Your hand is the first part of your body that shows premature signs of ageing due to relentless use, washing and exposure to all kinds of weather. The hands begin to show neglect and ageing earlier than most other parts because the skin on the back of the hands is thin and has few oil glands.
The thin skin on your hands can develop wrinkles, dark spots, loss of volume and even dullness due to exposure to all sorts of germs, dirt, harsh substances, sunlight which play havoc on the skin, making it rough and dry. So those beautiful and strong hands nee some care and protection from rough weather conditions and for this, one does not have to visit a salon for getting a manicure. Beauty expert Shahnaz Husain will tell you how, by spending 15 minutes every day, you can keep your hands glowing.
Our hands are always on display. Protect your hands by wearing rubber gloves for your washing chores. Surgical gloves are easily available at chemist shops. Massage a cream after your washing tasks, working it into the skin. This takes only a few minutes of your time. You should also massage cream on the nails and the skin around the nails too. Massage the hands also at night with a good nourishing cream. Apply the cream on the back of the hand. This is the area that is prone to early wrinkling. Work down each finger, starting from the tip. Use tiny circular movements on the joints of the fingers. Massage the back of the hand using strokes moving from the fingers towards the wrist.
Bath time is appropriate to pamper your hands and supply them with the oils and moisture they need. In fact, applying body lotions and creams soon after bathing while the skin is still damp helps to seal in moisture. Before your bath, apply sesame seed (til) oil, or pure almond oil on the hands and massage it into the skin. This helps to soften the skin also removes tan over a period of time. It also protects the hands from the drying effects of soap and chlorinated water.
A traditional home pre-bath treatment is to mix besan (gram flour) with a little milk or curd and a pinch or haldi (turmeric) into a paste. Apply the paste on the hands. After 20 minutes, dampen with water and rub the paste gently on the skin and wash it off while bathing. You will not need to apply soap, as this cleanses very well.
If the hands are dry, use a soap-free shower gel for bathing. Or, you can use a mild glycerin soap. For extreme dryness, it is better to avoid soap. Oil massage and wiping with a moist towel can help cleanse the skin adequately.
For dry and dark hands, take 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil, two tablespoons of lemon juice and three tablespoons of coarse sugar. Mix together till it becomes a paste. Apply and rub into hands. Wash off after 15 minutes. You can do this three times a week.
For dryness of hands, add one teaspoon of pure glycerin to 50 ml rose water. Apply on the hands and leave on for half an hour. Then wash it off with plain water. Adding a little lemon juice before application will help to lighten skin colour.
To soften the skin and lighten skin colour of hands, you can also take some sugar in your palm and add lemon juice. Rub this on the back of the hands and wash off.
Put a cupful of warm milk in a bowl. Soak your hands in it for five minutes to strengthen nails and soften the skin.
Take fresh orange peels, pierce them with a fork. Rub the peels on the hands to brighten the skin.
For very dry hands and nails, mix together one tablespoon of almond oil, one tablespoon of sesame seed (til) oil, one teaspoon of wheatgerm oil. Apply daily and massage it into the skin. Massage around the nails too, in order to soften the cuticles.