These DIY hand and nail care tips and routines will help mitigate the drying effects of washing and sanitizing your hands so many times a day.
How are you doing so far? I’m on day 34 of quarantine but who’s counting? lol.
I’ve found multiple ways to occupy myself and my time including updating my websites.
I’m also catching up on my reading list and online courses. If you’ve got some free time on your hands and wondering what to do with it, now might be a good time to launch your blog.
You can launch your blog for as little as $3.95/month. I’ve shared all the steps in the free Bootcamp HERE.
On to other things. One of the things that have suffered since the lockdown began is my hands and nails.
While I loved compulsively washing and sanitizing my hands 326.56 times a day, my hands and nails didn’t thank me for it.
My hands were experiencing more dryness and my nails were splitting so I put together a DIY hand and nail care routine to mitigate these effects.
DIY Hand and Nail Care Routine
DIY Hand and Nail Care Tip 1 – Keep Nails Short
I keep my nails trimmed. In addition to all the washing causing split nails, germs can hide under long and false nails and you don’t want that right now.
Every weekend, I clip my nails then file them into a nice shape. They still look nice but are not claws.
DIY Hand and Nail Care Tip 2 – Follow Up Hand Washing With a Moisturizer & Hand Massage
I have a hand and nail oil I specially prepared to deal with the level of handwashing I’m undergoing.
It consists of avocado oil, emu oil, calendula oil, grapeseed oil, and argan oil. You can make your own or you can purchase a very good moisturizer like:-
- Eucerin’s Intensive Repair Hand Creme
- Mavala Mava+ Care Extreme Hand Cream
- O’Keefe Working Hands
- Soap & Glory Pink Hand Food
- Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Concentrated Hand Cream
- L’Occitane Almond Delicious Hands
- The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector
- Vaseline Intensive Care for Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails
You can also try out some handmade hand creams from small businesses on Etsy. They really need our support at this time. Below are some great recommendations:-
Granola Girl Queen Bee Cream
Honestly Raw Sandalwood Ultra Rich Hand Cream
BUY NOW
Heavy Duty Body Cream
Meadowlark Botanical Organic Lavender Ultra Rich Hand Cream
Mia Botanica Hand and Body Butter
After washing your hands, apply your moisturizer or hand oil and spend a few minutes to massage it into your hands and nails. Spend a few seconds on each nail.
This might sound like a lot of work but your hands and nails will be better off for it in the long run.
DIY Hand and Nail Care Tip 3 – Weekly Hand Pampering Session
Going to the nail salon took care of this before but they are all closed now as they’re not essential services.
And even if your nail salon is not closed, definitely do not go there until quarantine ends.
For this, you can get a pre-packaged manicure tool kit or just get yourself the basics – nail file, nail clipper, and a nail buffer.
What Should I Soak My Hands In?
So, after clipping your nails and filing to even out the shape, you will be soaking your hands in the delightful solutions below.
These recipes will soften hands and keep them moisturized for longer. It will also promote stronger nails.
Macadamia Nut Oil Hand and Nail Soak
Ingredients
- 3 cups of warm rosewater
- 1 tablespoon of macadamia nut oil ( you can replace macadamia nut oil with hemp seed oil in this recipe)
- 5 drops of rosehip oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of vitamin E oil
- A bowl large enough for your hands
Directions
- Pour the warm rosewater into the hand soak bowl
- Add the macadamia nut oil, rosehip oil, lavender essential oil, and vitamin E oil
- Stir then immerse your hands in the soak for 5 – 10 minutes. Both your hands should be completely immersed.
- Remove your hands and pat dry with a clean towel then apply your moisturizing hand cream and massage in thoroughly.
Coconut Oil and Olive Oil Hand and Nail Soak
Ingredients
- 3 cups of warm rosewater
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 5 drops of rosehip oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- A bowl large enough for your hands
Directions
- Pour the warm rosewater into the hand soak bowl
- Add in the coconut oil, olive oil, rosehip oil, and lavender essential oil
- Stir then immerse your hands in the soak for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Remove your hands and pat dry with a clean towel then apply your moisturizing hand cream and massage in thoroughly.
And that’s it. You can use either of these recipes or alternate. Once or twice a week should be more than enough to keep your hands from drying out completely.
I also recommend doing this in the evening before you go to bed so your hands can get the maximum benefits overnight.
Do not apply nail varnish during this period as this is another way for germs to get trapped. A good buffer will give your nails a nice shine anyway.
With these tips, you should be able to keep the extreme drying effects of washing your hands so many times a day at bay.
Tip – you can use the recipes above as a foot soak as well. You will need to increase the water and ingredient ratio.
Conair Active Life Waterfall Foot Spa
Have any other tips for keeping overly dry hands and nails at bay during quarantine? Share in the comments section.
Handling Packages
Since we’re at home now, a lot of us are ordering what we need from online stores and having it shipped to us.
However, it appears the coronavirus can survive for up to 72 hours on surfaces so be sure to engage in the sterilization practices recommended by WHO and CDC.
Stay home and stay safe!
This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. Read full disclosure HERE.