Hand Care: Must-See Tips for Smooth Skin
Beauty expert Nonie Creme's advice for battling dry winter skin
Don't make moisture-starved hands a winter mainstay. Here, Nonie Creme, creative director for Butter London and Fashion Week regular (she manicured nails at Jenni Kayne and Vena Cava's spring 2010 shows), shares her smooth-skin secrets.
What ingredients should you look for in a winter hand cream?
A healthy dose of Shea butter ensures that the product can seal in and help retain moisture. Also, look out for natural oils like avocado oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil, which moisturize and heal using the power of nature.
Any at-home tips for maintaining smooth cuticles?
After a hot bath or shower gently push back cuticles using an orange wood stick or cuticle tool. Next, stimulate blood flow by vigorously rubbing cuticles with a clean, dry towel until pink and exfoliated. Then spend five minutes rubbing in some organic olive oil from the kitchen. It's salon perfection at no cost!
If you get dry hangnails around your cuticles, should you snip them?
Only a pro should be trimming the skin around the nail bed and even then, it should only be trimmed if the area is extremely overgrown. For perfect cuticles that last and last, use a hand cream regularly and exfoliate the cuticles with an old toothbrush.
Do you believe in wearing gloves to bed to help lock in lotion?
Never! I hate those glove things-they make my hands sweat like mad! Instead, mix two parts Hand & Nail Crème by Butter London with one part Neosporin or Vaseline and rub into hands thoroughly. In the morning you will not believe how much moisture was retained and how soft and silky your skin feels. Neosporin is magic on cracked skin and helps it heal incredibly fast.
Any on-the-go tips for keeping dryness at bay?
Don't overwash your hands! Use Purell instead of soap, and always apply hand cream after washing. Try using a product with high beeswax content if you're going to be outside in gloves all day skiing, etc. Your hands will be quite sticky and waxy, but they will be protected from further chapping and cracking and retain whatever moisture they do have. Lastly, drink tons of water! The best way to stay smooth is to stay hydrated.
Hand Care: Must-See Tips for Smooth Skin
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