I’m thankful my mom was adamant about not having my cuticles removed. When having my nails done, the first thing I tell the nail spa staff is not to touch them.

There are ways to take care of our hands, and they are quite simple.

• My friend has the softest hands, and they don’t dry. When I asked her about it, she said it’s because she uses Johnson’s Baby Wash and nothing else. I followed her advice, and it has worked wonders on my skin. The clearer the soap, the more it will dry out our skin. Antibacterial soap is made of harsh chemicals, so it shouldn’t be used on our hands. Instead, look for natural antibacterial ingredients such as tea tree oil.
• Extreme temperature is not good for the skin, so make sure to always wash with lukewarm water.
• Oils moisturize the skin efficiently, and so do hand lotions. Like the facial moisturizers we use every day for our face, our hands need some TLC, too.
• When our hands are dry, they tend to develop hangnails. Don’t tug them out. Scrub the hands, and make sure they are moisturized before nipping the hangnails away. I prefer going to the salon so this task is handled by an expert and deep wounds are avoided.
• Protect the hands with sunscreen. Hands wrinkle and age rapidly.
• Use anti-aging facial cream on the hands. Before going to bed, I use creams I don’t necessarily want to use on my face on my hands instead.

8 red shades

I have been obsessing over rouge nail polish. I am quite the late bloomer, having stuck to bridal tones and white for a long time, and now I’m on a roll for crimson. Here are eight red nail polish shades you may want to try:

Dior: Dior’s Rouge 999 offers the true, classic red color that is brilliant and easy to apply, thanks to its pigmented, opaque formula and the brand’s signature flat brush applicator.

Butter London: The Butter London Rebel Fox is ruby with metallic specks, giving your red nails an edgier feel.

Chanel: A classic brand, Chanel has several classic reds in its Le Vernis collection. The punchy orange-red of Coromandel has a subtle extra shimmer.

American Apparel Nail Polish: The all-American brand’s polish in Downtown LA is pretty, with a shiny topcoat and a matte version.

OPI: The shade Big Apple Red gives a pop of color, a classic bright red that works well at any time of the year.

Revlon: Created nearly 30 years ago, Revlon’s Red is still a bestseller and has stood the test of time.

Nars: A modern twist to the classic red, Nars’ tomato-hued Soup Can  is anything but boring.

Essie: More grownup and sophisticated, Essie’s Really Red is one of the brand’s most beloved shades.