If skincare had a hierarchy, for most of us our faces would be number one, front and centre, getting all the top-shelf products and extra TLC. Second place would go to the décollete, followed by any exposed bits of body in the summer. But hands? Maybe a bit of leftover serum if they’re lucky.
In reality, this attitude might be a little counterintuitive, at least from a cosmetic point of view. We put our hands through way more than we do our faces; more washes per day, and more roughly the same amount of sun and pollution; extra irritants from cooking, cleaning and general debris; yet we rarely take the time to pamper them. Is that really going to make a difference? Aren’t hands hardier? Hands have been neglected in terms of skincare for a very long time. The ageing of hands happens very quickly, especially with sun exposure and intense hygiene practices like washing hands with very hot water and using sanitising alcohol-based products. These things are all very harsh to the skin and therefore skin on the hands needs to be looked after with moisturising creams.
However, caring for your hands doesn’t mean buying a whole new set of products. You can use the same products on the back of your hands as you do your face, especially at night. Nighttime is a good idea because you’re not going to wash your hands for about eight hours, so the product can really absorb. During the day you should apply and reapply SPF to your hands as you do your face, and that introducing a hand mask once a week is also a very good hand care solution for that extra element of care and treatment.
Generally speaking, when it comes to hands it’s the same rules as the rest of skincare: use retinol, vitamin C, SPF, plus some hydration. All of these things combined should help keep any concerns – from fine lines to sun spots – at bay, but it’s up to you whether you go for targeted treatments or freestyle with your facial products.
The Vintage Avenue Team x
Comments