Gardener's Tools for Skin Care

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By July, gardener's hands and nails are showing signs of doing "just one more thing" without gloves. Fingers and wrists are a little grumpy in the morning from repetitive weed-pulling action. Arms and calves are spotted with poison ivy and bug bites.

What are your favorite products for combating gardener wear?
I confess to using Deep Woods or Backwoods strength bug bite protection. I know I'm supposed to use something more health-food-store-ish but haven't found anything effective enough. Do you know a product that works as well?
sent me a sample of their deep-cleansing hand scrub and replenishing hand cream and they are wonderful.

Their site calls the scent "clipped grass, aromatic parsley, cool watercress, dewy moss and a pinch of pink peppercorn."
That sounds like the wine descriptions of a hint of this and that which I can never taste - but the cream has a pleasing, soft, clean scent.

The hand scrub is refined enough to make my hands look renewed without being torn, if you know what I mean. Some of the scrubs on the market seem to remove a little too much.

The hand cream soaked in immediately and left no watery or greasy residue - I could use my hands right away without sort of waiting for them to dry. The skin softening effect lasted most of the day.
The other product I use religiously now is Burt's Bees Poison Ivy Soap. The trick for me was learning that I have to use it every time I come in to shower, not just when I think I have contacted poison ivy.

Even if I still get a few bumps, I continue to wash arms and legs with the soap and it dries up any small rash that I get. So far, it has replaced the prescription medication I have had to use in the past.


So what works for you?

Comments

Anonymous said…
I like Tecnu to prevent poison ivy and Crabtree and Evelyn's Gardeners Hand Therapy Cream for trying to keep my hands soft. I had some French soap that was made just for gardeners and loved it -- it really got your hands clean -- but it got lost the last time we moved and I didn't have a brand name. Really miss it.
July 22, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Molly said…
Hi Judy - Thanks a bunch for the Tecnu tip. I checked out their site and it is sold at Walgreens's so I might be able to find it here.

Boy, doesn't that Evelyns Gardeners Hand Therapy work well? I haven't found it locally and forget to buy it online.

I'll be looking for Tecnu this week.
Martha
July 22, 2008 at 8:31 PM
Anonymous said…
I use Burt's Bees insect oil. Can't remember the exact name right now. Love it. You do have to reapply. I'm headed out to the garden before it gets too hot.~~Dee
July 23, 2008 at 6:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Judy - I found the Tecnu today and while, I can't say I'm eager to contact the stuff again, at least I'm armed now. Thanks.

Dee, The Burt's Bees product is new to me and I'm going to look for that one next.
July 25, 2008 at 11:33 AM
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