Recently in Hands Category

Can you guess these celebs hands?

Have you heard?  Injections for the hands are all the rage right now-- what will they think of next?  Spas and clinics around the world are offering hand rejuvenation treatments-- IPLs, fillers, etc!  I've seen hands that have been pumped with injections and they do not look younger!  They just look bloated, distorted and grotesque-- how is that better than a few wrinkles?   I don't know about you but I think this is so lame and I think I'd rather wear gloves and buy really good hand creams (I'm working on a list of my favorites for you this week!).  What about you? 

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Swimming, beaching, hiking, biking-- great fun summer activities that wreak havoc on your manicures and pedicures! If you can't get to the nail salon weekly don't fret, there are many ways to keep your fingers and toes fresh and pretty. You don't have to invest in expensive scrubs or lotions either. I rely on a mixture of olive oil/sugar/lemon juice and a tube of Aquaphor-- it is a miracle balm for both hands and feet and will keep your cuticles hydrated until you can get to the nail salon.

Directions: Mix 1 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of sugar (enough for hands and feet) and a few drops of lemon juice in a bowl (if you squeeze fresh lemon, use the remaining lemon rind on your elbows, knees and heel to exfoliate the rough skin patches there).  Step into tub and scrub feet and legs first.  Apply the balance of scrub to hands, scrubbing gently around cuticles.  Rinse well with water.  Your hands and feet should be silky smooth and oh so soft!

Optional: Rinse nails off with a little soap and water to remove oily residue.  Apply clear coat of polish and voila, insta mani/pedi! 

* Beauty Tip:  Apply Aquaphor daily to hands and feet-- even while traveling and especially before diving into pool to protect the cuticles from drying out and the polish from yellowing.

Aquaphor $5.99 here

Kelly found a way to protect her hands with the Peter Thomas Roth spf powder but I still find that a bit messy.  I've been using Hand Perfection Glovettes daily and love how easy it is to pull on everytime I get in the car!  In the summer months I used to use white cotton gloves (similar to those used by cab drivers in Tokyo) but found that they were slippery (hard to steer with them!) not to mention super hot to use in 100 degree weather.  My hands would get sweaty and I had to wash them almost daily.  I got the Hand Perfection Glovettes last month and never drive without it!  Sure my four year old made fun of me and called me a Cheetah but hey, I'll have baby soft line free hands forever!  The gloves have an open spot where your palm is so you can hold your steering wheel without slipping (so you won't crash your car for the sake of beauty) and the fingers are open so your hands can get air.  Brilliant!  Our fingers curl around the steering wheel anyway, it's the back of them that get the most damage.  Get yourself a pair today, it will be the best summer accessory!   It's designed from opaque spandex which offers your precious paws 100% protection from the sun. $35 at Hand Perfection website!

Driving, the sun, uneven farmer's tan. I am about to pull the typical Asian-lady glove trick while driving. You know, the above the elbow prom dress glove. Or to look slightly less stupid, there is an arm compression sleeve athletes use, but then the hands are exposed. OK, so as you can tell, I've thought a lot about this and have been trying to find an easy, fuss free solution. I have a tube of Natura Bisse Hand Silk Cream with SFP 15 in the car but honestly, I can't be bothered to apply this every time I get in the car. And besides, I don't like having slippery hands when I drive (I have 2 kids in the car, so safety first!). If there were only something I can quickly brush on that won't leave greasy hands! Well, I have found the perfect thing. This Peter Thomas Roth mineral powder is transparent. Unlike other brush on powders, this is not a bronzer or a foundation. It also will not dry out, separate or get so hot and explode in your car. One quick stroke up and down your entire arm and hand - takes literally 5 seconds! A must have for the summer! $30 at Sephora.

Who better than the most successful hand model in the world to develop a system to help us protect our precious paws!?!?  Hand model Ellen Sirot developed a hand saving system so we can achieve model hands daily.  I got her Hand Perfection lotion and moisturizing cleanser in time for the multiple hand washing I've been practicing due to the swine flu scare (I must have washed my hands 30 times today!).  My hands have not suffered from any over dryness at all because Ellen's cleanser leaves them feeling hydrated and conditioned after washing.   And if you want true perfection, apply the Hand Perfection complete day cream($50) and watch your hands reverse time in front of your eyes-- I swear mine looked 10 years younger immediately!  

Specially formulated to protect and preserve the delicate skin of the hands, which all too often look years old than one's chronological age, ELLEN SIROT HAND PERFECTION combines dynamic skincare technology with a bounty of problem-solving ingredients like skin-friendly omega-3 fatty acids, protective antioxidants, uber-moisturizers and amino acids, all painstakingly researched and developed by Ellen herself for her own prized possessions.

ELLEN SIROT HAND PERFECTION includes a Moisturizing (sulfate-free) Cleanser($30), Complete Day Cream(purse size- $30), Nail and Cuticle Oil and Night Solution. ($22) There's also a box of reusable nitrile (latex free) Multi-Task Gloves (to shield hands from enemy #1, water) and an inherently sun protective Glovette in a racy leopard print $35 (to protect them from enemy #2, sun- I need a pair!). The collection arrived at www.handperfection.com this March, you must try these products!  Jump to see a photo of my hand after using the cream.

I'll admit it, when I first heard of Josie Maran's line of products I did not plan to try or buy anything (I know, such the beauty snob huh?!?).  But then I got a sample of the Argan Oil and have decided re-form my opinion on models turned beauty entrepreneurs.  This legendary, lightweight oil, grown organically in Morocco, is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids but does not feel sticky as a lot of E oils do.  I used it this morning as a moisturizer (absorbs amazingly fast) and then used it all over my body from head to toe (including my cuticles) and split ends. For a mom who does not have a lot of time in the morning, this is almost a miracle product.  My skin has had a subtle glow all day but I don't feel greasy. 

Best part is it's 100% organic!  Housed in a recyclable glass bottle with an easy to use applicator, I even used it on my son's rash and the redness went away almost immediatley.  The only drawback is the scent, it stinks.  But god is it good.  Just make sure you spritz on some perfume afterwards.  $48 at Josiemaran.com

Save time and money with the 1 minute Mani/Pedi scrub from Barielle!  The 12oz jar of Dead Sea Salts is a fast-acting exfoliating treatment, it only takes one minute to exfoliate and polish away dry, cracked skin with this luxurious blend of Dead Sea Salts and rich oils. The perfect prep to manicures and pedicures, the exclusive formulation includes the healing and polishing powers of Dead Sea Salts and the hydrating benefits of Soybean, Avocado, Jojoba, Rice Bran and Grape Seed Oils, as well as the ultra-moisturizing effects of Mango Seed Butter. Drench hands and feet in 60 Second Mani-Pedi, concentrating on cuticles and areas prone to dry skin, such as heels, the bottom of feet and backs of hands--even elbows can benefit from this scrub. 60 Second Mani-Pedi's fresh, mandarin scent also offers a relaxing, aromatherapy a-peel!

I love having getting manicures and pedicures but hate that it takes so long to get "groomed". The 60 second mani/pedi is going to be my saviour on days I can't make it to the spa! $25 at Barielle.com

There are many things in life that we simply can not scrimp on-- one of which is a good handcream. The hands will always give away your age so you better take care of them my snobs! I have half a dozen hand creams scattered around-- in my car, on my night stand, on my bathroom counter, under the kitchen sink, in my son's playroom-- you never know when your hands need a moisture boost! 

My latest obsession is the Tensolift Handcream from Natura Bisse that I managed to get a sample of last month; it's pure decadence for your paws! My hands were very dry from the cold weather in NYC but a couple of days of Tensolift upon my return home and they were good as new!  TENSOLIFT HAND CREAM is designed exclusively to FILL,LIFT AND LIGHTEN aging hands and it delivers as promised.

This technologically advanced treatment is formulated with ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid and skin-identical cushioning lipids that fill the skin from within, providing extraordinary volume and smoothness. The anti-oxidant botanical extract obtained from the "Bellis Perennis" flower lightens dark spots, another sign of aging, and prevents the appearance of new ones while evening skin tone and restoring a youthful luminosity. TENSOLIFT HAND CREAM acts as a protective glove throughout the day; it has an extraordinarily silky texture, is water resistant and contains an SPF15.  I started kickboxing recently and my hands are taking the worst beating-- I now use this as a protective glove before I don my boxing gloves!

And don't worry about greasy hands prints on your clothes, its non-oily and lightweight formula disappears into your skin quickly.  Price is $105 but trust me, it's much cheaper than the injectables that women are using to fill their wrinkled and neglected hands ($900 each session).  Tensolift will be available at Neiman Marcus on March 22nd.     

In the Sunday Style section of The New York Times there was a round-up article on nine multi-tasking beauty products and one of them was Revolution Organics All-Over Body Balm, ($28) which I've been meaning to write about! I've been using it on and off for the last few months and it's wonderful for on-the-go moisture. The balm looks like an over-sized chapstick, but the cool thing about it is that it has over 22 different uses (from relieving chapped lips, to soothing dry spots, to nourishing dry cuticles)! Such a useful space-saver in both my bathroom and my handbag. More recently though I tried out the Revolution Organics All-Over Skin Creme, ($33)
which I've been using when I'm on the move as well (it's a travel-friendly size), on my hands (though you can use it anywhere, I don't find it greasy enough to use on my body). It has a lemon meringue pie sort of smell which I surprisingly like (the products are scented only with USDA-certified perfume blends). Plus like all of Revolution Organics products it has a certified organic USDA seal (meaning its held to the same standards as the food we eat), it's free of chemicals, parabens, synthetics, artificial ingredients, and fillers (including water!). All the products in this line come in small packages, but don't be alarmed by the seemingly high prices given their sizes (especially the Skin Creme) -- the products are potent enough that you'll only need a little (remember they don't use fillers!).

I'm leaving for my friend's Marrakesh wedding next week and am already thinking ahead as to what I will be packing! Traveling these days takes way more foresight with all the rules on what you are and aren't allowed to pack and since you can't really take liquids with you on the plane it's a great time to experiment with new products (taping/wrapping/sealing opened products is one of the worst hassles, but the though of spillage in my luggage scares me almost as much as my suitcases being lost!). elizabeth W is a wonderful line I've only recently discovered though from what my perfume expert friend Christine tells me they are very well-known and respected by those in the fragrance industry. They have some wonderful products that come perfectly compact and travel-ready so you can walk the airport with confidence a la Posh Spice, knowing that you'll have everything you need to look glam wherever your destination may be!

I have a weakness for Lavender, so I love the Lavender Eau de Parfum spray, 1/2 fl oz, $20. Though I wouldn't spray this on my body, I love it as a room spritzer (maybe even spritz my area on the airplane...airplane smell makes my stomach turn!). It comes in 10 scents, but as an alternative there's also elizabeth W travel candles, $20.  Jump for more Snob finds!