Anti-Aging Manicure

Brooke Le Poer Trench, Allure

A friendly wave, two thumbs-up, flipping the bird-our hands can be expressive communicators. But they also reveal things you may not want people to know. Like, oh...your birthday. Researchers in England found that most people can accurately estimate a person's age just by looking at her hands. Sun spots, veins, prominent joints, wrinkles, then skin-they're the dermatological equivalent of being carded every single day of your life. The problem, of course, is that our hands are constantly exposed to the elements, "yet people don't think to take care of them, says dermatologist Francesca Fuscco. Treating the backs of your hands with the same respect-and products-as your face will subtract years, because anti-aging ingredients (AHAs, retinol) work the same in both places. And that's not all you can do. Simply slapping on some nail polish will make your hands appear younger, but you have to choose wisely: "Bluish reds and whitish nudes highlight flaws like veins and spots; true reds and soft pinks are far more flattering," says manicurist Jin Soon Choi. And an extra-glossy topcoat "makes your hands look healthier overall," says Choi. Thumbs up to that.


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