Don’t let your hands give away your age

Quick! What’s one of the most used but least cared for parts of our bodies? Did you say the hands? So many of us spend large chunks of time and money on our hair and face but forget about our hands. But when it comes to hiding age, hands can be one of the most revealing parts of the body, especially if they’re continuously neglected.

Regular hand care can actually be quite relaxing and is something that you can do on a lazy day while watching television or relaxing on the living room sofa. You may find it to be a real treat.

Here are three simple steps to maintaining soft, healthy hands throughout the drier fall and winter months:

Exfoliate your hands for the same reason you do your face — to remove dead, unhealthy skin that’s preventing new skin from taking its place. Gently massage a natural sugar or other large grain scrub into your hands, being sure to work between your fingers, for two to three minutes. Massaging your hands helps to stimulate blood flow to maintain a healthy color. Rinse and pat dry with a soft towel.

To lock in essential oils that prevent your skin from becoming dry and chapped, apply a natural hand cream. Try this comfy beeswax hand cream for the perfect amount of moisture:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 1/4 cup shea butter
• 1/4 cup sweet almond oil
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen
• 1/4 cup glycerin
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons liquid lecithin

Directions:

1. Melt the beeswax and shea butter on low heat. Mix in remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth (two to four minutes). Remove from heat. Pour into a container and let sit for 24 hours.
2. Use as needed by massaging a small amount into your hands, between your fingers and even the palms of your hands. Don’t worry — you can’t overuse it, so even keep a small container near the kitchen sink or even on your desk at work.
3. Have really dry, chapped hands? Once a week before going to bed, massage a healthy amount of the cream over your hands and cover with a pair of cotton gloves. Wear them while you sleep to wake up with the softest hands possible. And if you have cracked heels, try massaging the cream over your heels and feet, then applying a pair of soft cotton socks before going to bed.

It may sound obvious, but I know that many of my friends overlook this step because they are in a hurry or think they only have a little cleaning to do. However, soap and detergent used in household cleaning products are really emulsifiers that attack the skin’s natural protective barrier. Prolonged exposure to these harsh chemicals will actually contribute to the dryness and cracking.

Unfortunately, our hands are exposed to these types of products on a daily basis through simple chores such as doing laundry or washing the dishes. Keep a pair of rubber gloves handy to wear while using soap or detergent. Then, wash your hands with a soapless hand wash — just look for hand washes that say soap-free.

Our hands tell a lot about us! Follow the three steps above to be sure that yours don’t tell too much about you!

Visit www.justaskdavid.com for more beauty tips and advice or visit us at Pinterest for more beauty recipes like the one featured in this article. David Pollock is a global beauty expert who has formulated products for some of the most recognized names in the business. He is a published author, radio personality and was recently named one of the “20 to Know” by Global Cosmetics Industry. Today, David is empowering women to take control of their health and beauty. Subscribe to his free newsletter at www.JustAskDavid.com.

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