The best treatments for soft, smooth hands this winter
With the decline in temperature hand care becomes a priority in our skincare regime. "Hands can become more weathered and chaffed, especially if they get wet in cold temperatures," explains celebrated podiatrist Margaret Dabbs who is passionate about both hands and feet. "It is important to wear gloves to protect the hands against the cold and to use a good quality hand wash and hand lotion to protect the skin of the hands," she advises.
On top of the basics, at-home and professional hand treatments have never been better and serve to hydrate hands as well as halt signs of ageing and maintain manicures. Here we outline how:
The AHA hand cream
Ameliorate are doing what they’ve already done for the ‘chicken skin’ on our upper arms for the chapped knuckles on our hands. The brand's rich Intensive Hand Treatment with alpha hydroxyl therapy works to resurface rough skin. It’s recommended you use a suncream in addition, as AHAs can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. But then you knew to use SPF on your hands, right?
Ameliorate Intensive Hand Treatment, £15
The retinol hand treatment
Beauty Pie (which sells luxury skincare for factory prices) last year added a hand cream to its Super Retinol line-up, a formula containing a time-release complex of the hero anti-ageing ingredient. Also boasting bio-pseudo collagen and moisture-binding properties, pop this on overnight to wake up to smooth and supple hands, plus a reduction in wrinkles and sun spots over time (provided you wear your SPF during the day).
Super Retinol Hand Treatment, £6 for Beauty Pie members (RRP £40)
The SPF hand cream
A favourite of Bazaar’s beauty director–a seasoned hand cream applicant–is the Alpha-H Protection Plus Hand Cream which while isn’t new, is certainly superior. There’s the high, broad spectrum SPF–your first port of call for anti-ageing, plus the brightening vitamin C and magic suits-all shade which helps to wipe a few more years off your hands. A perfect handbag staple.
Alpha-H Protection Plus Hand Cream with SPF 50+, £33
The manicure extender
Now meet the luxury cream giving your manicure a helping hand. Slixir’s USP is that it keeps nails and cuticles looking better for longer, all while softening the skin on your hands, too. Designed specifically for nail polish wearers, it’s formulated with skin penetrating jojoba and avocado oils to keep polish supple and therefore less likely to chip.
Slixir Hand & Polish Cream, £21.95
The laser and light treatment
One of our favourite destinations for facials, Skin Laundry, has a new hands-on service designed to target ageing on the back of the hands, including pigmentation and fine lines. Using their non-invasive YAG laser, it works to stimulate collagen and smooth the skin. Well worth combining with topical treatments if you’re serious about your hand care.
Skin Laundry Laser & Light Hand Treatment, £25, Liberty London
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