4 Easy Ways to Exfoliate Hands and Arms
As the most exposed extremities, they take a beating every day. Give them a bit of the pampering they deserve. It’s easy to exfoliate hands and arms. We’ll show you some simple treatments that you can do at home to show your skin some love!
Before we spill all the secrets, it’s important to know that we don’t recommend doing these exfoliating procedures more than twice a week. The reason that we caution against it is because the skin of the hands and arms is not as thick, so it’s more sensitive to the elements – specifically, the sun.
Tip no. 1: address the dryness
Because we use our hands so much, we tend to take them for granted. It’s quite common for your hands to be dry, regardless of your age. Things such as domestic chores, overexposure to the sun, gardening and harsh soaps will all take their toll. When you could strip wooden furniture with your hands, you need an intensive remedy. Here’s our first recipe. It’s for a simple homemade mask and it uses the following ordinary ingredients:
- Two tbsp. agave nectar
- One potato
- Two tbsp. plant milk (soya is fine)
- Two tbsp. olive oil
Wash, peel and chop the potato. Boil it until it’s soft and then puree it in a food processor or blender. Add the olive oil, milk and agave. Blend everything well until you’ve created a smooth paste without any lumps. It should be cool enough now, so apply it to your hands and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse the mixture off with warm water.
Tip no. 2: take the sweet with the smooth
We all dream of dewy soft arms and hands…don’t we? Well, there’s nothing quite as effective as sugar and agave for making those reveries a reality. Combined, they’re a formidable exfoliant.
The method is a doddle. Just add a bit of agave to some sugar and stir it into a paste. Rub it into your skin and let it rest for 10 minutes. To activate it and facilitate absorption, gently massage the areas you’re treating. This has the added bonus of relaxing you, too. Don’t fall asleep, though. You’ll need to wash it off with warm water, dry completely and apply your favourite moisturiser afterwards!
Tip no. 3: slough off the dead
In order to stimulate cell renewal, it’s important to slough off the dead skin cells. To achieve that end, whip up this wonderfully natural and highly affordable recipe. Gather these ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of sugar (unrefined is best)
- 1/2 glass lemon juice
Blend the lemon juice with the sugar, ensuring that it’s completely dissolved. For about 1o minutes, sweep the mixture over your hands and arms. When time’s up, use plenty of water to wash it off. Dry yourself off and then apply a good cream to seal in the moisture.
Tip no. 4: erase the mistakes
Skin marks are as unwanted and unsightly as dryness, but you don’t need to choose which one to remedy. This recipe attacks the causes of both with the power of the unassuming cucumber. You’re sure to have one in your refrigerator, so don’t make a salad just yet. Let’s put it to good use:
You’ll need:
- One fresh cucumber
- One tbsp. olive oil
- A few sprigs of fresh parsley
- The juice of one lemon
Dice the parsley and add it to the cucumber, lemon juice and the olive oil. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into a shallow dish and dip your fingers into the mask so that can apply the cream liberally to your hands. Let it remain for 15 minutes, then wash off the mixture with warm water. You’ll immediately see the difference. Your skin will be abundantly clear and supple. Miraculous! You can treat yourself to this remedy as often as you wish.
It’s all about commitment. Use these tips consistently – for at least several weeks if you want to achieve the best results – to beautify, exfoliate and look after the sensitive skin on your arms and hands. When you’re finished, you can make that salad!
