How can we keep our skin and hands hydrated without compromising our pole practice?
For pole dancers, wearing lotion before practice is a huge no-no. For me, I am able to go lotion-less all summer long, but by fall my skin starts to crack. How can we keep our skin and hands hydrated without compromising our pole practice?
Just like everyone needs a different hand grip that works for them individually (I love Dry Hands and Lupit Grip Pads the best), your personal hand and skin care routine will vary. I wanted to share my unique regimen in hopes it may also work for you, or perhaps inspire you to research how to keep your unique skin healthy all year long.
These are my hands — dry and calloused. I pole about 12 hours a week and have developed calluses on my palms, toward the creases of my fingers, and at the tips of my fingers. If I don’t care for them, they turn into blisters.
Once a week, I make sure I sand down the calluses on my hands with a foot callous filer, the one used for feet and heels. The most abrasive side helps to get rid of the giant mounds that form in the hand creases. The softer side takes care of the fingertips.
Before I file, I make sure the skin is soft by either soaking my hands in warm water (you can add essential oils and salts and turn it into a self care moment!), or filing after I have taken a long shower. Also in the shower, I use my fingernails to remove any loose skin that may be in the creases of my hands before I file them away after the shower. Peeling away at the skin in the warm water helps to gently remove the dead skin. Just be careful you don’t overdo it!
On rest days, I use a concoction made by Gifts from the Gods on my hands. It is a mix of coconut oil and camphor oil, though would not recommend using this lotion on days when you want to pole because of the coconut oil. For me, using it on rest days provides my hands with soothing relief, and the camphor oil is good for inflammation and pain. The oiliness is usually gone for me by the next day, and it never affects my pole practice.
If I ever have a huge crack in my hands and need some relief on the same day I have to practice, I always use my Climb On lotion bar. This lotion bar is beeswax based and contains no oils. I wouldn’t recommend putting it on your hands right before going to pole, but if you do a few hours before, it stops the hands from cracking open, and it smells amazing too. I love this stuff — heals blisters overnight!
Lastly, on days when I will be pole dancing and my skin is feeling particularly dry, I spray Rosewater and Glycerin Mist on my skin. It’s a non-oil based moisturizer that makes your skin hold onto its moisture longer. I have found using this a few hours on my skin before I pole, I am fine for practice and my skin doesn’t feel itchy or dry.
How do you care for your hands and skin? Everyone has different skin, so share your skin regimen in hopes it will help others! 🙂
maendy mac 