Most of us forget that our hands need loving just as much as our face and body do. We ignore the amount of work we put our mitts through every day that we think a splash of lotion is enough to hydrate and revitalize them.
Think of your hands as an extension of the face, as a window that lets others take a peek into how we take care of ourselves. Dry, rough hands suggest neglect, and poorly maintained nails hint at questionable hygiene.
Use these five essentials to make your hands speak of meticulous self-care and self-love.
Cleanse and moisturize
Like the rest of our body, our hands need attentive cleaning. Wash every day with gentle soaps that cleanse and soften like the Diptyque Paris Floral Softening Hand Wash. Made with flower honey that purifies, regenerates and tones, this liquid soap soothes hands with the help of a floral blend of organic lavender, rosemary and lemon essential oils.
Worked too hard the past week? Treat your hands to extra pampering by exfoliating with the L’Occitane One Minute Hand Scrub. This golden tin contains miracles in the form of organic exfoliating brown sugar and various moisturizing oils such as shea, sweet almond and grapeseed. This promises to nourish and revitalize hands in under a minute.
Of course, all hand-care tips emphasize the use of a good, luxurious hand cream that works. In my case, I recommend La Mer The Hand Treatment. Formulated to soothe hands on contact and create an emollient barrier, this cream contains an exclusive Skin Brightening Complex that improves tone and clarity while visibly diminishing age spots.
No La Mer product is complete without the nutrient-rich Miracle Broth, the brand’s secret weapon against dryness and aging.
A little extra
Treat your hands to a mask once in a while. The Lush Golden Handshake Hot Hand Mask is a perfect complement to your moisturizing daily routine. This avocado and argan oil hot mask hydrates and nourishes with fresh cupuaçu and murumuru butters.
Do this on weekends when you have nothing planned. To use, stand your mask upright in a bowl large enough to fit your hands in. Boil hot water, add enough into the bowl, and stir to thicken the product. When the mix cools down a bit, dive and soak your hands in there for 15 minutes. Tell me how soft they are when you’re done.
Cuticles
Lastly, we can’t end this mini manual on hand care without talking about caring for your cuticles. Apart from getting a proper manicure every now and then, massage some Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil onto your cuticles for intense hydration.
Formulated with jojoba and coconut oils that protect with vitamin E, this little miracle-maker absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue.
Start making this a habit. Trust me, you’ll thank me for it!
