It’s a good idea (especially if you live in colder climates) to moisturize your hands several times a day and then again before bed. Use a combination of Hand Cream and Cuticle Oil. Nothing gives away your age faster than the look of your hands, and keeping them hydrated can have lifetime benefits going well into your senior years.
Environment plays a big role in hand beauty.Too much UV exposure from the sun can cause wrinkles, brown spots, & sometimes, skin cancer. For younger looking hands down the line, wear gloves during activities like gardening & golfing. It’s a good idea to put sunscreen on your hands everyday, even when staying indoors. 60% of UV rays still make it through house & car windows. Also, when doing dishes & exposing your hands to water for a long time, dermatologists suggest wearing rubber gloves that go up to your elbows.
Older women can keep their hands better moisturized by using products which contain Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This is produced by the body naturally, but the production diminishes as you get older. It keeps hands well hydrated.
To strengthen your nails and encourage growth, eat eggs, not gelatin. Contrary to popular belief, gelatin is not an efficient nail strengthener. It only provides incomplete protein, which your body can’t use. Instead, eat eggs which provide complete protein and sulfur, both of which speed nail growth. Also, carrot juice is great for nails- it provides calcium and phosphorous which strengthen nails, so get your juicer out and give your nails a nutritional boost today.
If you’re pregnant, some health experts believe women should use Non-Toxic Nail Polish and Removerduring the pregnancy. Your common, over the counter products can contain a lot of nasty chemicals like Acetone, Formaldehyde, Toluene, etc., and using the safe products during this critical time might be a wise decision. The chemical-free products tend to be pricey, but it’s definitely something to think about. Many women have even made a permanent switch just to be on the safe side.
To make a cheap and very effective homemade hand cream, mix a little cornmeal ( wonderful for gentle skin exfoliation), honey, and unsalted butter (great for hands!), in a bowl, and then rub thoroughly into skin. Leaves hands clean and ultra soft.
Healthy and strong nails have a lot to do with diet. For healthy nails, eat foods that contain B vitamins, ( a deficiency makes nails brittle) Iron,(a deficiency shows up as ridges) and Zinc (a deficiency shows up as white marks ). Here is a good article on foods to eat for healthy nails If you feel you need extra vitamins to help with your questl, you might want to consider using Vitamin Supplements for Nails,(which is also very beneficial for skin and hair) the positive results may take a few weeks to achieve, but generally receive very good reviews on Amazon from the women who use these supplements.
Nails need to “breathe” too, and they can’t do this very well when they are always covered with nail polish. The general consensus is to leave nails alone one week out of every month for better nail health.
Massaging your own hands feels good, reduces stress, promotes circulation, and keeps the muscles in your hand strong and supple (it can also help stave off things like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). Best of it, it doesn’t cost you one cent. Here is an interesting article from Prevention Magazine on how to perform a self-massage.
One trick in helping you get more life out of your nail polish is simply to soak your fingertips in 1/2 cup of warm water mixed with 2 tablespoons of vinegar for a minute or two before applying polish. Dry hands and apply polish which will now last longer because of the vinegar.
Don’t overdo the use of hand sanitizers. While they do kill germs, some people use them on a regular basis, and these products, being mostly ethyl alcohol, are extremely drying to the hands. They are good on occasion, but use with caution.
If you’ve developed dark brown blotches on your hands (UV damage, of course), you can try bleaching them out with an over the counter formula Bleaching Cream
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