Dry skin in cold weather is a bear to deal with. There is an old-fashion recipe though to combat it and make your hands look 10 years younger.
My boyfriend hasn’t seen me do this yet and I think it may be the one thing about my retro beauty regimen that he will make fun of. 🙂 …but I don’t care. I swear by it as a way to keep my getting older hands soft and younger looking, especially in this dry Colorado air.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may earn me a commission. I link these items because of their quality and not because of the commission I may receive. I am an independent blogger and I write based on my own opinions.
The Moisturizing Routine – Shea Butter
At night before bed, start with shea butter. The best way to get it out of the jar, without getting it under your nails is to put the top of your nail in and scoop backward so the top of your nail is what scoops it out and not your finger print side. I also use this method for getting all my creams out of jars. Then you don’t get gunk under your nails.
A 1/4 teaspoon size of shea butter should be enough. Rub on your hands. Use enough that your hands should feel a tiny bit slimy. Eeeuuwww.
You might also like: The Most Beautiful Hands in Hollywood in the 1940s
Hand Lotion
Next use your favorite hand lotion. I am using Queen Helene in this illustration which you can get at drug and grocery stores or on Amazon. You can really use whatever is your favorite. It doesn’t matter as long as you like the scent. So if you have a favorite from the mall or department store, it will work fine. You just want to use extra. You should not be able to rub it all in. The shea butter will keep you from rubbing it all in anyway, but there should be a little excess on your hands. Again, slimy.
You might also like: Ideas for your vintage Nail Polish Color
Gloves Overnight
Then put on some very fashionable cotton medicinal gloves and go to bed. This 6 pack is great, because, even with washing, the inexpensive white cotton can get a little discolored. (commissions earned) Maybe these black cotton gloves make more sense now that I think about it. 🙂
Make sure you are finished with everything else you need to do before bed before doing this regimen.
You will wake up the next morning with the softest hands you have ever known.
Related posts
19 Comments
aurelia.donka
I haven’t tried lotion over Vaseline. I usually use lanolin or Vaseline by itself.
Husband gave me your book for Christmas. Thanks so much!!!
Drea Morsby
Aha! I have done this before but without the Vaseline and my gloves were just plain cotton gloves, not fancy ones specifically designed to aid in absorption!
You my dear, have stepped the regime up a notch!
A Vintage Revival
This is a GREAT method! Also works perfect with the sock trick for dry cracking feet! Uck! Dry feet and hands are the worst!!! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Alena
Vaseline is a great product of all time. I loved it.
Natural Skin
Welcome to DeluxeVille
I do this ALL the time due to teaching ceramics and it works better then anything else I’ve ever tried!
Stefanie Valentine
I used to do this but without the Vaseline, my hands keep getting very dry in the winter so i’ll have to try this x
Born too late
He he he! I’m glad I’m not the only one that does this. I usually do it on a night when I know I’m not seeing anyone and finish off by watching a girlie movie on my laptop in bed, but I always remember to set my hair first before getting them all slimy 🙂
Marie-Anne
Vaseline is my favourite cuticle softer. This sounds great, I can’t wait to try it!
The adventures of Us!!!
I love vaseline… I use it on my toes then put socks on after a long soak in a bubble bath. My fiance says I have the softest feet! =)
photobounty
I guess I’m gonna try this out too!! 🙂
Jen
He he this reminds me of an episode of sex and the city. I just wanted to say that I think your blog is great. I’ve just started blogging about beauty and hair products with tutorials on vintage hair so I will definitely be checking this blog out for lots of tips. xxxx
Michelle
Your regimen is so much better than mine! I kind of do the same thing but GHETTO.. I put vaseline on my hands, then I put plastic bags over them… then I put socks over that! HAHAHA. My boyfriend made fun of me until 1) I gave him a back rub while wearing the funky old socks and it felt amazing! and 2) It makes my dry nasty hands soooo soft!
Miss Tayva
If I don’t sleep with something greasy/gloves… it’s bad. I don’t care who sees!
Hannah
Thanks! My hands are all wintery and I knew there was some sort of magic treatment out there!
wiccadwitch
I do this with Diprobase aqueous cream and/or Eumovate in winter, due to horrible eczema and scaly dry hands. I also slather on Nutrogena Norweigen formula before I put my marigolds on to wash up – brilliant heat treatment, and you get your housework done without breaking a precious nail 😉
Helen Highwater
AND you can use the cotton gloves to put your stockings on so you don’t snag them!
I use something called “Baby Bottom Butter”. It is, as the name suggests, for babies’ bums, but it’s also an amazing moisturiser, and its main ingredient is olive oil.
~ Kelly Ann ♥
I just LOVEEEE your blog!! I’m going to try this vaseline trick tonight- I use it on my fav- so why not on my hands!
Kelly
Please visit my blog
http://kellyannstudio.blogspot.com/
Tanya
That… is almost exactly backwards? – wash/wet your hands first, then lotion, THEN vasaline… the vasaline will hold in the moisture and oils until it has time to soak in and do some good…
The way you have it now, the vasaline is protecting your hands from the lotion, and the lotion is what ends up on your gloves – if you reverse it, the vasaline will be on the gloves, and your hands will get the lotion…
I – LOVE – your blog!!! – I’m currently trying to figure out how to adapt your victorian hairstyle for dolls…. *grin*
Min Self
I’ve done a simpler version of this using just the Vaseline and rubber gloves. It’s great when I’ve been out sanding furniture or something that makes my hands a mess, to heal them faster.