Skincare For Your Hands And Feet
Women nowadays can mask their angry elevens (those two vertical lines between our brows) with Botox, cover up age spots with concealer, and hide white roots with hair color, but there are some things that give age away, hands down: our hands and feet.
No matter how young our faces or how tight our bodies look, veiny, spotty hands trump whatever youthful appearance women try to portray. Case in point: Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker, whose hands have been zoomed in on to illustrate how old they really are.
It's never too late to prevent your paws and tootsies from aging prematurely. Follow these handy hints to keep your tips and toes looking young and healthy:
1. Slather up. "Well-moisturized cuticles are less likely to turn into hang nails, which can get caught on surfaces like the interior of our bag or pockets, or on our socks or shoes," says Cherina Sy, who owns The Nail Spa in Makati and Shangri-la Mall. Such hangnails can tear off, leaving our digits looking down right unsightly. Applying hand cream on the tender skin on your hands and feet will not only leave your digits feeling soft and smooth, it will keep your cuticles soaked with moisture, too.
2. Enlarge your territory. You're already used to moisturizing your face and body, so why not extend the routine down to your hands and feet? Sure, there are separate hand and foot creams, but your current body lotion works just as well. Just pump an extra drop or two on your palms and spread the rest on the tops of your feet and hands.
3. Deck up your digits. You accessorize your outfit with a trendy scarf or statement bag, so why not jazz up your hands with jewelry and polished nails? Recent studies revealed that people judged women to look younger if their hands were decorated with nail polish and rings, so swipe on the nail varnish du jour (clear or buffed nails work just as well) and slip on a cocktail ring!
4. Spoil yourself. When your hair is dry, you get a protein treatment to remedy your parched locks. When your skin is dry, you get an exfoliating and moisturizing session to combat dehydration. The same goes for dry hands and feet; you get a luxurious paraffin treatment. The hot wax in this treatment opens up pores and helps release toxins from the skin while upping your skin's moisture levels. "This is one of the best moisture treatments to give your hands and feet a smooth, young-looking texture," says Monica Maceda, owner of I Do Nails home service.
5. Bring out the oil. Not in the mood to paint your nails? Massage a drop of almond-based cuticle oil into the base of your fingers (one drop goes a long way) to combat dryness in your cuticle area. That light shiny sheen is enough to make your digits look freshly painted with a clear layer of varnish.
Marie Calica is a beauty writer, makeup artist, rock climber, and runner. When she is not busy climbing rock faces, running on the road or trails, or traveling, she edits Runner's World Philippines, does makeup, and acts as beauty editor at large for Women's Health Philippines
