Baby soft hands and feet

My favorite comment ever is when someone tells me I have soft hands.

I am obsessed with soft skin.

I love the look of it.

I love the feel of it.

My husband thinks my soft skin is pretty great too...

However baby soft skin only seems to only come naturally to babies.  Yes there are a few of you lucky people walking around with soft supple skin that you have to do nothing to achieve.  For the rest of us, soft skin is something we have to work on.

Dried out hands and feet is always a battle for me.  In the winter my hands are extremely dry from the cold and in the summer the bottoms of my feet are extremely dry from wearing sandals constantly.  And living in this desert climate certainly does not help. Never fear though, I have found 2 simple solutions that eradicate dry hands and feet!

Awww the magic combination. When my hands are feeling extra dry, I slather on 100% natural shea butter before bed and then put on my moisturizing gloves. When I wake up in the morning my hands feel smoother and softer than my 9 month old baby!! I purchased the gloves from the dollar store but I have seen them everywhere. They are extremely inexpensive so I recommend grabbing a few pair.  The shea butter I purchased at Good Earth, however they also sell it at Whole foods.  Beware you want to purchase 100% natural shea butter; it has a sand like consistency initially but as you work it into your hands it turns into an oily texture.  This same trick works for your feet using shea butter, vaseline or heavy hand cream/lotion and white socks.  Slather up your feet, put on the white socks and drift off to sleep. In the morning your feet will be soft and smooth.  If you have extremely dry and cracked feet, you may need to do this several nights in a row before your feet are crack free.  Once they are soft and smooth, doing the sock trick once a week will maintain your new baby soft look.

If you do not have moisturizing gloves you can use white socks on your hands!  I do the hand trick at least once a week in the winter to help prevent dry hands and combat any cracks I may get do to excessive hand washing.  Also, if you do not have shea butter, you can substitute cocoa butter, vaseline, any heavy hand cream, or lotion/body butter.  I prefer the thick stuff (shea butter or vaseline) but I think the key is keeping them covered all night to let the moisture slowly soak in.

I hope this trick helps you as much as it has helped me! Let me know if it works for you!!

How to get skin that glows

Staying in the topic of dry/ashy skin, here are a few tips to try to keep your skin moisturized and ash free!!

Brown Girl's Guide to Ash Free skin:

1. MOISTURIZE DAILY.  This may seem like a big duh, but believe it or not lotion/body butter is not a part of everyone's daily ritual. Would you leave the house without brushing your teeth? Of course not. Think of moisturizer the same way-never leave home without it.

2. Do not rub your skin with a towel!! Pat your skin lightly with a towel after you exit the shower.

3. Moisturize as soon as you exit the shower.  Your lotion/body butter will absorb into your skin much easier and faster if you rub it on while your pores are still open.

4. Exfoliate weekly! I use a body scrub twice a week two remove dead skin and give my skin a glow. 

5. Give your elbows, knees and ankles a little extra love.  Don't skimp on the lotion in these crucial areas!

6. Keep hand lotion in multiple locations: your purse, the kitchen, the car, the diaper bag, etc.  You should apply hand lotion multiple times a day; I always wipe the residual lotion left in my hands onto my elbows just to make sure they aren't ashy!!

7. Stay hydrated!!!!! All the lotion in the world will not help unless you remember to drink plenty of water each day! A minimum of 64 ounces is a must!!

I hope these tips help you/your children stay moisturized and keep ash AWAY!

Pet Peeve #1

How much do I hate the term "ashy skin"?

For those of you don't know what ashy skin is (and there might be one or two of you), it is very dry skin that has a white/gray coloring that resembles ash (very similar to the ash after something has been burned).  Ashy skin is most prevalent around the knees, elbows, legs and arms.  Our white friends also suffer from ashy skin, however it is far less noticeable on them simply because their skin is so fair.

Is your skin ashy? Well let's try a little experiment shall we?

Take your finger nail and try to write your name on your arm using only your nail.  If you can read your name on your arm, then congratulations, you are officially ashy.

Obviously there are varying degrees of dry/ashy skin.  Most people living in Utah are going to suffer from dry skin because the climate is so exceptionally dry.  However, it unnerves me when I see young brown skinned children whose skin is so visibly dry you can literally see their ashy knees from across the parking lot at Target.  Now before you get offended, I already know you are going to say "but I put lotion on little Jessie every day! I don't know why her skin is always so ashy!!" If you are a person of brownish/blackish skin, regular old Suave lotion is not going to do anything to keep your skin moisturized. Your standard Aveeno daily skin lotion will help your skin for all of 30 minutes and then they ash will begin to creep back. You need to arm yourself with a more serious line of defense...

Body Butter.

Yes that's right I just changed your life. Body butter is the only solution I have found to combating dry/ashy skin in this very dry state. Just like conditioner, all body butter is not created equal. Here are a few suggested brands I love and trust that will help moisturize your skin and keep you ash free!!

1. The Body Shop Body Butter!!!!!!!! If you have not tried this holy grail of moisturizer, get your keys and go get it right now.  This moisturizer has changed my life. I smooth it on daily after my shower. It absorbs beautifully into my skin and keeps me moisturized and ash free for at least 24 hours.  I have been using this product for years and have converted many friends and family to be proud Body Shop Junkies just like me!

Pros: Works AMAZINGLY WELL; comes in a large assortment of fragrances; they have amazing body washes and scrubs that are soap free (another must to keeping your skin moist); absorbs into the skin quickly.

Cons: It is a little pricey, they typically cost $19 per jar and the jar lasts for about 2 months. That being said they run awesome 2 for 1 deals multiple times a year. This product is typically only sold at The Body Shop stores or online; The Body Shop locations in Utah are at University Mall, The Gateway, and Fashion Place.  Occasionally your can find it at T J Maxx but that is hit or miss.

2. Burts Bees Body Butter. I have tried this product several times before and love the way it works on my girls skin.  Its consistency is less creamy than the body shop body butter so it does not smooth on or absorb as quickly.  That being said it does keep your skin moist all day without having to reapply.

Pros: Available at Target and Walmart everywhere; inexpensive; great for kids.

Cons: I do not love the smell; does not glide onto the skin as smoothly as other products.

3. Yes to Carrots Body Butter. I have heard great reviews of this product and will be trying it out this week (check back for a full review next week).  The first person to leave me a comment on this post will win a free Yes to Carrots Body Butter! I only ask that you let me know how you like it!!

So if you know someone with ashy kids or they themselves struggle with dry skin, pass the word along!! Body butter is the solution!!