BAI JI GAO - Hand Softening Ointment

Also known as: Bai Ji Gao, Bletilla Ointment, Soothing Fingertip Ointment, Eczema Fingertip Ointment, Hand Softening Ointment, Dermatology M Fingertip Ointment

A thick, waxy ointment for hands that split and crack. It is the one I reach for when knuckles, fingertips and nail folds have gone past the point where a lotion does anything. Put it on at night and it stays where you put it.

What's doing the work

• Bai Ji (Bletilla striata root powder), the ointment's namesake. Ground root, used in Chinese external medicine for centuries on chapped and split skin.
• Jojoba seed oil (Simmondsia chinensis), technically a liquid wax rather than an oil, which is why it sits on skin the way it does.
• Shea nut butter (Butyrospermum parkii) gives the ointment its body.
• Beeswax and polyglyceryl-3 beeswax hold the whole thing together and keep it from sliding off.
• Vitamin E (tocopherol) and sunflower seed oil round it out.

How to use

Work a small amount into fingertips, knuckles and the skin around the nails. A little goes a long way, so start with less than you think. Night is the best time. If hands are badly cracked, pull cotton gloves on over the top and leave it to work while you sleep.

Pairs well with

A gentle, non-foaming hand wash during the day. Repeated washing with detergent undoes most of what an ointment does overnight.

Full ingredients

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Bletilla Striata Root Powder, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Nut Butter, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Ingredients as published by Dermatology M. Check the panel on the item you receive.

Good to know

• 50 ml (1.69 fl oz)
• Not vegan. Contains beeswax.
• Contains shea nut butter. Skip it if you react to tree nuts.
• No added fragrance. The scent is the shea and the beeswax.
• Thick and waxy by design. It will feel greasy for a few minutes after you apply it.
• Fine to use on hands during pregnancy.

Dermatology M, formulated by Dr Mazin Al-Khafaji. Selected and reviewed by Dr. Stacee Munroe, OMD, L.Ac. Cosmetic use only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.