Are You Neglecting Your Hands?
September 20, 2019
Do you know what part of your body shows aging as much as your face (or possibly more)? Your hands!
Women spend hundreds of dollars a year on face creams to look younger. We use sunscreen, wear hats, or avoid the sun altogether so we can protect our skin from aging. But hands often get overlooked.
Then as we reach a certain age, one day we look down and OMG . . . spots! Wrinkles! Dry skin! On our hands! They really can show our age. While we don’t have to hide our age—it is a privilege denied to many,—we can take a few minutes a day to take care of our hands the same as we do for our faces.
So how do you take care of hands?
Moisturize often. Treat hands as you would your face and use a hand cream that nurtures and moisturizes. When I apply my face cream, I don’t wipe or wash my fingertips right away, instead, I rub any remaining cream on the backs of my hands.
Look for specific hand creams that offer anti-aging benefits. There are many on the market now. I also love argan oil for its skin and nail benefits. You can use argan oil alone or under a moisturizer on any area of your body.
Make sure to use sunscreen to help prevent sunspots. Our hands are exposed to the sun even when our arms are covered up.
Exfoliate. Yes, when you polish your face or body in the shower be sure to do the back of your hands. Once or twice a week will do wonders. Hands will feel ultra-soft and smooth. Follow up with a heavy-duty moisturizer to lock it in.
Keep a hand cream in your bag, on your work desk, on your night table or wherever you can remember to use it often.
Wear gloves when working in the yard or doing any heavy work. When cleaning, make sure cleaners don’t get on your hands as they can be very tough on skin.
Wash with warm water, not hot. And avoid harsh soaps. Look for natural soaps without dyes or chemicals.
Use a hand mask. Or soak your hands in olive or coconut oil, apply cotton gloves, leave on 15 minutes and wash off gently.
When your hands look good, you’ll feel better about them. It doesn’t take much work each day and it can be worth it to have nurtured smooth hands.
