Few women seek out rough, wrinkled hands or dry, callused feet. However, sometimes external factors--including harsh soaps and detergents, severe weather, exposure to sun or wind, dehydration, and, in the case of your feet, ill-fitting shoes--can cause skin to look unsightly. Use simple, inexpensive ingredients to concoct treatments that soothe and smooth. To keep skin supple, do treatments regularly.
Oil and Sugar for Baby Soft Hands
Step 1
Mix 3 tsp. of baby oil and 2 tsp. of sugar, then apply the mixture to your hands. Use the pads of your fingertips in a brisk circular motion to massage the mixture into your skin.
Step 2
Allow the mixture to remain on your hands after massage. Fatfreekitchen.com advises leaving the mixture on your hands for 10 to 15 minutes. The sugar has a mild abrasive and exfoliative effect, removing dead skin cells to reveal softer skin underneath, while the baby oil has a moisturizing quality.
Step 3
Apply a commercial moisturizer you have used with good results in the past. Alternately, you can use olive oil, vegetable oil or petroleum jelly. According to Howard Donsky, M.D., associate professor at the University of Toronto, these natural moisturizers may even be superior to store-bought products.
Silky Soft Feet
Step 1
Brew a cup of chamomile tea, then allow it to cool. Dilute it with 3 parts water to 1 part tea, then soak feet in it for 15 minutes. According to Dr. Suzanne M. Levine, D. P. M., clinical assistant podiatrist at Mount Sinai in New York City, this treatment can help soften hard, callused skin.
Step 2
Crush 5 aspirin tablets into a powder, and make a paste by adding 1/2 tsp. water and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice.
Step 3
Apply the mixture to the parts of your feet you want to soften, cover with a plastic bag, and wrap a warmed towel around it. According to Mother Nature, the combination of the plastic and warm towel helps the paste penetrate hardened skin.
Step 4
Keep the bag and towel in place for at least 10 minutes, then unwrap.
Step 5
Scrub your feet gently with a pumice stone to flake away hard callused skin.
Step 6
Rinse feet, pat them almost dry with a clean, soft towel, and apply a good-quality commercial moisturizer, petroleum jelly, mineral oil or vegetable oil.
Tips and Warnings
- For a deluxe overnight softening treatment for hands and feet, apply petroleum jelly lavishly, don cotton gloves and socks, and wear them to bed. You can smooth a tablespoon of honey over your hands to promote soft, healthy skin. According to the Whole Foods website, honey has been used topically for years, and has antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and even wound-healing qualities.
- Be careful not to slip after moisturizing your feet; the very qualities that make a moisturizer effective can make it treacherous to walk on, especially on tile or hardwood floors. Wear socks, use caution, or wait until moisturizer is absorbed.
Things You'll Need
- 3 tsp. baby oil
- 2 tsp. sugar
- Commercial moisturizer
- Olive oil, vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly (optional)
- Chamomile teabag
- 8 oz. boiling water
- 5 aspirin tablets
- 1/2 tsp. water
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- Plastic bag
- Warmed towel
- Pumice stone
