Beautiful are the hands that give. However, giving by grooming takes its toll on the hands. Most grooming days are busy. By the end of the day, our hands often seek relief for dryness, cramps, aches and pain. To avoid injury or conditions such as carpal tunnel, it is important to get into a hand care routine. I personally like to incorporate hand massages, proper posture and use of hand cream for dog groomers. In addition, I highly recommend this soothing soak as part of daily hand care for dog groomers:
For this hand care recipe, you will need:
- 1 bowl to soak your hands
- Warm water to fill the bowl
- 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt
- 30ml of pure-castile soap
- 5 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- Optional: 5 drops of Frankincense essential oil
NOTE: For a stronger peppermint touch, I recommend the Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Peppermint Pure-Castile soap.
Alternative hand care recipe:
- 1 bowl to soak your hands
- Warm water to fill the bowl
- 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt
- 30ml of pure-castile soap
- 10 drops of an essential oil blend eg. Rapid Relief by Plant Therapy
GREAT TIP: If you are new to essential oils and prefer to try one as a test. I recommend purchasing an essential oil blend. This blend contains a mix of essential oils to enhance the benefits. Look for a blend that has peppermint essential oil as part of its blend.
As an example, an essential oil called Rapid Relief – by Plant Therapy, is a blend of many other essential oils specifically to help relieve muscle aches and pains. Some of the essential oils included in this synergous blend include Peppermint, Chamomile, Ginger Root and Juniper Berry.
CAUTION: Some people like to apply the essential oils directly to their skin. Please be careful because essential oils are highly concentrated and require dilution. Therefore, to help avoid skin irritation, always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil such as almond oil, coconut oil or jojoba oil.
GREAT TIP: To make your own hand moisturizer, you can mix a bottle of almond oil with a few drops of Peppermint and Lavendar essential oil. Or mix a bottle of almond oil with a few drops of an essential oil blend such as Rapid Relief. You can then take this with you to work and apply as needed in-between grooms.
Hand Care Recipe Guide:
To begin the hand care recipe, fill a large bowl with warm water. Add in 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt to the water. After that, add in the 30ml of pure castile soap. Mix the mixture well. Then add in 10 drops of the Peppermint and Lavendar essential oils.
Before soaking your hands, make sure your hands are washed. Then wait till the water temperature is comfortably warm for soaking.
Soak your hands for about 10 minutes.
Afterwards, rinse your hands with fresh water. You may notice a very soothing tingling sensation all over your hands. In my experience, this hand care soak has also helped keep my hands soft and supple.
About the Essential Oils used:
- Peppermint essential oil: contains a chemical component called Menthol. This is what gives Peppermint essential oil its cooling and soothing properties. When used in a hand care soak, it appears to help relax muscles and reduce inflammation.
- Lavander essential oil is often used to relax the senses. When used in a hand care soak, it appears to also help relax muscles and sooth inflammation. In addition, it also appears to help speed up wound healing. As dog groomers, we often have scratches grazed upon our hands and its important to take extra care.
- As an extra boost, you may add in 5 drops of Frankincense essential oil. In my experience as a dog groomer, I find this essential oil incredibly soothing on my hands. It also has a refreshing tropical scent that seems to help soothe headaches.
In addition, research has shown that these essential oils are also antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.
About the Epsom salts used:
- Epsom salts used in a hand care soak help sooth aching muscles, soften dry skin and promotes wound healing. When Epsom salts dissolve in water, it breaks down into magnesium and sulfate. Magnesium is widely known for its detoxifying qualities. In theory, these particles absorb through the skin. However, this has not been proven. Nevertheless, many groomers – myself included, have found that Epsom salt soaks help loosen stiff joints, reduce redness and sooth sore muscles.
GREAT TIP: Some dog groomers prefer to soak in the bath with Epsom salts and 15-20 drops of the essential oils mentioned. According to my experience, this is very relaxing, soothing and helps me fall asleep quickly.
Final thoughts on Hand Care for Groomers:
Remember as a pet groomer, we must treat our hands like gold. Throughout a busy grooming day, our hands are lifting, restraining, and constantly working. Therefore, we must make time for a daily hand care routine. Other good habits include stretching exercises , taking breaks between grooms and keeping the wrist in a neutral position.
By Nikita King, Certified Professional Groomer