Hand Care: A Hidden Aging Snitch
Hey friends,
It's time to talk about skincare. And I know that lately it seems like the whole topic of skincare has become completely overdone, and that sometimes your boyfriend's bottle of dish soap actually kind of works (he might be onto something).
I don't know about you, but I sometimes get a bit disillusioned with the whole thing when I see girls with entire walls filled with bottles of beauty potions I know they've only tried once or twice. And all they talk about is preventing the face from aging, what kinds of creams and serums you can put on your face every night in order to never give away your real age.
But do you want to know the real secret of how to tell the age of a woman?
Look at her hands.
You can lather every cream known to womankind on your face but if you don't pay attention to your hands too, they'll snitch on you real quick.
Since the weather has not only started cooling down, but drying out, you need to start paying extra attention to your grabbers. Rough, ashy ones are not the look this season and you don't need side-eye from your friends, so here at Lorraine and Friends, our staff has put together some low maintenance tips to keep you looking fresh. Here you go, you're welcome.
1. Choose your moisturizers carefully
Not all hand moisturizers are made equal. Some are made purely for a nice scent and a cute bottle, but are runny and thin when it comes time to do the heavy lifting. Opt for a heavy butter or oil, something that moisturizes and also heals. Shea is a favorite over here at L&F, but in order to get the best out of your purchase, make sure that the shea you have is in its purest state, and not so commercial that it's been mixed with other things (IYKYK).
Wash your hands in hot water and then apply your oil or butter on your wet hands. Do not dry them, because the oil locks in the moisture from water. Put some medical gloves on your hands if you like, and repeat this every night for skin conditioning over time.
2. Keep your nails done, even if you do them yourself
Make time for your nails! You need to take some time each week to get those nails done. And right about here I think that I should mention that if you start to feel like going to nail appointments each week or every two weeks is starting to become a chore that you dread or too expensive, then just stop, and figure out how to do your nails at home.
The old fashioned way of just painting them at home will always be in style, and press ons are a lifesaver. Nails should be something that is fun and makes you feel pretty and powerful, not a source of anxiety. The good news is that the bare minimum of upkeep is not that complicated:
Every week, apply a quick-drying strengthening treatment to keep your nails from splitting or breaking, and make sure they are always trimmed and shaped neatly. Short nails are nothing to be ashamed of, as long as they look healthy and neat. Apply a clear coat for some extra gloss, and boom, you're done.
3. Clean under your nails
Nothing is more disappointing than seeing someone with the prettiest and most creative nails, then realizing that they've got gunk all up under them. Don't be that girl, just don't do it. Get yourself a dollar nail brush and use it when you wash your hands. It's just good hygiene.
4. Exfoliate, but don't over-do it
Your hands go through so much every single day, so thank them by not being too harsh on your skin. I know with all of the talk on skincare in the past few years, you might be tempted to layer on the chemical exfoliants to take care of any rough patches, and you might think that your hands can handle more than your face can, but don't do it.
If anything, use a physical exfoliant and target those specific rough patches with a rough wash cloth or a body exfoliating mitt. Chemical exfoliants are cool and all, but the problem with them is that you don't know how rough they can be or how sensitive your skin truly is until you feel a burning sensation a few hours later. A physical exfoliant lets you know when you're overdoing it right at that moment so that you can stop exfoliating.
In any case, the focus on healing when it comes to your hands and not too much on exfoliating.
5. Carry hand cream with you at all times!
Speaking of exfoliation, with the cold and flu season here, you're probably washing your hands every other minute, leading to hands that seem perpetually rough and ashy. Friends, don't reach for that cute hand cream that smells like pumpkins but does absolutely nothing, this is not the time to be playin around.
Package up a bit of your chosen heavy duty butter or oil in a travel bottle to put in your purse, and if you want a bit of scent too, just add a few drops of an essential oil you favor. Make sure the scent doesn't conflict with your hand sanitizer or perfume though.
Ok, there you go, friends. Keep these tips in mind, and keep it fresh this winter. Don't let your hands snitch on you. We'll see you in the next blog, and if you want access to our in depth articles on home interiors, lifestyle, fashion, relationships, food, and health, check out our Fall 2024 magazine issue by clicking here.
Stay cute,
L&F