Love this do-it-yourself hand softening routine in this month’s Self:

1.  Mix 1 cup of sugar with 3 cups of whole milk or cream.

2.  Scoop up the wet sugar and exfoliate your hands, spending extra time on dryness-prone knuckles and cuticles.

3.  Soak hands in the remaining liquid for five minutes to let the milk’s fat and lactic acid soften skin.

4.  Rinse and rub in a cream with petrolatum (to trap water) and dimethicone (which reduces greasiness and temporarily fills in fine lines). 

5.  Massage cream into nail plates, too, then buff off with a towel for a quick shine.

(11/08, pg. 163) 

A good cream to use is the St. Ives Collagen Elastin lotion I like so much because it includes both of the recommended ingredients.  I also like the idea of slathering on straight-up Vaseline for a rich moisturizing effect.  Then I would add to the list to slip on some gloves for at least thirty minutes to make sure all the moisturizing goodness is absorbed thoroughly.  A perfect pampering routine for a lazy day at home, catching up on your dvr’d shows, no?