As a nation, we are now all washing our hands approximately 100% more times than we did before. And that’s not to say that we had terrible hand hygiene once upon a time; it’s more a reflection of and an observance to current health guidelines due to the Coronavirus. According to the World Health Organisation, the number one best way to prevent the spread of the pandemic is to simply wash our hands. So, we’ve been washing our hands. A lot. And some of us are suffering with red, sore, dry skin as a result. But what are we to do? We must follow stricter hand hygiene practises than ever before, so perhaps we need to just grit our teeth and get on with it? No way. Here are three little tips to care for your hands after washing. Please do share this post with anyone you know who has hands that need some TLC!
Use natural bar soap to wash your hands
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: natural bar soap. We shall continue to say it until at least every household has a bar sitting on the side of their sinks with pride. Liquid hand wash is convenient, easy to use (perhaps not so easy to buy, with shops and supermarkets still regularly running low on stock) but it is not kind to you skin. This is a time where we all need a little extra kindness, and that goes for the products you use to wash your hands with too.
Natural bar soap is not only the most cost-effective way to wash your hands, but it is hands down the most gentle too- helping to reduce the
risk of irritation and soreness with repeated use. Here at Little Soap we do not use any nasty chemicals or additives that could exacerbate either existing skin conditions, or that could cause irritation from excessive use. Please do check each individual product ingredient list in case of allergies, but rest assured that we only use natural ingredients because we know that they are simply the best ingredients to use. We love our organic bar soap for sensitive skin, made with shea butter for a good, suits-all option.
Tip: the number one tip to care for your hands after is to never rub them dry. Use a soft hand towel to gently pat dry instead.
Keep the hands moisturised
Hand cream is your second best friend, after natural bar soap. All the excess washing will be stripping natural oils away from the skin, and this can result in the dry, red patches you’re becoming familiar with. The key here is to keep up with moisturising regularly so that you can replace the lost moisture. And, of course, we recommend natural ingredients here too. Start with a naturally moisturising soap, such as our moisturising hand and body bar in Coconut from our Eco Warriors range. This bar soap is great for all skin types and will help to leave the skin feeling refreshed, soft and wonderfully fragranced. Once you’ve cleaned and gently patted your hands dry, reach for our organic grapefruit and orange hand and body lotion to lock in the moisture once more.
Tip; for a more intense moisture treat, try wearing cotton gloves to bed after applying a generous amount of intense moisturiser to the hands after washing. 
We love combining shea butter with coconut oil, almond oil and lavender oil for an amazing and comforting night-time blend.
Protect your hands throughout the day
Because you’re going to be washing them more often, you really need to be guarding your hands against unnecessary stresses throughout the day too. Wear gloves to wash up, or to complete any other hands-on tasks around the house. Harsh cleaning chemicals are a no too, see this post for gentler alternatives you can use instead. Be aware of moving from the cold air outside to warmer, centrally heated rooms inside- this can play havoc with sensitive skin. Wash, moisturise and protect whenever you can- and as regularly as you can too. Use a good, un-perfumed soap bar, such as our bar with Avocado oil, from our mediterranean range.
Tip: use cuticle oil regularly to keep the cuticles soft and supple and to reduce the risk of sore, peeling fingertips.
