homemade remedies for hands and feet
Our hands and feet are the most poorly cared for parts of our bodies, despite playing a very big role in our daily lives. Whether it is typing on the keyboard, walking, or carrying heavy loads, they are constantly exposed to varied stressors. With time, the skins on our hands and feet become rough, dry, and cracked. Moreover, conditions such as calluses, corns, and fungal infections develop if proper care is not taken.
Fortunately, many excellent home remedies exist to make your hands and feet healthy, soft, and beautiful. For the current article, we would look into a vast, broad natural, DIY repertoire using various ingredients that lie at hand. These remedies will not just enhance your hands and foot beauty but also provide sustainable relief for many skin diseases.
- Hand Moisturizing and Softening Remedies
Our hands are always exposed to the elements and can easily dry up, especially during colder months. The following natural remedies will help restore moisture and softness to your hands:
Olive Oil and Honey
Olive oil is a nourishing and hydrating oil, and honey is a natural humectant that helps retain moisture. This makes for an excellent combination to soften dry hands.
Mix and match 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon of honey in a small bowl, massage it onto your hand. Let it sit for some 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse out your hands under warm running water. This is bound to make your hands soft and silky.
Coconut oil and Vitamin E
Coconut oil is a very moisturizing product that, once it has been applied, tends to go deep into the skin. Vitamin E is an antioxidant-rich vitamin that helps mend broken skin and heal it even faster. This is actually good for dry, cracked hands.
Recipe: Mix 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with a few drops of vitamin E oil. Massage the mixture into your hands before bed and let it stay there overnight for the magic of the oils to take place.
Exfoliating Hand Scrubs
Exfoliating removes dead skin cells. Hands will then be soft and renewed. Two simple scrubs that are homemade:
Sugar and Olive Oil Scrub
This is a very basic yet powerful scrub. Sugar acts as an exfoliant, gentle on the skin, and olive oil helps in moisturizing.
Recipe: Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently massage the scrub on your hands for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water. This scrub will leave your hands soft and polished.
Coffee Grounds and Coconut Oil Scrub
Coffee grounds exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin cells. Coconut oil moisturizes the skin. This is perfect for rough hands.
Mix 2 tablespoons of old coffee grounds with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Apply the mixture to your hands and gently massage in circular motions. Rinse with warm water.
Hand Masks
Hand masks make for a wonderful way to do intensive care on your hands. It helps hydrate and moisten dry skin, which often feels tired from time to time.
Banana and Yogurt Mask
Mash up bananas. That is rich in vitamins and minerals with the capacity to repair as well as soften the skins. Yogurt has that moisturizing property and gives great relief to the skins.
Recipe: Mash one ripe banana and mix it with 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Apply the mixture to your hands and let it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water. This mask will make your hands soft and nourished.
Avocado and Honey Mask
Avocados are a rich source of healthy fats and vitamins, which nourish the dry and cracked skin. Honey is a natural humectant, so this mask would help to retain moisture within the skin.
Recipe: Mash half an avocado and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply the mixture to your hands and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water for soft, hydrated hands.
Nail and Cuticle Care
Healthy nails and cuticles are just as important as the skin on your hands. Here are some DIY remedies to keep your nails looking their best:
Jojoba Oil for Nails and Cuticles
Jojoba oil is an excellent natural oil that softens and nourishes nails and cuticles. It is very helpful in preventing hangnails and dry cuticles.
Recipe: Massage a few drops of jojoba oil on your cuticles and nails. Massage gently for a few minutes to increase circulation and hydrate.
Lemon and Olive Oil Nail Soak
Lemon is a natural bleacher and cleanser and helps remove build-up around the nails. Olive oil moisturizes and strengthens.
Recipe: Mix the juice of half a lemon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl of warm water. Soak your nails in this solution for 10-15 minutes to keep your nails looking healthy and strong.
- Foot Care Remedies
Your feet carry the weight of your body every day, and they deserve special attention too. From cracked heels to fungal infections
Moisterizing and Softening of Feet
Dry, cracked feet are a common phenomenon, especially during the winter season. To keep feet soft and hydrated, consider the following remedies:
Coconut Oil and Lavender Oil
Coconut oil acts like an excellent moisturizer; lavender oil has soothing characteristics that will help relax the feet after a long tiring day.
Recipe: Blend 2 tablespoons of coconut oil with 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Massage this mixture onto your feet at night and target dry spots like the heel. Lock in moisture all night with socks.
Olive Oil and Castor Oil
Castor oil is popular for moisturizing and softening the skin. Along with the nourishing nature of olive oil, it’s an effective treatment for dry feet.
Recipe: Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of castor oil. Massage into your feet and leave it on overnight. Wear socks to prevent the oil from staining your sheets.
Heel and Sole Care
Cracked heels and soles are the most common foot problems. Here are some simple remedies to soften and repair them:
Baking Soda Foot Soak
Baking soda is a natural exfoliator that can help soften the skin, thereby making it easy to remove dead skin from the heels and soles.
Recipe: Mix in 3 tbsp of baking soda into a bowl of warm water. Soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes. After soaking, scrub softly using a pumice stone or foot file on the bottom of your feet to remove all dead skin.
Honey and Milk Foot Mask
Honey is a humectant, which will draw moisture in toward the skin. Milk helps with gentle exfoliating through lactic acid.
Mix 1/4 cup of honey with 1/4 cup of milk. Soak the feet in the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes and rinse them with dry for soft and smooth feet.
Foot Exfoliating Scrubs
It is essential to exfoliate to remove dead skin from your feet, mainly on the heels and soles. Here are some of the foot scrub recipes:
Sugar and Lemon Foot Scrub
Sugar acts as a soft scrubber while lemon can act to lighten and cleanse the skin.
Recipe: Mix 2 tbsp of sugar, half lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil together. Massage it onto the feet for 5-10 minutes. Then wash it off with warm water.
Coffee Grounds and Olive Oil Foot Scrub
Coffee ground will give the skin on your foot some great exfoliating as well as stimulate some good circulation, while the olive oil is going to keep your skin moist.
Blend together 2 tablespoons of coffee used as grounds with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Massage on feet and rinse off using warm water.
Foot Masks and Soaks
Treat your feet to a foot mask or soak to relax tired, aching feet and leave them refreshed.
Epsom Salt Foot Soak
Epsom salt is used because of its relaxing properties to help ease sore feet, as well as to help draw toxins from the skin.
Recipe: Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes to relax and soothe tired feet.
Tea Tree Oil Foot Soak
Tea tree oil has natural antifungal properties, making it an excellent choice for keeping the foot fresh and healthy.
Recipe: Put 5-10 drops of tea tree oil in a basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 15 minutes to fight foot odor and fungal infection.
Cure for Odor and Fungal Foot Infections
Foot odour and fungal infections are often the most common conditions to which many will suffer. Here are a few things that can be tried out
Vinegar Soaking of Feet
It has many antifungal and antibacterial compounds that help prevent foot infection and treat it, as well.
Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with warm water. Soak feet in 2 cups of water for at least 10 to 15 minutes while fighting fungus and foot odors.
Baking Soda for Foot Odor
Baking soda is great for neutralizing odors and keeping your feet fresh.