In addition to daily hand care with moisturizers and cuticle oils, the Woman’s Day editorial team decided to test and talk about the magical spa properties of hand baths.
– Hand baths are probably the cheapest and most time-consuming way of care. But winter is the time to pull yourself together and devote 15 minutes with your hands at least once a week.
How to cook: Pour 1 teaspoon of starch with a glass of warm water.
Expectations: I got one of the easiest recipes for a bath: starch, which, by the way, is rich in vitamins, can always be found in the kitchen, like water. In winter, my hands never peel off just because I apply hand cream several times every day, but when I remember the “tiptoes” on my hands in school years, I want to be 100 percent safe. You can go to the salon for a wide variety of hand spa treatments. But homemade recipes are just as helpful in dealing with dryness and moisturizing your hands.
Reality: after 15 minutes, I took out my hands and, without rinsing the resulting solution, applied a nourishing cream to damp skin. After the first procedure, the effect is not so noticeable, but after a few days in the cuticle area, I noticed that the skin became softer. It feels as if the hands are covered with an invisible sheath, like after a “liquid glove” procedure.
Evaluation: 9 out of 10 points only for laziness, which overcomes the thought of making a bath. The 10th point is given to the husband who brings me water and starch when I am lazy.
– Undoubtedly, every woman dreams of preserving the beauty and youthfulness of hands and nails for many years. Indeed, from how tightened and elastic the skin on the hands is, one can judge your age and … draw your own conclusions. Do you think you need to spend exorbitant sums on cosmetics to keep your hands in perfect condition? But no! For example, I have several folk recipes in store for this case, which work no worse (and sometimes even better) than many beauty products. The main thing is to use them regularly.
How to cook: 2 tbsp. l. Heat flower honey in a water bath and pour into a deep bowl. Add 2 tbsp. l. freshly squeezed lemon juice, three drops of orange oil and mix everything thoroughly. Hold your hands in this bath for about 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and apply a nourishing cream. The cream can be applied as desired: I have very dry skin, so I try to moisturize it as often as possible, especially in winter.
Expectation: I have been using lemon for cosmetic purposes for a long time, so, of course, I know what to expect from these “folk” procedures. For example, if I want to strengthen my nails and speed up their growth, then I take a lemon, cut it in half and dip my hands into the pulp. You need to hold for about 20-25 minutes, repeat the procedure once a week for a month. Then you need to take a break. I guarantee that your nails will become whiter, stop breaking and start growing by leaps and bounds!
Reality: honey-lemon bath is my salvation in the autumn-winter period. Thanks to this procedure, the skin of the hands becomes soft and tender, more resistant to cold weather. Most importantly, such a bath is an excellent helper in nail care. After regular use of lemon treatments, nails become stronger, shinier and grow much faster.
This recipe will especially appeal to lovers of long nails, who often put them under stress due to extensions.
Evaluation: 10 out of 10. I give a top score for the availability of ingredients and the fact that this procedure is easy enough to do at home.
Chamomile decoction hand bath
– I must say, this was the first such experience. The result was clearly visible, because the testing was carried out at the end of January, when the skin on the hands had already suffered well due to frost. Now I know that chamomile baths have a softening effect on dry hands and cracks.
Expectations: I did not expect anything supernatural. Although I heard that chamomile works wonders not only on the skin of the hands. This is generally a very useful herb of fairly widespread use.
Reality: the procedure is very easy to carry out at home, because in fact it is an ordinary chamomile tea and nothing else.
Here’s how I made a decoction of chamomile: I found a small bowl at home that could hold a liter of hot water. The temperature should be 40-42 degrees. Wait three minutes, and then immerse your hands in the broth for 15-20 minutes. Then dry it slightly with a soft towel and rub a greasy cream into the skin. The effect will pleasantly surprise you! The skin is as if renewed, tender, like that of a baby. I think that you need to pamper your pens with baths not only when visiting the salon, but also at home, especially since it is very simple and does not require large expenses.
Evaluation: I put a solid ten, a bath of chamomile decoction will save your hands in severe frosts. Try it.
– To be honest, hand baths at home are not included in the list of my regular rituals. I prefer less time-consuming procedures. In other words, I just put on hand cream several times a day and that’s it. My hand skin is naturally soft and delicate, but the cuticle and skin around the nail plate leaves much to be desired. So to try a home-made bath literally became a huge necessity for me.
How to cook: for our column, I chose the simplest recipe for hand baths – with vegetable oil. The original recipe says: add 200 drops of any essential oil to 15 ml of vegetable oil, heat to a comfortable temperature on the stove and immerse your hands in the resulting mass for 15 minutes. After the steps taken, blot your hands with a paper towel and put on cotton gloves for at least an hour. I tweaked the original recipe a bit: I diluted two generous tablespoons of olive oil in warm water and added five drops of tea tree essential oil (the only one I had in my house).
Expectations: I was hoping the oil hand bath would nourish, soften and moisturize dry cuticles.
Reality: I hate lengthy and boring beauty rituals. I even try to do a manicure as quickly as possible, so to speak, without pickling. In this regard, a hand bath at home did not suit me absolutely. As for the effect, it turned out to be quite satisfactory. The skin was well hydrated, and the cuticle got a healthier look. Tea tree oil is considered an excellent antiseptic, it soothes irritations and heals wounds. I note that such properties attracted me to him, and they certainly will not be superfluous in caring for the skin of the hands.
Rating: 10 out of 10. I will try to make such a hand bath at least once a week – nevertheless, I need to somehow fight laziness.