Aisling on beauty: Hands in bits? Here’s how to fix them

Most of the women around me seem to be sporting nail art and pretty manicures, and I have been getting more and more conscious of my hands. I have been hiding them and not wearing any rings. (I usually love to wear rings – the bigger the better.)

I haven’t been looking after my hands one bit, and it shows. My nails are peeling and chipped because I have been plonking nail varnish down on them without any base coat. My hands look dry and more than a bit weathered.

Many people notice your hands more than your eyeliner, lipstick shade, mascara or any of those other things that women can obsess about. Hands are on show 24-7 and they are one of the first things that people will see immediately, whether you like it or not.

So I wanted my lovely hands back. My first step was the MicroNail; a handy little gadget that whizzes around, smoothing and polishing your nails in seconds. I then rubbed in cuticle oil (coconut oil is great for this) and then used my secret weapon. Jessica Nails and their wonderfully restorative base coats have been around for yonks and are still the best I have used. If your nails have been wrecked by gels or two-week manicures, you need to get some Jessica Nails Restoration in your life.

My current favourite hand cream is The Body Shop Heavy Duty Hand Protector, because it is so thick and rich. Even better is the accompanying Hemp Rescue Balm, which is also a godsend for crusty elbows and ragged cuticles.

The final step is a little pair of cotton gloves. Slather your hands with balm or cream and pop the gloves on at night. You will resemble a bad mime artist but your hands will love you for it.

• amcdermott@irishtimes.com
• Twitter @aismcdermott