GAGE says… style includes serious hand care! It’s with hands like with shoes: people look at them!
Some of us are born with dryer skin and as time goes by, the dryness becomes more intense. Weather can also play a part in how dry our skin gets and most certainly the skin on our hands as well. Depending on which part of the world you live in, the weather can’t decide if it’s spring or winter. The skin on our hands takes quite a beating from this undecidedness.
Taut, dry skin on our hands feels uncomfortable and looks bad, to be blunt. Nails and cuticles also fare poorly under these circumstances.
Have no fear, your GAGE advice is near! Keep these tips “handy” (OK… we had to 😉 ) in order to keep your hands and nails worth looking at, as well as feeling better than ever.
1 – Cut Your Nails
Cut your nails, do not chew them off. Using a nail clipper is the way to keep your nails nice and even. Biting can result in seriously short and uneven nails which is, well – not very attractive.
When using your nail clipper, make sure that you don’t cut the nails too short. Leave a short part of the white area at the top of your nail. Start by cutting each corner, then the top of the nail.
Finish off with a nail file to even the nail shape. Use a nail file with low grit as it works best on natural nails.
2 – Push Cuticles Back
Right after your shower, when the air in your bathroom is still humid, gently push your cuticles back. The humidity makes the cuticles more pliable. The humidity can also diminish any dryness which causes you pain once you start pushing the cuticle back. You can use your fingertips for this or invest in a cuticle pusher. Considering that you can find one between $3.00 and $18.00, GAGE recommends these helpful tools:
3 – Moisturize!
One of the most important actions you can take in order to treat the skin on your hands is using a hand moisturizer. These creams and lotions are made for the skin type our hands have so we recommend this product highly in lieu of using body lotions.
Use it in the morning right after your shower (again, humidity will assist in keeping the moisture in) and at night before going to bed. Do this daily. This will prevent your hands and cuticles from drying out. We also recommend cuticle oil to combat extra dryness.
Moisturizing Gloves
For extra dry hands, consider a moisturizing glove! You keep them on while you sleep.
Also called “spa gloves”, these gloves contain skin supporting ingredients like oils, vitamins, and aloe. They come scented as well so please check them out thoroughly before buying, in case of any allergies that may feed on these scents.
Push through the feeling of looking silly with these gloves on. If you’re single, no worries. Simply time the use accordingly. If you live with someone, they’re bound to want a pair for themselves!
Purecode has gloves for men, or a glove size that fits all.
Should you not enjoy the thought of using gloves with a gel lining containing moisturizing oils then you can simply use Vaseline or Vaseline hand cream and Moisture Jamzz gloves.
Moisture Jamzz gloves do not have a built-in lining with moisturizers, instead they lock in the moisturizer you choose for your hands. These will protect anything you touch while your hands are being “vaselined”.
4 – Anti-Aging Hand Care
Let’s visit the anti-aging part of hand care. This should not be underrated.
When the back of your hand begins to look crumpled and wrinkly, then it’s time to take action. A prescription retinoid cream to improve texture could do wonders. Retin-A offers many benefits. This product can be purchased over the counter, the strength will vary between 0.01% to 1%.
If you are new to retinol you need to start low and let your skin get used to the higher percentage. Please note that the higher percentage begins at 0.5% and goes to 1%. Retinols exfoliate the skin, removes old skin cells and creates new ones. Mostly used for the face it has worked itself up to other parts of the body, like the back of our hands.
If you prefer a softer start on your anti-aging hand skin regimen, GAGE recommends antioxidant moisturizers and/or anti-aging hand creams. Any department store worth its name will have the perfect hand cream with the correct amount of retinol or other anti-aging ingredients.
5 – Hand Cleansers
When it comes to hand cleansers the question is: liquid hand soap or bar soap?
To minimize dryness, GAGE recommends a bar soap for your hands vs liquid soap. Preferably an organic hand soap void of fragrance. The more natural in its ingredients the better for your hands.
The Complete Regimen
With all this information at your hands (oh no… we did it again!) it’s time for a recap:
- No biting! Always use a nail clipper.
- Push your cuticles back when they’re damp after your shower.
- Use a hand moisturizer and/or a cuticle nail oil daily. In severly dry situations, consider moisturizing gloves overnight.
- Consider anti-aging products or retinol products for the back of your hands in order to eliminate wrinkles, which in time will appear on our hands.
The sooner you start this regimen the better.
BONUS ADVICE: Remember your sun protection lotion! It works wonders on your hands as well as your face and can prevent, or slow down, the appearance of dark spots and aging.
There, your hands are re-energized and they’re ready to compete with your shoes for attention! Let the games begin!
