As women, we go to great lengths to stay fit and healthy. We clock countless hours at the gym, check in with our doctors annually, eat right and spend small fortunes on facial beauty products. Despite all that effort, we often leave out one of the most telltale signs of aging–our hands.
The lack of fat on the backs of the hands is the main culprit. When elastin and collagen fibers start to break down (sun exposure will speed this process up, too), there’s not much to hide that wrinkled skin and those unsightly veins rising to the surface. Keeping the skin on our hands and cuticles healthy and moisturized may be the key to keeping people guessing our age. And it’s even more important when it comes to winter skin care, when your hands take a beating from the cold, dry air.
Amy E. Goodman, an on-camera fashion expert, style writer and D.C. native, knows a thing or two about warding off the elements through long winters. “In addition to bumping up my nighttime moisturizer to something rich and hydrating from Kanebo or Shiseido, I pamper my hands, which become cuticle crispy and cracked the minute the weather turns nippy. I slather on a boutique hand moisturizer by Josie Maran with Argan oil at night while reading stories to my kids, and during the day rely on Curél Hand & Cuticle Therapy in my car, which I apply at stop lights because it immediately soothes and isn’t slippery.”
When figuring our your beauty budget, don’t forget to factor in some hand treatments that go beyond your weekly mani–a little bit of care will go a long way in the years to come!