There is a huge emphasis on using products for your face and neck to look younger, but not enough on your hands. Your skincare regimen shouldn’t stop at your neck.
You do a lot with your hands and believe it or not, you can feel it when they aren’t healthy. Additionally, people see them. Why do you think nail salons are so popular?
Unfortunately, age spots, dry skin, and cracking can leave your hands looking sad and painful. With these tips you can get your hands looking and feeling youthful.
Trim Nails, Don’t Bite
Are you a nail biter? Maybe stress has got you feeling overwhelmed and the only thing you can think to do is bite your nails. Keep some nail trimmers in your purse and when you get the urge to nibble off your nails or cuticles, trim them or file them instead.
Nails look healthier and keep your fingertips looking more youthful when you trim and file instead of biting them off.
Exfoliate Regularly
You exfoliate your face, and maybe you remember to exfoliate your legs, but how much time do you spend removing the dead skin from your hands? Removing the evidence of dry skin helps you reveal more youthful looking skin.
This offers a better base to put creams and lotions and to help nourish your skin. It removes old skin and sometimes even takes some of the pigment away from age spots. This reduces the appearance of age spots.
Moisturize Dry Hands
Speaking of creams and lotions, you need to moisturize your hands with products that don’t dry out your skin. You can also use moisturizing gloves overnight to lock in more moisture and keep your hands feeling soft and supple all day long.
There are people who work in healthcare, salons, and food service who find themselves often washing their hands. This can leave them dry and cracked. Not only does this age your hands, but it also makes them hurt. Soft, pliable skin on your hands is about more than looking good. It also makes your hands feel better.
Being able to move your hands without feeling like your skin will split apart is much more comfortable than moving hands with bone dry skin.
Get a Hand Massage
Hand massages help improve circulation in your hands. Additionally, rubbing lotion or a high-quality oil like coconut oil into them will make them feel soft and supple. Hand massages also reduce swelling and help to ease discomfort in painful joints.
While you may be able to find a professional to massage your hands, it’s also possible to do them on your own. There are tutorials to teach you the best ways to give yourself a hand massage to boost circulation, reduce pain, and improve your lymphatic system.
Wash With Gentle Soap
Many soaps are harsh on the skin. While they are effective at killing harmful germs, they aren’t good for the skin. Using gentle soaps regularly will ensure your skin isn’t being constantly dried out. Additionally, the chemicals and fragrances in soaps can also do a number on your hands.
Try to find soaps with natural scents and that don’t use severe additives. This can be challenging for people working in healthcare. In that case, use lotions as soon as work is over and, on your days off.
Don’t Overdo it on Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is great when you don’t have access to soap and water. But you should look at hand sanitizer as something you use occasionally instead of all the time. The alcohol in hand sanitizer will dry out your skin if you’re using it frequently.
Dry skin looks aged, so when you’re trying to make your hands match your youthful face, you’ll want moisturized skin, not dry skin.
Focus on Hydration
Speaking of hydration, did you know that your hands will easily show when your body is dehydrated? Hydrating your whole body will hydrate your hands. Drink more water and look for ways to add back moisture and create a barrier to resist dehydration.
Using creams and moisturizers on your hands can go a long way to giving you back more youthful looking hands. With the right combination of products and habits, you can reduce the appearance of age spots and get your hands looking youthful and supple.