Natura

Brazilians take pride in their beauty rituals and taking proper care of their hands holds a special place in their routine. Regular manicure appointments (at least once a week) and specific products targeted to nourish hands and cuticles are no-brainers for women from all over the country. You will rarely see a Brazilian woman without a proper manicure! Read on to learn the simple tips that make a big difference in how your hands look and feel.

Keeping your hands clean is extra-important, especially during winter cold and flu season, but hand soaps and hand sanitizers are some of the biggest offenders in drying out skin. Turn your hand-washing routine into a positive experience by using tepid water and a gentle hand soap—pick one that cleanses with natural oils and exfoliators instead of the usual chemicals, such as sulfate, that can seriously strip the skin. Also, make sure you avoid alcohol-based hand sanitizers, they remove the skin’s natural surface causing dryness.

Brazilians like hand care steps that feel like they’re killing two birds with one stone. So once a week, after exfoliating their faces, they use the excess product to exfoliate dead skin cell from their hands, too. Exfoliating is key to keep your hands looking brighter, more radiant, and ultimately healthier, but should not be done too often. Once a week or twice a month is ideal.

Chock-full of hydrating heavy-hitters, these hand creams not only hydrate but form a lightweight glove-like layer on top of skin that locks in moisture and fortifies skin against future damage, yet they never feel greasy. NaturaBrasil’s Castanha (Brazil Nut), Cacau, and Açaí hand creams also are our richest options, as they also contain super-hydrating Murumuru butter; Pitanga and Maracujá (Passion Fruit) are lighter creams. These formulas also hydrate cuticles and strengthen nails without damaging nail polish. After applying your favorite hand cream on your hands, massage some of it into your cuticles and nails to lock in hydration.

Your hands are just as susceptible to sun damage as the rest of your skin. You can use the same SPF you applied on your face by simply spreading it into your hands—instead of washing it off.

In addition to a daily moisturizing routine, Brazilian women sometimes like to do more intense hand treatments, too. A secret they’ve stolen from beauty salons is to pamper their hands with their own kind of hand mask. To do it, they massage their hands in rich creams, like our Cacau and Castanha hand creams, and then put on cotton or disposable gloves for 15 to 20 minutes — some women will even go to bed with the hand mask to wake to hydrated, soft hands.