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If someone came down from outer space right now who had no idea about COVID-19 and saw how much we are all washing our hands, they would think that we all had obsessive-compulsive disorder. Or that we all just killed someone and were trying to wash the blood away in a very “Out damn spot” Macbeth way. But we’re all terrified about the virus living on our hands. We use our hands to put food in our mouths. We use them to itch our eyes and wash our faces. We use them to touch every surface in our home, and to touch our loved ones. These hands – these ten digits – can be carriers of this terrible illness. So we’re all obsessively scrub, scrub, scrubbing away at them. Hey, it’s what the medical experts recommend. Unfortunately, it’s certainly not what skincare experts would recommend if they had their say in the matter. Washing our hands this much can strip them of essential oils and leave them feeling very dry. I looked down at my hands yesterday and they looked so cracked and shrunken from dehydration that they looked as if they’d aged 10 years ahead of the rest of me. We don’t want that to happen. Here is how to keep your hands moisturized when washing them so often.
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Get a pH-balanced soap
Easy on the cheap bar soaps and foaming soaps. Though they can be affordable, and sometimes just fun-looking, they tend to irritate the skin and strip it of its protective barrier. Look for pH-balanced soap that’s designed to work with your skin, leaving the protective layer intact.
