Recently I have noticed the skin on my arms and hands starting to age; the skin looking a little thinner and the crepey lines are starting to set in. Our hands and arms are exposed to the UV a lot of the time so tackling the signs of ageing in these areas can take priority as you head into your 40’s. Telltale signs such as pigmentation clutters such as sunspots, lines, and thinning skin can indicate that the collagen in the dermal layer is not as dense as it used to be and the skin can become itchy and dry much quicker as the skins becomes thinner. The skin loses moisturise much quicker than previously so taking care of the skin on your arms and hands should become part of your nightly routine to ensure your skin is supple, smooth, and nourished.
Here are some of my top tips for looking after the skin on your arms and hands.
- When having a bath, add some body oil such as our Serenity Body Oil to the bath to soften and nourish your entire skin replacing essential lipids the skin has lost. This body oil smells delicious and is super relaxing, one of my favourites on a Friday night to unwind from the week. Add 3-5 pumps to your running bath and indulge!
- Keep it smooth! Your body skin really enjoys a weekly exfoliation to keep bumps, crepiness, and roughness at bay. Assist your body in shedding the dead to reveal a softer skin and pave the way for your body products to follow. When my skin is feeling really rough or in the need of some serious exfoliation I love the Priori LCA fx160 2xFoliant Peel + Scrub Gommage + Exfoliant. It is a 15% Lactic Body Scrub where AHA’s and a physical scrub get to work to soften skin especially on toughened areas such as elbows, even shoulders and works wonders on the back of your hands. Hyaluronic acid will nourish the skin, whilst anti-inflammatories soothe and calm.
- If you prefer a Body Scrub that is not so high in fruit acids as the Priori mentioned above, the Grown Alchemist Purifying Body Scrub with Pearl and Peppermint gently removes dead skin cells whilst supporting and hydrating the skin. This one is also good in between the Priori scrub when you don’t want as intense exfoliation.
- When you come out of the shower or bath, this is the time to feed your body luscious oils and hydration to support the skin barrier. An intact skin barrier will allow moisture to stay locked in the skin, and prevent water loss. It will make the skin look smooth and crepey free. A well-fed skin is a strong resilient skin. The drier your skin the more nourishment it will need. There are many options for hydrating your body skin, such as body oils, light moisturisers, rich body creams and body balms. Experiment with each type until you find one that your skin loves the most and that you enjoy using.
- When you apply your sunscreen, make sure you cover the backs of your hands to protect your skin from age spots and pigmentation. There are some beautiful hand sunscreens that are light and also double up as a hand moisturiser. These are non-greasy and a great one to leave in your handbag.
- If you use chemically laden cleaning products be sure to pop on gloves to prevent your skins barrier from becoming disrupted. If you have exposure and your hands feel dry and sensitive then I recommend applying a thicker cream such as the Saya Rich Body Cream and wrapping your hands in cling film or in a plastic bag and then wrapped in a warm blanket to allow maximum absorption of the nourishing and repairing ingredients. Keep them wrapped for as long as you can, a minimum of 30 minutes. Do this once a day (more if you can) until they feel rehydrated.
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