leave lips sore. Instead, apply a gentle, nourishing lip balm to soften dry skin, and avoid scrubbing or peeling away flakes. Remember to reapply your balm regularly to help keep your lips soft, smooth and moisturized.
  • Apply balm before bed. A thick layer overnight gives your lips time to recover.
  • Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is easy to forget in winter but good for you all round.

Feet: the forgotten heroes

Feet spend most of winter hidden away, so it's easy to forget about them until you notice dry, rough heels. A little regular care keeps them comfortable.

  • Soak and smooth. Once a week, gently wash your feet in warm (not hot) water, then carefully smooth rough heels with a foot file. Go easy: little and often works better than lots at once. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced sensation in your feet, seek advice from a healthcare professional before soaking or filing your feet.
  • Moisturise every night. Massage a rich cream or butter into your heels and the soles of your feet before bed. Our own Nubian Queen Cocoa Butter Cream is lovely for this.
  • Socks on. Pop on a pair of cotton socks after moisturising to help the cream sink overnight.
  • Choose breathable socks. Cotton or wool blends help keep feet comfortable in winter boots.

When to get advice

Most winter dryness responds well to a good routine. But if your skin is cracked, bleeding, very sore or not getting better, it's always worth speaking to a pharmacist or GP. Anyone with diabetes should also have any foot concerns checked promptly by a healthcare professional. And if you're trying a new product, a quick patch test first is always a good idea.

Your hand, lip and foot kit

Here's what we'd keep on hand this winter:

  1. A pocket-sized hand cream for your bag or coat.
  2. A pump lotion in every sink.
  3. A rich cream or butter for overnight treats.
  4. A lip balm (or two, so there's always one nearby).
  5. Cotton gloves and socks for overnight moisture.

Shop the products in this post

Give your hardest working skin the care it deserves. Browse our body creams and lotions at dooabeauty.com, and if you need a hand choosing, just email our team at customercare@dooa.com.
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