hands cracking more after rinsing brushes

Hatchling MossyMornings · 2026.09.24 13:42 · Views 101 · Likes 2

My hands always get worse this time of year, but this fall feels faster.

I do a little watercolor most mornings, maybe 45 minutes, and rinse my brushes and palette in the sink every time.

The last week my knuckles have gone tight and cracked again, same as always, but it doesnt usually start until closer to Halloween.

We’re also mid-move right now (downsizing, boxes everywhere!), so part of me keeps blaming the dust, or all the extra hand washing from sorting through old kitchen stuff.

Lotion right after rinsing helps for maybe an hour, then it’s back to feeling tight underneath.

Anyone notice plain water (no soap, just rinsing) drying hands out that fast, or is packing dust more likely the culprit?

Comment 3

dewdrop09.25 14:59
Plain water alone can absolutely do it, especially if it’s on the cooler side, it strips natural oils just like soap does over enough repetitions in a day. Mine is seborrheic dermatitis rather than hand eczema so it’s not a perfect match, but I’ve noticed my own dry patches flare faster once mornings turn colder here, so water exposure alone adds up quicker this time of year than it would in
Kindly Curious09.28 21:02
Cold rinse water does it for me too, my hands went tight within maybe 20 minutes of washing dishes last week, lotion barely holds an hour.
GardenStateOfMind10.05 21:07
dishes alone did it for me in about 10 min