9 Tricks to Keep Your Hands Soft and Healthy All Winter Long

Dry, chapped hands are one of the most common winter skin woes. Not only can they crack, peel, and bleed, when your skin barrier is compromised, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions can worsen. Here’s how to keep your hands healthy and moisturized during the cold winter months.

Wear gloves

If it’s cold enough to wear a hat, it’s definitely cold enough to slip on a pair of gloves. Invest in a pair of cashmere or wool-lined leather gloves, which tend to be more effective at blocking wind and keeping hands warm. Building a snowman or shoveling your walkway? Opt for a water-resistant pair. You should don a pair of rubber gloves when washing dishes or cleaning year round, but it’s especially important in the winter, says Francesca Fusco, MD, board-certified dermatologist of Wexler Dermatology in New York City.

Apply SPF every day

Protect hands from the sun’s harmful rays with moisturizing sunscreen. Or opt for a hand lotion with SPF.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Dr. Fusco encourages patients to keep a tube of moisturizer everywhere—your desk drawer, handbag, kitchen counter, bedside, glove compartment, etc. “Repeated moisturizing through the day nourishes, heals, and protects skin,” she says.

Exfoliate

“Most people don’t think to exfoliate their hands, but it will remove dead skin, which allows better penetration of moisturizer,” explains Dr. Fusco. For a DIY fix, mix a bit of coconut oil and sugar together, then rub on hands in circular motions. You can also use your favorite facial exfoliant. 

Use hand sanitizer sparingly

Overuse of hand sanitizers can dry out hands quickly. Dr. Fusco recommends a non-drying formula.

Wash hands with moisturizing soap

Frequent hand washing with hot water and soap can strip natural oils from skin. The solution: switch to a moisturizing hand soap and make sure the water is lukewarm rather than hot. These are ways you didn’t realize you’re washing your hands wrong.

Avoid hand dryers

When using the ladies room, if you have the option of an automatic dryer (with hot air) or paper towel, opt for the latter. According to Dr. Fusco, the hot blast could dry out your skin even more.

Don’t neglect cuticles

Your cuticles and nails are equally sensitive to harsh winter weather as the rest of your hands. 

Pamper your hands at night

Invest in an ultra-rich, overnight hand cream.

Enjoy your beautiful hands this winter!!!

What Your Nails Say About Your Health

We have listed a few nail issues most girls deal with:

• Vertical ridges are usually harmless but nobody likes them. And all they are communicating is a lack of hydration
• Dryness of the nail can be treated by rubbing the cuticle MD (see below) onto the nail regularly
• Other markings such as white spots, usually is an indication of damage or trauma to the nail and will generally grow out with time
• Yellowing Nails normally signal a lack of nutrients and can easily be cured with a healthy balanced diet combined with a great cuticle oil
• Curling nails normally indicate an iron deficiency
• When the nail separates from the nail bed it is called onychosis and often signals a thyroid problem

Researches have recently discovered that even blood poisoning can materialize in the nails. So, what to do with all these health issues?

For most of them a simple healthy diet will cause an immediate effect but, this tells us that keeping a close watch on what our nails are saying might be the wisest thing you do this year. And adding Coconut oil to the regime might be the second wisest thing you do this year.

If you have not read an article or heard a conversation on coconut oil in the past month, it might be a miracle, because this miraculous oil has certainly made the headlines.

Could it be the next craze?

Absolutely, the proven benefits of this miracle oil is just far too many to oversee. With benefits that can include weight loss, whiter teeth, radiant skin, and shiny healthy hair, coconut oil is the health and beauty cure-all du jour, and that’s a fact.

At Elim they use coconut oil as a base for many of our products. One being the Cuticle MD and seeing that we are talking nails today this is the one we will highlight.

We formulated this winner recipe with a blend of 10 oils, using coconut oil as our base carrier.

Apart from its hydration benefits to the nail, coconut oil also has a natural SPF of 5 and adding to this it is natures natural anti-bacterial agent protecting your nails against fungi and bacteria.

The regime? We recommend a Cuticle Oil with a dropper and not a brush on cuticle oil, use it daily, keep it in your hand bag,

One drop to nourish all your nails should make the worlds difference in just a week.

Here’s to happy healthy nails.

Click here to buy yours today https://www.elimspaproducts.com/?ap_id=Essentialsforwomen

The Eyeliner Rules

How to get a perfect application every time.

1. Make sure your eyeliner pencil or brush, if you’re applying a gel, are clean or freshly sharpened before you start.
2. The shape of your eye will pretty much dictate how you wear your eyeliner. Use the curve of your lower lash line to help you create the perfect flick on the upper lid.
3. Remember, the further in you bring your eyeliner line, the closer together your eyes will appear so if you want to create a bit more distance start your eyeliner a little further along your lash line.
4. Eyeliner is not just for the top lash line or under the bottom lashes, lining the inside of your upper and lower lash line creates just as much impact and is easier to master if you find the top of the lid tricky.
5. It’s not all about black eyeliner. Switch things up with a more muted brown or grey or jazzy metallics.
6. An eyeliner trick that all the pro’s use is applying a flesh coloured pencil along the bottom lid line. It creates the illusion of making your eyes look instantly more wide awake.

It's Monday.....

How to Curl your Hair with a Flat Iron!

The 7 Essential Beauty Products to Keep on Your Work Desk

 Here are the beauty products that should take up residence in your office. Productivity never looked so good! (Thank you CosmopolitanSA)

1 Face Wipes

Wipes are really useful: they can clean up spills on your desk or your new white shirt, you can use them to clean your desk and, most importantly, they can be used for their intended purpose – to keep your face feeling fresh and clean.

Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Extra-Gentle Cleansing Wipes, R52

2 Facial Mist

The office environment can be draining – and not just on your soul. Most companies have air-conditioning systems to keep you from melting into a puddle in summer, but they also suck moisture out the air and, in turn, your skin. One spritz of facial mist and you’ll be instantly hydrated.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Cucumber And Green Tea, R250

3 A Nail File

One of the things that the beauty team get asked for most often by colleagues in other departments is an emery board. Really. Having one of these on hand can help you and your co-workers in a manicure crisis.

Basics Nail File, R14,95

4 Hand Cream

Looking after your hands during the work day is important, especially if they work hard typing for you. Chances are that you are washing your hands vigorously after using the nasty office loos, so make sure you moisturise them thoroughly afterwards.

Neutrogena Anti-Ageing Hand Cream SPF 25 / R92.95

5 Dry Shampoo

Things can be a bit crazy in the mornings. We get it. And often we have to forego some shower time to be able to get to work on time, and then you only realise when you reach the office that your hair is looking a bit manky. Having a can of dry shampoo on hand can give your hair a pick-me-up so that no-one will ever know.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Plus in Divine Dark, R89,95

6 Lip Balm

One of the most important beauty products to have within arm’s reach all day is a nourishing lip balm. Our lips can become dry, cracked and sore, whether it’s from the cooling system or picking at them constantly because you are worried about how you are going to finish your reports. Slather this on – you’ll thank us later.

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm, R195

7 A Red Lipstick

Sometimes work life gets hectic. Suddenly you have a client meeting that you weren’t prepared for and you have no idea how you are going to wing it. This is when it comes time to apply a liberal coat of confidence – to your lips, that is. It’ll make you feel a lot more together and, in turn, a lot more powerful.

Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in Volatile, R440

How to Wash Your Hair (Yes, It Really Matters)

If you’re totally confused about the “right way” to wash your hair, you’re not alone. We grew up being taught to wash it every day, and then later we learned you should probably only be sudsing up a couple times a week—and now there’s the whole “no ‘poo method” floating around the internet.

Using the correct techniques can make a world of difference in your hair’s health, bounce and shine—but if you’re making some common mistakes, you could be damaging your lovely locks without even realizing it. We asked two of New York’s foremost hair pros, hair stylist Nunzio Saviano of Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York and Kyle White, lead colorist at Oscar Blandi Salon, to share their best tips for lathering up—and doing it the right way.

1. Start with a rinse

Just like your laundry needs a rinse cycle before you add detergent, hair should be thoroughly wet before you add your shampoo. “Hot water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair,” says White. Another bonus: “When your hair is rinsed in warm water, it loosens the oils through the scalp and opens the cuticle so it is able to absorb the oil” in your conditioner, says Saviano.

2. If you have long hair, condition first

Yes, really! “If you have hair beneath the shoulders, protect fragile ends from drying out and further damage by running a small amount of conditioner through them and lightly rinsing, before any shampooing. This will not only keep ends healthy, it will fill any holes in the cuticle with moisture, making it smoother and boosting shine,” says White.

3. Lather up — but only at the scalp

“You only need to shampoo the hair at the scalp, particularly at the nape,” Saviano says.

White agrees. “The best way to lather up is from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the youngest and will inevitably be the oiliest, while the end of the hair is the oldest and usually driest, most fragile part of the hair.”
Don’t use more shampoo than you need; both Saviano and White say that a quarter-sized amount of shampoo is enough. If your hair is particularly long or thick, go ahead and double that.

4. Be gentle!

Friction can permanently damage your hair’s cuticle, leading to breakage and frizz. Think about washing your hair like you hand wash your delicates — very carefully.
“Start your lather at the roots,” says White. “Increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth by using vertical strokes with medium pressure.” Don’t use circular motions, which can tangle your hair.

Next, “Smooth the lather over the ends in a straight stroking motion,” White advises. “Do not scrub the fragile ends or use a back and forth motion like you’re washing a rag on a washboard.”

5. Don’t rinse and repeat

Despite what the instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle may say, there’s no need to wash your hair twice.
“Avoid stripping the hair by doing one shampoo only, which is usually sufficient,” says White. “Unless the hair is extremely dirty and the first shampoo didn’t produce a lather.” In that case, go ahead and lather up one more time.

6. Add conditioner from the mid-lengths to the tips

After you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, “squeeze some of the water out of the hair before you put in the conditioner,” says Saviano. “Then clip your hair up and finish showering, leaving the conditioner rinse out for the final step of your shower.”

The longer the conditioner stays on your hair, the better it absorbs. Don’t put conditioner at the roots of your hair; the natural oil from your scalp is more concentrated there.

7. Finish with a cold water rinse

“Cold water will shut the cuticle tight, sealing the shingle-like outer layer, which will cause it to reflect the most light and give off the most shine,” says White.

More Hair Washing Tips…
Use a shampoo and conditioner that’s made for your hair type. If your hair is dry, choose moisturizing products. If you color your hair, opt for color-safe formulas. “Volumizing” shampoos tend to leave hair drier, so they’re best for fine hair types that would be weighed down by more moisturizing products.

How often you wash your hair depends on your hair type, too. If you have oily or fine hair, you may need to shampoo daily. Normal or dry hair can lather up closer to three times a week.

Filter your water. White recommends using a shower filter, such as the T3 Source Showerhead, since it “removes rust and minerals from water that can dull color, and deposit on blondes making them dark and muddy.” (We’ve tried it, and it also made our hair super soft.)

Supplied by stylecaster