As all avid DIYers know, working with your hands is insanely rewarding, but the constant activity can really take its toll. Everything from chipped nails to chapped hands are commonplace around here at Brit HQ, and when our digits have to be front and center to show you how we make, bake, and create, we just can’t have any of that. So we rely on these nine DIY hand and nail treatments to give us the extra umph we need to keep our mitts soft, silky, and ready for their close ups.
1. Garden Hand Salve: If digging in the dirt is reeking havoc on your hands, then this is the go-to remedy. This heavy duty hand salve mixes soothing essential oils with nourishing Vitamin E and coconut oil to get those hands looking as lush as your garden. (via Design*Sponge)
2. Castor Oil Nail Strengthener: Castor oil pulls double duty in this nail elixir that strengthens the nail while giving it a polished shine. Rub on your hands twice a day for five to 10 minutes to achieve the best results. (via Beauty Tips 4 Her)
3. Easy Cuticle Cream: We tend to give all the attention to our nails, so it’s about time we show some love to our cuticles! Give ‘em a much deserved spa day with this moisturizing cuticle cream. (via Gimme Some Style)
4. Sea Salt Hand Scrub: According to this blogger, sea salt is everything when it comes to making a top notch hand scrub. The abrasive granules remove dead skin while a combo of creamy natural oils keep them revitalized for hours. (via Homemade Toast)
5. How to Get Soft Hands: Count ‘em: it just takes two simple steps to get the silkiest, softest hands around. First, exfoliate using a mixture of water and sugar, then lather on the moisturizing powers of a milk and honey hand bath. (via Refinery29)
6. Chocolate Sugar Scrub: Here’s one of those all-natural beauty products that sounds almost good enough to eat: chocolate sugar hand scrub. Think of it as a calorie-free way to get your cocoa fix ;) (via 52 Kitchen Adventures)
7. Make Your Own Cuticle Oil: Add a droplet of cuticle oil to your daily beauty routine to keep your nail beds looking good and feeling even better. We’d give all three of these no-fuss recipes a whirl. (via Beautiful With Brains)
8. Clementine Hand Scrub: Oh my darling! Not only does the smell of this tiny citrus act as an aromatic pick-me-up, but the vitamin C found in clementines brightens and tones, making this a perfect star ingredient in this sugar hand scrub. (via Divine Caroline)
9. Orange and Cedarwood Hand Salve: What better way to treat your hands than with the fruits of their labor? This bright and musky salve is the way to go. (via SF Etsy Street Team)
What are your favorite DIY ways to treat your hands and nails? Are there any brilliant tutorials out there that we missed? Tell us in the comments below.
