Can't take care of chapped hands... Hand care for busy moms "while doing housework"

According to beauty expert Ai Tanaka, who is also a mother of three, there are many opportunities to come into contact with water and detergents in daily household chores.

For example, preparing and cleaning up after meals, washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning, taking care of children, and looking after pets. Just when you think you've dried your hands, you immediately use water again...it's a constant cycle, and there's hardly any time to apply hand cream. Because of her job, she is careful to keep her hands from getting rough, but if she lets her guard down, her fingertips often become dry and rough, and she often gets hangnails at the base of her nails.

Furthermore, for working mothers, the symptoms can be even more serious depending on their occupation. Ms. Tanaka, who is also an esthetician, says that many of her clients and fellow mothers who work in professions that involve frequent use of water and detergents, such as hairdressers, nurses, caregivers, childcare workers, and those in the food service industry, are particularly concerned about dry and chapped hands.

"Hands naturally have fewer sebaceous glands and are prone to dryness. If hand dryness worsens, it can easily lead to cracking and chapping, so daily care is important," says Ms. Tanaka. She herself tries to prevent hand dryness by washing dishes with cold water as much as possible or by wearing kitchen gloves, as using hot water tends to dry out her hands. In addition, she applies body lotion to a wide area from her fingertips to her elbows after bathing, and applies toner to her hands when she takes care of her face in the morning and evening.

We asked Ms. Tanaka to try "Mentholatum Hand Veil Premium Rich Barrier" and share her thoughts.

According to Ms. Tanaka, who has used numerous hand creams over the years, "They often wash off when I do housework involving water, so I have to reapply them frequently, but I don't have the time. On the other hand, if I use one that doesn't wash off easily, it moisturizes but feels sticky, so I can't do housework right after applying it." She says it has been difficult to find one that is just right. Also, because she has children, she has been avoiding hand creams with strong fragrances.
However, even Ms. Tanaka gave "Mentholatum Hand Veil Premium Rich Barrier" a high rating, saying it was "easy to use!"

"When your hands are rough, their barrier function is weakened. When water and detergents are added to that state, they are damaged even more than healthy skin. As a result, the roughness of your hands worsens, and you end up with repeated cracks and chapping," says Tanaka.
However, unlike your face or other parts of your body, it's quite difficult to avoid using your hands for several days until a wound heals. This is especially true for mothers with young children.

For busy moms, it's helpful to have products that can prevent hand dryness from getting so severe that cracks and chapping occur, allowing them to continue with daily housework and work.

"In that respect, I'm happy with hand creams that create a barrier to prevent irritation while their active ingredients prevent rough hands from getting worse. I apply it especially to my fingertips and around my nails, which are prone to dryness," says Tanaka.

Both are part of the Mentholatum series, easily recognizable by the familiar nurse logo, so the fact that they can be readily purchased at your local pharmacy or drugstore is another great advantage.

Soft, supple hands are sure to bring joy to both mom and child! Please try it before your hands get too rough.