Hand Cream After Washing: A Simple Routine

Hands that get washed throughout the day can start to feel dry. A small change to the routine is to keep a moisturiser nearby and use it after washing, rather than waiting until bedtime.

At Saarinen Organics — eco seed to skin, we make hand and body creams in Wyndham, NSW. Here's a practical guide to washing, drying and choosing a cream, with general hand-care advice from the American Academy of Dermatology.

Wash, gently dry, then moisturise

The Academy recommends washing with soap and lukewarm water for at least 20 seconds, then drying with a clean towel while leaving the skin slightly damp. Apply hand cream or ointment afterwards, including around the fingertips and nails.

This is a general routine, not a reason to wash less often. Always follow your own product's directions and any advice from your health professional.

Choose a cream that suits your skin

Read the ingredient information before choosing, especially if your hands are already irritated. The Academy recommends fragrance-free, dye-free moisturisers for dry, chapped hands. A scented cream is not automatically suitable for everyone.

If dryness continues despite a simple routine, seek professional advice rather than treating it as something that a cosmetic cream must fix.

Our Seaweed Hand & Body Cream

Our Seaweed Hand & Body Cream is made for moisturising hands and body from the neck down. Its making process includes a kelp preparation in apple cider vinegar that takes six months before pressing, plus a herbal infusion.

That preparation describes how we make the cream. It is not evidence of antibacterial action or collagen repair. Start with a small amount, spread gently and follow the container directions. Patch test before first use.

Hand care around a gardening session

Start with suitable gardening gloves. Victoria's Better Health Channel recommends them to protect hands from soil, cuts and skin irritants. Cream does not replace protective gloves.

After handling soil, wash your hands with soap and water, including before eating or drinking. Then follow the gentle drying and moisturising routine above. If you've cut or punctured your skin, attend to the injury rather than covering it with cosmetic hand cream.

Our Gardener's Hand & Body Cream is one option for moisturising dry hands after the jobs are finished. Check its ingredients and label directions before use; it is not a treatment for cuts or a substitute for a fragrance-free product recommended for irritated skin.

For a few small dry patches where you prefer a richer texture, read our Calendula Ointment guide. We make that water-free balm with calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis), olive oil and beeswax.

Gardening sources: Better Health Channel: gardening safety and American Academy of Dermatology: preventing skin problems while gardening. These sources provide general advice and do not assess our products.

Make the routine easy to remember

Keep your cream where you finish drying your hands, and put it back after use. Check the label when choosing a product for work, home or your bag, so you know which formula and size you're taking.

Our Hand & Body Moisturising Creams collection lets you compare the cream options. If you'd like to see the work behind another formula, read how we make our Gardener's Hand & Body Cream.

General hand-care source: American Academy of Dermatology: dry skin relief from handwashing. This guidance does not assess or endorse our products.