WFMW: Dealing with Dry Chapped Hands

Well, with winter in full swing, my hands are cracked and miserable again.  I used to have a hand lotion I kept in the car I really liked, but it ran out, so I finally got out and bought some more and my hands are feeling better.

Here are my tips for preventing/treating dry chapped hands.

Tip #1 — Wear Gloves when Washing Dishes

Seriously, why don’t I do this more often?  My fingers will feel so sore and raw after an evening of dinner clean-up.   Mr. X-fit Dad is much better about faithfully donning the dish gloves, and let me tell you, his hands are like butta.   Casabella gloves are highly rated on Amazon.

Tip #2 — Find the Right Lotion

Many lotions only serve to dry your hands out further, but there is the brand I’ve found that immediately soothes my hands and helps with cracking:

Udderly Smooth Hand Cream

You can buy it on Amazon individually, or even a caseload.   I love this stuff because it doesn’t feel greasy and makes my hands feel so much better.  You can definitely buy it online lots of places, but I’ve also seen it in lots of local retailers (I got a 4oz tube at Prestons Pharmacy for ~$3).

Another brand I haven’t used, but have heard great things about is:

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

This brand is more expensive (more than double the Udder Cream), but it gets rave reviews, both online and in person (two people recommended it to me).   I’d suggest looking for it locally in a drug or convenience store (they also had it at Prestons).

Greasy Options

Bedtime is a good time to slather on some more greasy formulas so it can soak in while you sleep.  Good ole Vaseline will get the job done, but I also recommend:

Bag Balm

We used this when the baby had diaper rash, it’s great on bottoms and dry hands!  You can find it at Amazon or a local drug store.

If you are looking for a product made with natural and homeopathic ingredients, I recommend:

Glacier Grown Super Salve

My sister-in-law, who lives in Montana and raises grassfed bison, developed this salve.  It is pricey, but a tin lasts a long time and the salve is wonderful!  It’s great for a variety of uses — on cuts, and burns, rashes, chapped lips and more.   It is the first thing we put on when someone gets an “owie” and I will sometimes put some on at bedtime when the fingers are feeling rough.   Visit Glacier Grown to purchase Karen’s Super Salve.

Those are my tips.  What are are your tips for keeping fingers smooth and supple during the rough winter months?

Find more tips at Works For Me Wednesday, hosted by We Are That Family.

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