With the exception of Ben, none of us are getting any younger. Least of all me.
I feel like I'm accelerating through life at a rapid pace and there is never enough time and always too many wrinkle-making worries.
Then again, this is the girl who cried on her seventh birthday because she wanted to stay six.
Unlike my seven-year-old self, the solution these days isn't tears. So I've been swotting up with The Anti Ageing Beauty Bible. It just has lots of great tips about cleansing, skincare, nutrition, meditation. I feel more glowy just reading it. If you'd like to read, you can find it here
One of the things I never (stupidly) thought about before reading this book was the way time can weather on the hands. Hands are probably the most used part of the body. Try and think of something you do where your hands aren't heavily involved.
Exactly.
Yes the skin might be thicker than on the face, but those babies go through a lot of wear and tear. I apply hand cream all the time. But before I read this book, I didn't consider that just might not be enough.
SO today's #Resolution is to get a real good hand care regime going.
I thought I'd take you through my steps.
#1 Once a week or so, I make sure I take off my nail polish properly and give my hands a good clean. For this I use a nail brush (this one is £1.59 at Superdrug) and some cream Dove Soap.
This helps to get rid of dry skin- I have a lot of hand skin issues, which I will address in a later post. The cuticles and the skin around the nails tend to get a lot of wear n' tear. And no one likes a hang nail.
This step for cleansing your hands is really cheap. A nail brush will set you back close to a quid and a nice soap costs even less.
#2 The skin on your hands and body sheds just as much as your face (mmmm, attractive). So once a fortnight, I take a dab of exfoliator (at the moment it's the Neutorogena Visibly Clear) and scrub it across the backs of my hands, fingers and wrists.
You don't want a product that's too harsh. Equally, you don't want to be too rigorous. Hands are used for everything and if they're red raw, it's going to cause you problems.
#3 The next thing I use on naked nails is a nail and cuticle cream. At the moment, it's the No7 version, I think I reviewed this on my old blog (?) and I really like it. It goes on so nicely, sinks in and feels like it's actually doing some good. Unfortunately it's not cheap, but if you're doing this on a budget the drugstores have plenty to choose from. (If you'd like to see a review then let me know in the comments below and I'll pick my fave budget versions for you).
#4 Okay, so the next (and my favourite step) is the painting. I have a GAZILLION nail polishes. You'll be seeing the full collection soon. I say full, but it's always expanding...so what I mean is the 'most up-to-date collection at this moment in time, before I go to Boots again'.
Aside from just liking pretty colours, I have pretty damaged nail beds. So for me, painting is a bit of a necessity.
To even out, condition and prevent staining, the next step is always a base coat.
My favourite top n' bottom duo is currently the one by Collection.
I think they do a sterling job, considering the little amount of sterling they cost.
#5 Once the polish is dry (not hard dry, but not smudge territory), I apply a dab of oil across the cuticles, skin and hands.
I love the Superdrug Vitamin E oil, which I also use as a moisturising treat on my face once a week.
At the moment, I've got my mitts on the Neal's Yard Bee Lovely Hand Cream. This was free with Marie Claire a while ago and once I got round to using it properly, I was really impressed. It's such a nice product to keep on your desk or pop in your handbag because the fragrance is uplifting and rubbing a dollop of this in can provide a well-needed moment of calm in a crazy environment.
I use Carex Protect and Plus gel to ward off nasties because unlike other antibacterial gels that irritate my psoriasis, this isn't drying, doesn't sting, and absorbs really quickly.
#7 You know what they say- Prevention is better than cure.
We all know the one about eating right and staying healthy. But let's face it. Sometimes there are occasions when you just want a bar of chocolate and not a carrot. So to make sure my nails are getting what they need from the inside, I take a supplement.
I am going to do a 'comparison' post of these Tesco Skin, Hair and Nails tablets with the Perfectil version (probably featured in Fitness Friday, so look out). I know some people might think supplements are a waste of money. But these cost £3 for 30- the price of your average daily latte. And I like to make sure on days I am having a binge (hello, EVERY SATURDAY), I'm still at least getting some nutrients!
Follow @styleresolution
No comments:
Post a Comment