Are your hands getting as much love as your face? I’ll be the first to admit that my hands definitely don’t get the same amount of attention as some other areas. I’ve got my serum situation sorted, I never skip my nightly neck cream, but for some reason my poor hands are often left forgotten. Turns out, I’m not the only one neglecting my paws.
According to Cherie Pollard, CND Education Ambassador, our hands often show signs of premature aging faster than our faces because most of us are forgetting to include them in our daily beauty ritual. We spoke to Cherie to find out exactly how we should be caring for our hands – to ensure they age as gracefully as possible.
How to use your hand cream properly
Everyone owns at least one bottle of hand cream. However, unless you’re using it correctly it may not be doing much good at all. So, how do you make sure your hand cream is actually working? Exfoliation. “Applying hand cream alone will not add much value to our beauty ritual, as moisturiser has a hard task of penetrating skin that has not been exfoliated,” says Cherie. Always make sure you’re exfoliating your hands whenever you give your body a scrub. This ensures you’re sloughing off any dead skin cells and are getting the most out of your hand cream.
bh loves: Aveeno Active Naturals Intense Relief Hand Cream, BIODERMA Atoderm Hand Cream, Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Recovery, A’kin Replenishing Hand Cream
Don’t forget SPF
I know, you’ve heard it a million times, but it’s still true – protecting your skin from the sun is one of the best things you can do to avoid premature ageing. And your hands should be getting the same SPF love as your face. “Applying moisturiser that contains SPF the backs of our hands during daily activities such as driving and hanging clothes on the line, will ensure that our hands do not have the appearance of premature aging,” explains Cherie. It seems obvious – since our they are constantly exposed to the sun – but it’s so easy to forget to extend our sun protection to the backs of our hands. Try to get in the routine of applying a hand cream with SPF or a moisturiser with SPF to your hands before leaving the house. Eventually, it will become a habit.
Dehydration will show on your hands
As with most pursuits of beauty, dehydration is your enemy. Along with exfoliating and moisturising your hands often, making sure you’re drinking enough water will also improve the look of dry hands. Want to know if you’re dehydrated? “Pinch a small amount of skin on the back of your hand, if your skin stays in the pinched shape and drops slowly, you are probably dehydrated,” suggests Cherie.
Ingredients to look for
According to Cherie, glycerin is the go-to ingredient if you want to take your daily hand care up a notch. “Products containing glycerin will attract moisture and give the appearance of plump, healthy skin,” says Cherie. Other great ingredients to look for include oatmeal, shea butter and macadamia oil – all superior hydrators for hands in need of a boost. Once you’ve got your home care sorted, it’s time to find a manicurist who not only targets the nail unit but also the hands and arms too. But if you’d rather keep your hands to yourself (literally), you can do your own DIY manicure at-home. Finish with a few coats of polish and you’ll be ready to put your best palm forward.
bh loves: CND VINYLUX™ NAIL POLISH in Cityscape, $20, adorebeauty.com.au, Mavala Delicate Collection Nail Polish in Pink Orchid, SinfulColors Cream Nail Polish in Snow Me White, CND VINYLUX™ NAIL POLISH-TOP COAT, $20, adorebeauty.com.au
How do you look after your hands? Did you find any of these tips useful?
Very useful info hands are always there if you talk with your hands or show people things they are important to look after.