The backs of my hands were a mess. Not just dry, but also tight, itchy, cracked, and painful.
This happened during my first couple of winter in the dry Colorado Springs environment.
For a couple of winters in a row, I did what most of us do: I reached for the thickest, richest oils I could find like coconut oil, castor oil and pure shea butter.
I slathered them on faithfully and, surprise surprise…my skin stayed just as dry. Except now it was dry and greasy!
I was so confused because these oils and butters were supposed to be the gold-standard for relieving dryness.
How my haircare routine led to me the answer
The answer came from a completely unexpected place: my hair routine.
I have dry, kinky hair and anyone who takes care of afro hair knows that oil alone is never enough. You have to get moisture onto your hair first and then seal in the moisture with oil.
For my hair that meant applying oil to wet hair.
But with my skin, I was skipping the moisture part and applying the oils/butters on dry skin. So of course my skin was still dry; I wasn’t sealing in any moisture!
When this clicked for me, I thought: if this is true for my hair, why wouldn’t it be true for my skin?
Enter glycerin (and why it works so well)
I started experimenting with wetting the back of my hands before applying oil.
It worked pretty well. Then I remembered that in my 20s I used to spray water and glycerin on my hair and my hair loved it (don’t ask me why I stopped doing it – we so easily drop the things that are good for us sometimes).
So I made a mix of water and glycerin and applied that on the back of my hands, followed by oil.
Total game-changer!! My dry, itchy, burning hands calmed down immediately!
Not surprising since glycerin is a humectant, which means it actively draws moisture from the air and helps hold it against your skin.
When you mix glycerin with water in a spray bottle, you get a lightweight mist that delivers real, lasting moisture. Then when you follow immediately with an oil, you seal all of that hydration in before it has a chance to evaporate.
This combination worked from the first day I tried it and it’s worked every day for the past five years since.
My exact hydrating glycerin formula
A 12 oz spray bottle
2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (this is what I use)
- Fill your spray bottle about three-quarters of the way with water.
- Add 2 teaspoons of glycerin, then top up with a little more water (not all the way to the top, just so you have room to shake it and mix everything together).
How to use it
- Shake the bottle gently to make sure the glycerin is well mixed into the water.
- Spray a light, even mist onto the area you want to treat. At the beginning my only problem area was the backs of my hands. But now I do my whole body after a shower because why not show the whole body some extra lovin’.
- Apply the oil of your choice (almond or coconut, for example).
Five years later
I moved away from the dry Colorado Springs environment and I still follow this routine because it’s just so amazing for keeping skin soft, supple and glowing.
What started as a desperate winter fix for cracked, itchy hands has become a year-round body care ritual. I no longer have that uncomfortable tight feeling in my skin. My hands (which used to be my biggest problem area) feel genuinely soft through even the driest months.
And the cost? Each bottle of the mix costs less than a dollar.
If you’ve been layering rich oils onto dry skin and wondering why it’s not working, this might be your answer. Try it for a week and see what you think.
