10 Tips for beautiful hands!

 

#1 De-stress

Rolling marbles or a ball in your hands for 5-10 minutes a day is a great way to relax. “These stretching movements facilitate a greater openness to the world, they make the stagnant energy start to flow again, they stimulate the reflexes in the centre of the palm, in relation to emotional tensions,” says Colette Malissard, osteopath and a specialist in Chinese energy.

#2 Massage with oil

Wrap the elbow with the hand, and press downwards with the palm facing down, then back up to the elbow, and back down to the wrist, twice. Massage your forearm with the thumb, wrist, and hand in circles; rub between the fingers, massaging each bone joint, with your palm facing the sky. Press down on the forearm, twice on each side, and run back down with the thumb along the bone, massage the joints of the wrist, squeeze the inter-digital spaces (the bends along the finger), between your thumb and index finger, and massage the sides of the fingers in circles.

#3 Intensive care

A recipe as minimalist as it is effective, by pharmacist Michèle Nicoué-Paschoud*. Mix half a teaspoon of vegetable glycerine with half a teaspoon of olive oil, two capsules of vitamin E and a drop of lemon-scented essential oil in a small, clean bowl. Massage the hands with a third of this mix in the evening before bedtime for three consecutive days to regenerate damaged hands.

*Author of Cosmé Kit : des recettes simples pour réaliser ses produits de beauté soi-même (Cosmetic Kit: simple recipes to make your cosmetics yourself) (Michel Lafon).

#4 Blemish-free

Isabelle Velasco, head of the Florame Organic Health and Beauty Space boutique in Paris, suggests diluting lemon essential oil in vegetable oil, to regularly massage onto spots and blemishes. Note: Do not apply before going in the sun because the essential oil may be photosensitive. Avoid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and place one drop on the elbow to test before use, in case of very sensitive skin.

#5 Keeping cool

In case of the occasional sweaty palm, powder them with a hint of corn flour (corn starch), advises Michele Nicoué-Paschoud. However, if you suffer chronic hyperhidrosis, it is better consult a doctor.

#6 Painkillers

“Indian laurel oil (calophylle inophylle) has excellent painkiller properties,” says Michèle Nicoué-Paschoud, who recommends massaging hands with it regularly. As the vegetable oil native to the Indian Ocean also affects blood circulation, it should be avoided in case of anticoagulant treatment.

#7 Keeping warm

By putting on two pairs of gloves (of the lightest material – silk lining, if possible), not too tight, to trap air, you provide the hands good insulation. To boost the capillary circulation, consume purple or dark red fruits and vegetables (eg: blackcurrant, blueberry, red cabbage, beetroot), whose pigments fight against fragility of the veins, without moderation.

#8 Keep ‘em clean!

Effective lathering lasts for at least 30 seconds. Nursing protocol dictates pouring liquid soap on wet hands, rubbing palm against palm, then each palm against the back of the other hand, and then yet again palm against palm, this time with fingers interlaced. Next, use the opposite hand to rub the back and fingers of the hand. Wipe with tissue or a clean, dry towel. It works exactly the same way for alcoholic gels and hand sanitizers.

#9 Sublimate

… inspired by the Sublime Mains (sublime hands) treatment developed by Isabel Velasco Florame. This treatment is exactly as you would practice with facial products… except on your hands! Once a month, scrub hands with a soft scrub, then apply a moisturizing mask for 10 minutes, while massaging one hand after another.

#10 Nourish

Apply a house balm to slightly damp hands. Dissolve two tablespoons of shea butter in the bath. Add a tablespoon of hazelnut oil, two drops of Geranium essential oil (healing), and one of lavender (regenerating). “Shea butter does not dry out in the long term,” says Michèle Nicoué-Paschoud.