Are you given to looking at your face in the mirror anxiously for the signs of age? Don’t forget to examine your hands, for it emerged from a poll of British women that they consider hands to be the worst give-away part of the body showing aging.
75% of the polled women said they believed their hands expose their true age even more than wrinkles around the eyes or gray hair. And a vast majority, 80%, averred that they won’t fail to notice if the hands of a woman they met made her look older than she seemed.
Nearly half the women – 42% – remembered they noticed aging in their hands starting from their mid-30s, and a third of all married women confessed feeling insecure on their wedding day because their rings would attract attention to their hands and the way their skin looked would cause comments.
Considering all that, it might be a bit surprising that hands are not getting more care – only 53% said they see to it that their hands are moisturized on a regular basis.
The survey was conducted by the British Cosmeceuticals brand Transformulas; its founder, Rosalind Chapman, accentuated in her comment the need to remember about the appearance of our hands “being one of the body parts that’s often on display.” Although women are apt to tend to their face and hair more, it’s hands that are highly susceptible to age coming on; they have lower fat levels and they are usually exposed to strong external agents.
So, here are some tips that will help you give proper care to your hands:
When washing your hands daily (as you should) see that you use the right water temperature: avoid washing in the water that is too cold or too hot, it is harmful for the skin. Make sure the water is pleasantly warm. Choose soap with moisturizing and nourishing oils for better cleansing and care.
When you moisturize, do it thoroughly for several minutes for best nourishment.
Make sure you moisturize your hands after you’ve taken a bath or a shower: the pores will be open and take in moisture better.
When you get a “squeaky clean” effect after washing up or other household jobs, it is not always as good as you may believe. You want to preserve your skin’s natural acid layer, so mind you wear protective gloves while you’re at your house chores.
When prepping the nails, use a base coat and see that the skin does not get stained.
