Because working in the kitchen with related chores can cause dryness, today we’re talking about how to avoid having dry hands and skin.
I am prone to dry skin (except on my face) and have been my whole life. Having dry skin, to me, is like running fingernails on a chalkboard. I hate it. I keep strategically placed lotion bars and/or natural lip balms in my key places — purse, truck, kitchen sink, bathroom, pants pocket, and desk. When we pack to go on a trip, my husband says, “Why do you have to pack those? Can’t go you go without?” Well, no, I can’t. 😉 I even pack one of each in my backpack for a day hike. Can’t leave home without them. I hate to be dry.
Ironically, even though I am always milking animals and doing kitchen chores involving friction, soap and water, I find myself right now and for the last few months, not suffering from dry skin at all. I believe that is because I’ve figured how best to manage dry skin. I hope you’ll add your tips in the comments! Or share your problems, and maybe we can come up with a solution for you.
I know that one size does not fit all, but I hope these tips will help you.
1. Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods & Supplementation
A traditional, nutrient-dense diet is great for the skin’s health. I can’t ignore that my skin has improved in the years that we’ve followed a traditional diet.
“While many people spend small fortunes on external skin care—creams, potions and facials— healthy skin must start on the inside, nourished by a healthy diet. A diet low in refined carbohydrates and high in animal fats, rich in fat-soluble vitamins and the proteins that support skin and collagen integrity, is the basic recipe for skin health. Bone broths and stews rich in collagen help make skin thicker and healthier; lacto-fermented foods support intestinal health and gut integrity. –Weston A. Price Foundation “Skin Deep”
Vitamins A and D are critical for healthy skin.
“Like any other organ of the body, the skin requires the nourishment of vitamins and minerals from food—first and foremost for skin health are the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Rough, dry and prematurely aged skin is a telltale sign of vitamin A deficiency, which often first manifests as rough, raised skin on the back of the arms.” –Weston A. Price Foundation “Skin Deep”
Food sources of Vitamin A — “animal products like cod liver oil, liver and other organ meats, fish, shell fish and butterfat from cows eating green grass.” —Vitamin A Vagary
Food sources of Vitamin D — naturally reared poultry and their egg yolks; fatty fish such as kippers and herring; fish skin, organs and fat. —Miracle of Vitamin D
My family eats as many of nutrient-dense foods as we can. But I know we need more, so we also take a daily dose of fermented cod liver oil / butter oil blend. That link takes you to capsules, though we are usually taking the cinnamon-flavored paste.
2. Wear Protective Gloves
Wearing household gloves while washing dishes will save your hands from the constant drying that happens when you’re exposed over and over to soap and water — or soap and water plus other things like vinegar or bleach.
I’m not a fan of bleach, but when I had a job at a deli growing up, I had no choice. We were required by the health department to rinse all dishes in a bleach solution. This was killer to my hands, until I learned to use gloves any time I had to wash dishes.
3. Lose the Vinegar (or Other Tough Products)
Until recently, I added a splash of white vinegar to the soap-and-water udder wash bucket. The girls and I wash our goats’ and cow’s udders before each milking. But vinegar has the property of penetrating the skin, allowing whatever else is with it (in this case soap) to really get in there and do its job. Soap’s job is to clean. This means that vinegar helps soap clean better — perhaps too much for sensitive skin. Vinegar was too much for me. So I gave it up, and stick with soap and water for udder wash.
If you’re using harsh soaps and cleaners — you might have a look at those, too. Our dish soap is gentle, and our hand soap is gentle and homemade. Every little bit helps. If you have to use something harsh, be sure to wear gloves.
4. Use a Dishwasher
And I don’t mean the appliance — if your kids are old enough, spread out the work of doing dishes. Many hands make light work, and many hands get less dry, too. My daughter A. is prone to getting dry, irritated hands like me, so she uses gloves when she washes the dishes.
5. Udder Balm
Milking time is drying. Washing the udder washes my hands as well. If I were to begin milking then, the friction of my skin rubbing on the animal’s skin would be extra drying and irritating for both us. My choice for an udder balm is organic, expeller-pressed castor oil. I rub it on my hands and the udder after washing but just before milking, and add as necessary during the milking. Castor oil is not only frugal (a little goes a long way) but it is cleansing, conditioning, and protective against friction irritation. I leave the milking stand with moisturized hands instead of dry hands. It is remarkable.
6. The Right Moisturizer
As a lifetime moisturizer-user, I’ve tried alot of products. The field is narrowed almost right away, first because I can’t stand thin products, thin like water. They don’t penetrate and stay on, or do much good. Second, I don’t prefer fragrances and will soon get a headache from concentrated fragrances.
I was so happy to find MadeOn’s Hard Lotion Bar. It really is the best lotion I have ever used. Here’s what I love:
- I love that it is a bar — so nice and thick. Its thickness means it stays on my skin, yet without gunking up things I’m touching, like my keyboard.
- I love that the bar packs easily; no tubes to burst or explode with altitude changes or being sat on.
- I love that it contains just three natural and nourishing ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax.
- I love, love, love that it smells gently like honey, from the beeswax. I think I would love the au chocolat, too!
MadeOn Hard Lotion is my source for soothing symptoms of dry skin. Renee, the kind and caring owner, offers hard lotion bars in large and small sizes, lip balms, and new DIY kits for making your own hard lotion bars.
Disclosure: I received a hard lotion gift pack from MadeOn to evaluate, without any obligation to make a favorable review. I recommend products and services that I would and do purchase myself — MadeOn’s products fit that category. GNOWFGLINS will earn a commission on all MadeOn sales that begin here. Thank you for supporting MadeOn and GNOWFGLINS with your purchases.
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I’ve started rubbing a bit coconut oil into my hands whenever I use it in the kitchen. My knuckles feel great!
Every night as I am getting in bed, I use some organic calendula salve on my hands. In addition, I keep lotion in my purse and car at all times. Last winter my hands were dry and cracking, but I have managed to keep the dryness level much more manageable this year. Oh! I also use a locally made goat milk soap in the shower that I love!
I use coconut oil as a moisturizer to keep dry skin at bay–well, that and drink LOTS of water!
I use coconut or apricot kernel oil for dry skin. I’m hoping to make some lotion bars… as soon as my four kids give me a chance, lol!
I’m a nanny & wash my hands all the time at work! Especially during the winter, my hands are terribly rough, dry, & painful! Using lotions & creams that contain chemicals burn my skin. I’d love to try the hard lotion bars!
I’ve been making my own lotion with beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and calendula (mountain rose herbs has calendula oil that works great). I too keep it everywhere so I never get to dry and start itching, because the itch-scratch cycle is hard to break!
I use coconut oil after I wash my hands
I’ll just voice complaint! 🙂 My hands are so painfully chapped and dry! Between dishes, washing between diaper changes, cooking prep, etc, my poor hands are raw. I try to apply coconut oil as often as possible, but it leaves my hands greasy and doesn’t seem to do much good. I’d love to try some hard lotion!
I too rub coconut oil on my hands when using it for cooking and I have some Burts Bees wax balm I use at night. Both are really greasy so they aren’t the best option unless I can just sit for a while and let it soak in.
I am currently using another brand of lotion bar, and I do love it. However, MadeOn’s prices are much more reasonable than my current brand, so I’m looking forward to giving their products a try!
I’ve been using almond oil and olive oil and experimenting with making my own lotion. 🙂
I battle with dry skin as well, but only in the winter (Michigan). I avoid soap when possible. I also take advantage of the mess involved in butter making. After I wash and form my butter, I rub in the excess unsalted butter as a moisturizer. I know, weird, but it helps. My son has a more severe dryness issue. He puts shea butter lotion (of a different brand) on his hands and then wears cotton gloves to bed. This will help curb a serious dryness with cracking issue. I take the same shea butter lotion and apply throughout the day.
Pam
Any time I use coconut oil for cooking, I rub a little extra on my hands and elbows!
I use coconut butter when I’m in the kitchen. I just received a small MadeOn lotion bar in the mail last week and I haven’t shared it yet!
Right now, I try to remember to moisturize my hands (and heels) every night before I go to bed… sometimes it seems to help, sometimes not. I know I need to do more!
The Au Chocolat? Is Uh-Mazing! 🙂
I use gloves for cleaning and dishwashing, I use coconut oil on my hands and try to get as much fluids as possible and we eat as healthy as possible, but I still have terrible problems with dry hands!
I use coconut oil, all over, inside and out! It works better than anything I’ve ever tried.
Thanks for the giveaway!
My hands and heels are really dry. I have a 9 month old son and I am always washing my hands betwee diaper changes, feeding him and doing house hold stuff. I have just started to use a locally made beeswax based salve and it’s helping. I have been following MadeOn’s Facebook page for a while and really want to try this product. I am also moving towards more natural products for myself and my family.
I wear gloved to do most of they drying housework,
I’ve used olive oil and coconut oil in the past to help soothe dry skin!
try to make sure not to use HOT water but warm while washing hands or while bathing. Also try to PAT the skin not to rub it, while drying.
I’m wondering HOW best to figure out what is causing some troublesome areas of skin on 2 of my 6 children. I’ve done some research on the subject but not much. Anyone know a good website, on this? Pediatrician recommend having an allergy scratch test done. I’m wonder if that is good to do OR if I should push for some type of lab/blood test, any suggestions?
Calendula salve (beeswax and calendula oil) seems to save my daughter’s hands – the natural soap has been really rough on her this year! My skin is much less prone to issues – I’ve been wanting to try the MadeOn bar on her hands, though.
I’ve tried a little of this or that over the years. Nothing has really helped keep my hands from feeling like sandpaper. I discovered shampoo bars recently so I’m looking forward to trying a lotion bar.
Hi Wardee!
I am using organic coconut oil at the moment, internally and externally, but I am excited to try all your tips including the MadeOn’s lotion bar.
Thanks for your post!
~~In Messiah Yeshua,
Vickilynn
C. 6:8
I have used several different lotions but using gloves when I clean or wash dishes has helped a great deal..I have ordered some of the Made On Hard lotion and can’t wait to try it!!!
i have such dry, chapped hands! i think the main reason they get so bad is from scrubbing them after rinsing dirty diapers. there isn’t much i can do about that, because i’m GOING to scrub my hands after rinsing dirty diapers… so, it’d be so great if i could find something to soothe them!!! nothing i’ve found works. my best cure so far is that lanolin breast-feeding stuff. and it sure doesn’t heal it, just makes it feel better over-night (while i’m not washing my hands for 12 hours!)
I live in Wisconsin so I always wear gloves when I am outside. Also putting something on in the morning and at night always helps.
Help! I don’t do a good job. Have been slathering my hands in Coconut oil. The tops are not dry at all, but my palms and fingertips crack all winter. Hoping to learn something and maybe win the lotion bar!
My husband and I use virgen coconut oil alot to rub in dry patches, would love to win the giveaway!
I haven’t really found anything for the really dry patch around my ring finger. i constantly put lotion but nonthing seems to work. Can’t wait to try the made on hard lotion. sounds great
Haven’t found much that relieves the dryness on my hands and the backs of my arms, but have heard great things about MadeOn products and would love to give them a try!
I really like coconut oil for moisturizing.
It’s very dry here and I keep lotion bottles at every sink and at my work desk and my school desk; oh, and in my night stand drawer. I apply it all day long. I’ve used a different “bee bar” before and I really like it because it’s not greasy, so I’d love to win and try the MadeOn bar. Who knows… I might replace all those bottles with bars!
I use honey. Simply warming a bit of honey, smearing it on my hands and feet, putting wax paper around them and pulling warm socks or mittens on over my feet and hands keeps everything nice and soft. Granted this is a “winter” treatment! During the summer we do things a wee bit different. Two of my children have SPD so we do a lot of sensory fun stuff. Toss on the suits or if you’re young enough or brave enough go naked, toss a tarp out in the yard, and pour on some honey to slide and slick around in. NO standing up on the tarp ’cause you will bust your butt.
Be sure to rinse the yard and tarp well ’cause it does pull in the ants. This lets me “treat my tootsie’s” and I don’t feel like I’m being lazy. A little goes a long way as the sun warms it up and thins it out. While gross…if the baby licks it you don’t have to worry!
When I’m out in public I use a shea butter stick my husband bought at CVS! It’s actually 100% believe it or not and you smell like Chocolate too!
Honey
I’ve been using Apricot Kernel Oil after showers.
I use whipped shea butter for my dry hands, but am not a fan of the oily residue it sometimes leaves. Would love to try one of these lotion bars!
I use coconut oil, inside and out, I’ve been experimenting with some homemade balms, too.
I have only occasionally actually thought about moisturizer. My hands are fairly good, and I can tell that I have been drinking more water and it makes my skin feel better. My issue place is my feet! I try and try and they always look ugly and calloused because I love walking barefoot. A good scrub like coffee grinds has been helping, and I am starting to wear socks at night after lotion-ing.
I would love to see what people suggest for the face, as my Fiancé has some very VERY dry sections on his forehead…
I have bought the MadeOn bars and they are worth every cent. I do love the light scent of beeswax.
My hands almost smell yummy.
I know I don’t get enough of the things you mentioned for my skin to not be so dry in the winter months, but I’m trying! Probably part of my problem is being hypothyroid. Would love to try the lotion bars; I’m already a fan on Facebook. :o)
I use coconut oil or a lotion from Tropical Traditions.
My hands are suffering this winter, too! I’m not very consistent with moisturizing, though I have made a hand cream in the past that works wonders if I use it often! What I’m really struggling with right now is my face. I don’t use any harsh chemicals or soap on it, and try to moisturize regularly – sometimes with an aloe-glycerine mixture, sometimes with an almond oil-honey mixture – but the dryness remains! Any tips?
I use lots of different lotions and creams in the past but don’t have anything that I absolutely love. I really like simplicity which is why I would love to have these products.
I use coconut oil immediately after getting out of the shower, while my skin is still wet. It helps seal in the moisture. Certain parts, such as hands (I handle a lot of papers), elbows, and heels (a problem since childhood) still are too dry for my liking, but the rest of me feels much better.
Our family moved to an area with a drier climate this last fall, and I have definitely noticed the change in my hands this winter. I, too, change a lot of diapers, wash a lot of dishes, etc. My baking/cooking days are the very hardest on my hands. I have tried plain coconut oil, but it seems too mild, and I end up washing my hands so often during the day that any moisturizer doesn’t have much time to work. My hands have gotten so dry that they crack and bleed just terribly. The thing that has worked the best for me is putting vitamin e oil and/or coconut or olive oil on my hands at night and then covering my hands with socks while I sleep. I’ve also added aloe vera gel from our plant to the vit. e oil, and it has worked very well. I think that if I was faithful, this routine would keep my hands soft, but I put it off because I don’t really enjoy sleeping with socks “mittens” on!
My hands aren’t too bad, but my face really suffers from the cold and dryness in the winter (we live in Vermont). I can keep it somewhat at bay by using a combination of homemade MadeOn bars and aloe gel and not using soap on it at all.
I a coconut oil based moisturizer for my face and a coconut oil based lotion on my body. It does work, but it leaves me feeling greasy and isn’t very easy to put on. I would LOVE to try this hard lotion~thanks for the chance to win!
I’ve started making my own lotion bars. I have a toddler who has severe eczema. I have to apply it twice a day all over so we go through a bar a week! Eek!
I love the stuff. It works much better than the creams our pediatrician recommends.
Thanks for sharing this helpful post, I myself have extremely dry hands and sometimes back. As I sit here typing right now my hands are cracked and sore. Hoping to try some of this tips! Thank you!!!
I’ve been using coconut oil for the past few months. I love hard lotion, though! 🙂
I actually made some of the face cream on the Made On website! It works wonders on my dry skin (face). I have been using a bit on my hands as well – works pretty well!! But I have been wanting to try the lotion bars for quite some time now – what a great giveaway!
I have found that I must use work gloves for all kinds of chores, even dusting and light housekeeping, and always for washing dishes (big blue type.) I think the combination of beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil is the best and safest skin “renewer” and replenisher that I have ever tried. Truly the bees knees. Thank You.
I don’t really succeed in keeping dry skin at bay! I am eager to try these products. Thank you for the chance to win!
On another blog (sorry, don’t remember the name), I read that almond oil is very helpful for dry skin. I really like the idea of using just one pure ingredient. After a bath, I often use a few drops of almond oil on my hands, arms, knees and feet.
Gail — Good point! We use almond oil on our animals when they have irritated skin. I mix it with neem oil for a natural insecticide, though.
I have tried a number of things. I have had one lotion bar that I thought was WONDERFUL! But I can’t find it again. I had another lotion bar that wasn’t worth anything (Of course I do know where to buy that one). I have also made a number of hand creams and I have used various types of oil. Sometimes I think I have found the answer and then I go through another really dry spell . . . like right now.
I haven’t found a good way to help dry skin. We have bottles of lotion all over the house, in the car and they always get packed for trips. It’s a constant battle.
I don’t have much trouble with dry skin- a touch of coconut oil does the trick for me, but my husband has very dry hands from using sanitizer at work and has been using a lot of hand lotion. I was horrified when I looked at the list of ingredients on it and would love to get one of the lotion bars for him to try.
My hands are very dry since I have been washing them like a mad woman to try to prevent getting colds and flu. I try to use coconut oil when I can, but the lotion bar would travel better. I would love to try it.
Very good advice!
-Brenda
The single most kindest thing I have ever done for my hands is changing my diet! I was a vegan for about 8 years and suffered from dry, cracked – make that crater-ridden! – bleeding hands year-round. About a year and a half ago I began eating good-quality animal foods, and after a few months I noticed that I had HANDS again! I could wash them without wincing in pain, touch things without feeling like my hands were a barrier rather than my connection to them…seriously miraculous for me at that point. I could have eaten and/or applied coconut oil till it came out my ears, but it would never have compared to the benefits of saturated animal fats. Not to say this is a cure-all, but for me, it worked.
Another tip: DON’T USE ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP!!! On days when I work (as a cashier), my hands suffer significantly; on my days off, the begin to heal. The crappy soap is the only thing I can attribute this to. Needless to say, that Made-On lotion bar would be a GODSEND!
I use my dishwasher for most of my dishes…and a mild soap for the rest (or I try to talk my hubby into doing those dishes!). 😀
I always wear gloves when washing dishes, etc. Every once in a while, I dip into some lard-my hands stay soft for days. I also completely avoid gluten, my finger tips crack and bleed within a few days whenever I’ve accidentally had some!
I wish I could. The tips of my fingers are always dry and I get cracks at the corners of my thumbs all winter long. I plan to try this whether or not I win.
I use a little bit of coconut oil, to keep my hands smooth. I really like the udder balm you mentioned!!!! I will be giving it a try, thank you!!
I use Bag Balm. I’m a little concerned about the petroleum base, though.
Grace — That is one of the reasons I choose not to use it. There is a natural bag balm at Homesteader Supply (http://homesteadersupply.com).
I love how Renee at MadeOn has put a recipe for her lotion bars right on her site. I’ve made them, and they have helped my dry hands tremendously. I even gave them as Christmas presents….but only to people I REALLY like. lol
I am fortunate that I don’t have really dry skin, but I have dry patches and rough cuticles. I use coconut oil on my patches and hands and that seems to help.
I just “stumbled” upon your website/blog/facebook page after reading an email newsletter from Raising Homemakers. Loving what I’m reading and have entered the contest, hoping to win one of the MadeOn Hard Lotion products. I’m new here, but “I’ll be back!”
Debbie — Welcome! 🙂
I like how Renee has posted how to do it yourself. The products are great and so safe. I would like to try some of the other products as well. Dry skin is hard to keep at bay. coconut oil alone is not as effective as with the shea and beeswax. It really helps protect with frequent hand washing.
I like to use bag balm (lanolin) on my extra dry places, and it works great on my lips too. I even used it liberally to ease itching on my growing baby bump this past year. It works wonders, but it does leave me feeling a little sticky. I like the idea of the hard lotion, since it isn’t supposed to leave you feeling greasy. I will definitely have to try this stuff!
Just started using coconut oil recently. I’d love to try the shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax mixture!
I’m still struggling to find something that doesn’t irritate my skin. I would love to give this a try.
Right now I just use lots of lotion – several times a day. I just ordered some coconut oil, so I’m hoping to give that a try.
I don’t succeed at keeping dry skin at bay at all. Ive tried many things and nothing seems to work. My skin cracks and bleeds. During the winter its horrible. My hands hurt all the time. Im always looking for new tips so I look forward to trying the ones I haven’t already implemented. Thank you. This comes at a very critical time!!
I am having a terrible time with dry skin. I actually had visited MadeOn just this week. Looks like a great product and if I don’t win I really want to try.
I have been hand washing dishes and not using the automatic dishwasher as much… my little helpers are all grown up. I’ve never used gloves but maybe I should think about it. What type of gloves do you use?
CindyC — I just buy the yellow/orange/blue plastic ones from the cleaning aisle. Nothing special — they do the trick. They last a fairly long time, too.
I wear gloves when washing dishes or cleaning. Other than that, I suffer with dry skin all over! I would love to try the bars.
I’ve used the lotion bar before and really like it. I’d like to make my own some day. One of the many, many things on my “I hope to try it someday” list.
Thanks for posting this. I had never heard of the hard potion bar. Very interested as I have trouble with dry skin. Gets so bad sometimes that I have painful bleeding cracks all over my hands. The only way I’ve found to help a little is to have my eldest or hubb help with the dishes while my skin heals. I should wear gloves, but I can’t stand them. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This looks like just what I’ve been searching for.
I still have yet to find THE perfect lotion to keep my hands softer during the winter monhts. It has been a problem since my teenage years. I have been taking FCLO every day but it doesnt really help with my hands but I know it is helping my body in terms of overall health. And I am not a fan of washing dishes with gloves b/c it makes it harder to handle them and have broken a few dishes with gloves on – oops!
just wanted to comment saying that i am signed up for your newsletter but not under gmail address but under my yahoo address – same name though
In the past I have used products from Terressentials.
I suffer from dry hands (they crack and bleed on the tips and are very painful) and am trying to eat better to help. I also try to limit handwashing. It may sound terrible, but I don’t feel all bacteria and “germs” are life threatening and going to make me sick, so for example, washing hands after using a public washroom is a GREAT idea, but I don’t feel it is totally essential everytime I change my babies diaper. Other things that help me include using rubber gloves (actually I prefer vinyl) for dishes and cleaning. I still find winter difficult and gardening as the dirt seems to be very drying. I use natural products to moisturize and hope the new inclusion of cod liver oil and coconut oil in my diet will help!
This product sounds great. The bug repellent sounds like a great option over spray products.
I have such frustratingly dry hands leftover from my twins being in the NICU…they just have not been able to rebound despite trying sooooo many different kinds of things! Help!
I have never successfully alleviated my dry hands and I hate it! This bar sounds like it would work for me. 🙂
I have recently started making my own lotion (with not-so-great results) in an effort to keep my hands from cracking and bleeding during the winter months. Using hard lotion bars is a very exciting idea to me. I’d like to try the recipes on her site.
Many years ago I made the commitment that I would not put anything on my skin that I wouldn’t eat. After all our skin is our largest absorbing organ in our body. I have been using coconut oil on my skin and hair but was disappointed that it did not seem to take care of abrasive work-worn dry areas on my hands.
Then……one day I was rendering lard. As those of you who have rendered know, when you render lard you get it all over yourself. My face, hands and hair had never felt so soft and devine. Now it just so happens that I had been gifted 30lbs of bear fat from my hunter brother. But I have discovered since continuing my rendering career to include duck fat, pig fat, chicken fat, and lamb fat, that they all are wonderful on the skin. Personally I don’t worry about the slight animal smell. I’m quite a farm girl anyway. But I did want my relatives, who are a bit more cautious about my traditional food escapades, to also have the benefit of this wonderful fat on their skin. So I melted some of the fat in little jars and added a blend of essential oils. Now they all enjoy it.
Mountain life in the winter is very dry. We keep a humidifier going in our room, and I apply an extra coat of lotion at night so I don’t wake up with dry skin on my hands and face.
I have a lotion bar from a local producer and love it!
Wearing gloves while I wash dishes or do any cleaning project where I need to use water, has really helped me with dry skin! Another favorite of mine is to rub a natural beeswax lotion that I buy locally, onto my hands before I go to bed for the night!
So I’m not sure this counts, but I keep my hands going by using MadeOn’s Lotion. I discovered it a few months ago and the difference has been UNREAL. I’ve also change out my soaps (due to fragrance sensitivity issues) and now I use castile soap in a foaming bottle for my hands and Trader Joe’s purple Tea Tree dish soap for the dishes. My hands have noticeably improved. In a typical winter, I could make a fist and my hands would split with bloody cracks. With the new soaps (and generous latherings of the MadeOn bars!) I don’t have issues anymore! So thankful!! But it’s a delicate balance … one dishwashing session at a friend’s house can set me back for days with cracking. And I don’t have sensitive skin!! The joys of a humid-less winter, I suppose. 🙂
I would love to try the lotion bar on a friend of mine who runs her own small farm… and she is constantly with open cuts/sores on her hands from the work. She is forever washing her dry cracked hands and it makes them worse, but it is necessary. I’ve given her other magic creams, but they really haven’t cured her condition… but at a minimum I was hoping they would provide relief, which they haven’t. Thank you for the information and the link to Made On!
I have been using emu cream for the past year to treat my very dry skin. It works very well for me.
I have not really found anything that keeps my hands soft. I have been hearing wonderful things about the hard lotion bars, and I think I am going to try some.
I checked out the site and I must admit I obviously have not done all that is recommended!
I blame the winter but my hands are really rough! Gloves are out though…I am a total klutz!
Thank you for the giveaway opportunity and Blessings to all,
I use coconut oil and shea butter at night on my hands.
I use a natural hand lotion with a good moisturizer like shea butter, but I have yet to find one that I really like and that really works well for my dry skin. I do use coconut oil sometimes and it definitely works!
I try to remember to rub coconut oil on my hands every day, but I am not very successfully with it. The lotion bar sounds great. I would love to try one.
I always use hand made soap and try to have lotion handy. But I have found that regular lotion just doesn’t always keep my skin from getting dry during the day. I have loved using lotion bars and they seem to work all day. Thank you for the giveaway!
Put hand lotion on right after bathing or washing dishes. The lotion absorbs best at these times.
I do not have a problem with dry hands but my cuticles are super dry. I have yet to find anything that works well. I could use some suggestions!
I actually use the MadeOn Beesilk bar and lip balm. Sometimes I use the lip balm on my hands for easier application. 🙂
My biggest struggle is the number of times my hands go into water. After dishes, washing hands after helping children/feeding animals, bathroom visits, laundry,…I put on lotions, but within minutes, I find myself washing my hands again. ?
To soothe away any dryness, my family and I usually just use coconut oil as lotion or pure unrefined shea butter.
I use another lotion bar that I bought at Pike’s Place Market in Seattle. I love it, but would love to try another! I also take a Vitamin D supplement, cod liver oil, and try to get lots of good, healthy fats in our diet. My hands are still quite dry, though. I often use coconut oil on my hands when I’m using it in cooking and that helps.
I was having trouble finding a lotion I liked that didn’t have fragrance and is organic and so I learned to make my own lotion. I use beeswax, shea butter, several oils, water and aloe vera gel. It does a good job, it is somewhat greasy though at first. You have to let it soak in after a minute or two. I’ll have to say the MadeOn bar sounds very appealing.
I have been using hemp lotion from The Body Shop with success.
I haven’t found anything I consider totally successful! I’ve tried gloves at night, chapstick on dry knuckles, every lotion that says “for extremely dry skin” and I still end up with bandaids on my fingers!! I’d love to find something that really works.
I’m a fan of Desert Organics vanilla chai lotion. It’s not too thin or thick, nor does it overpower the senses. I really like the ethics behind the company as well.
I use shea butter on myself and a daughter who gets ecezma!
I keep dry skin at bay with coconut oil and sometimes palm shortening.
My favorite tip — learned from my Mom — is to wear cotton gloves at night, after completely slathering my hands with lotion. You wake up with soft, smooth hands! Works for feet too. I use the MadeOn bars and think they are great — I want to try the chocolate bar next!
I use olive oil at night at bedtime to wash my face and then leave it on the back of my dry hands. During the day in the kitchen I just use a dab of coconut oil. I’d love to try MadeOn’s lotions though! They sound amazing!
I usually just use coconut oil for my dry skin but its really bad this year and would like to try something else…thanks for the chance..
Lately I’ve been using coconut oil in the evenings and when I remember! It’s thin and oily when it melts but it absorbs easily and helps my dry hands!
I’m still looking for a good solution to dry hands because I wash my hands frequently throughout the day. Of course, hand washing to prevent spread of germs can get defeated if your hands are cracked and bleeding! Tried gloves at night, commercial udder balm, & various moisturizers, but still haven’t found the right thing! Would love to try MadeOn!
My DH is a phlebotomist, and washes frequently. His hands get so dry and cracked they even bleed. We have tried so many products, but nothing helps enough. If we can find something that he can keep in his labcoat pocket that won’t make his “paws” greasy, it would be a real blessing This hard lotion bar sounds promising.
My husband and I had dry skin and the thing that has helped us is buying a humidifier in our bedroom. I’m looking for a product to use that will help my dry skin.
I use (and sell!) J.R.Watkins products from Winona, Minnesota. I am especially fond of the Shea Butter Hand Cream in the Lemon Creme scent!
I melt together raw organic cacao butter and coconut oil and pour into small jars. You can adjust the ratio, more coconut oil makes the blend softer. And it is edible and smells wonderful.
My son and I both suffer from dry skin. I have cracked, bleeding knuckles right now! I love the idea of a hard bar lotion that is easily carried. I read something that stayed with me regarding washing and dry skin; “Unless you are a child or a ditch-digger, you don’t need to lather up your entire body with soap!” That and cooler water seem to help a bit this winter.
I keep a bottle of nice lotion by the kitchen sink, but never remember to use it! My bad.
A couple of my children have excema and normally use aquafor or A &D. We hope we will win so we can try these products. I think they would do the children good.
I use Working Hands Cream, but don’t always get super results. Would love to use a lotion bar that doesn’t leave the skin greasy or slippery.
I have not really found anything yet that really works with our cracked finger tips. Reading through all the comments gave me some good ideas to try out.
I just started trying coconut oil for my dry skin.
I haven’t found anything that really helps (and doesn’t irritate) my dry hands, cracked knuckles, and split finger tips. Would love to try this lotion bar.
I am still trying to find a product that works for my extremely dry, cracked skin. I would love to win the lotion bars!
I use The Busted Knuckle hand salve. It is not a lotion, but is a salve with an olive oil, bees wax, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil base. Works quite well, especially if I remember to use gloves when washing dishes. Using gloves has made a huge difference. Also I try not to use anti-bacterial soaps, and I use bar soaps that only have a couple ingredients like Vegetable glycerin and not much more. Also, I try to make sure I’m drinking enough water. I’m looking forward to trying the hard lotion you are recommending though!
I live in a dry climate and it is tough to keep my skin moisturized. Trying these products would be great!