Phyl Clarke on the art of giving hand signals
From the moment you wake up they are busy, busy, busy. Our hands are the ultimate tools, but we don't really appreciate them. We just use and abuse them all day. Shaking hands, cooking, doing our hair, exposing them to water and chemicals, sun, cold weather, gardening - our poor hands deserve a round of applause, but wait, they have to do that as well.
They say your life is written all over your hands. After making eye contact, the first thing people notice is not your carefully coiffed hair, nor your up-to-the-minute figure-flattering new outfit, nor even the too-expensive shoes you will get "so much wear" out of. It's your hands people notice. So what are yours saying about you?
Ageing alert! When we start to think about "maturing", we usually think first of the eye area, which has skin several times finer than on the rest of the face. But because hands do not have many oil glands, they can give away your age earlier than your oh-so-pampered face. And the product manufacturers are catching on fast. The current buzz in hand care is StriVectin-HC, £38, available from spacenk.com, which posts orders to Ireland, and due soon in Harvey Nichols, Dundrum.
It claims to reduce the appearance of thin, veiny, parchment-like skin, and restore the appearance of youthful texture. That's a lot to live up to, but the reports are very positive.
Don't overlook the face cream ranges when thinking of your hands. They can be very effective, especially the ones with SPF. Often, if I find a cream is not suitable for my face, for whatever reason, it ends up as my new hand cream.
I've just counted. I currently have seven tubes of hand cream on the go. They are on my desk, at the kitchen sink, beside my bed, in the car, at the home computer, in my handbag, and on the coffee table. Call me obsessed, but if it's just there within arm's reach, you are more likely to have a squirt.
A few guidelines: u Moisturise. Several times a day. Dry skin is easily injured and looks wrinkled u Wear gloves when gardening, washing dishes, etc u Use sun protection u Keep your hands dry. Any water left on your hands will evaporate and dry them out u Keep a number of hand creams open around the house and office u Exfoliate once a week with a face exfoliator u Once a week, apply your nightly face cream to your hands.
THE GOODS
• Dove Regenerating Care €2.83 A great low-priced protector for strengthening the skin's barrier.
• Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream €18 Super-nourishing and non-greasy. A classic.
• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Hand Cream €20 A rich overnight treatment and a great one for the bedside table. Apply, and put on cotton gloves overnight, if you dare.