Tips for hands

Hands are the most visible parts of you, but they also take a lot of abuse. You use them in everyday activity, and yet, they are the ultimate accessory. You must give them the same attention you give your face.

* Soften your hands even while you do the dishes. Add a little almond oil (about a teaspoon) to dishwater. The water will soften rought skin while the oil seals the moisture.

* Slough off dead skin cells with a solution made of sea salt lemon. Brush it into hands with an old toothbrush. Do this twice a week to soften hands and remove discoloration.

* Wash hands thoroughly with warm water, then, using a coarse washcloth, rub briskly. While skin is slightly damp, apply a mixture of one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon olive oil. Place hands in small plastic bags, then in a pair of cotton gloves for thirty minutes. The heat helps the treatment penetrate.

* Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for thirty seconds (or until warm, but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin. Not only is milk loaded with lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin, but its high calcium content will strengthen fragile nails.