Everything you need to winter-proof your hands

Despite bearing the brunt of the cold weather, few of us give them the TLC they deserve

Your hands can take a real battering in the winter (Getty/iStockphoto)

While we’re well accustomed to keeping a lip balm in our pockets and enlisting the help of heavy winter face creams to battle against the cold, there is one part of the body that often gets overlooked; our hands.

Constantly exposed, the cold weather quickly ravages delicate skin but don’t fret because, as always, the beauty industry has a seriously indulgent solution.

The full brunt of icy temperatures can be tough on nails, knuckles and palms leaving you with weathered, winter-worn hands so investing in some must-have products should be your first port of call.

Starting with nails, their growth can tend to slow down during the colder months so applying a treatment will give them some much needed encouragement. Using a fortifying product such as Sally Hansen’s Miracle Cure will help prevent peeling, splitting and breakage, and you should notice them becoming noticeably stronger with every application.

It’s also just as important to use a cuticle cream for extra protection against hangnails.

Your hands take a real battering in the winter and while we advocate using a cream year-round, it’s especially critical when the frost sets in.

Just like skincare for your face, the best hand creams will contain SPF so that, as well as some much-needed TLC, they also prevent premature ageing.

What better excuse do you need to take 30 seconds out of your day for a quick massage? It certainly does them some good and there’s just something oh so therapeutic about working a rich, buttery cream into your hands.

As well as creams, it’s a good idea to asses your soap situation. Firstly, washing your hands too much in general can deplete your moisture levels so try opting for a hydrating hand sanitizer where possible but otherwise, a nourishing soap will make the world of difference.

For best results, opt for one that’s free of sulfates and always apply a hand cream immediately after washing your hands.