7 Ways to make your Hands and Feet go Perfectly with your Outfit

The best way to judge a person is by their hands and feet. It tells you the whole story. Do they actually pay attention to the tiny details? Or do they prefer to hide their carelessness (and callouses) behind an expensive pair of Louboutins?

We tend to spend a lot of time on our faces, hair and clothes but not enough time on our hands and feet. The monthly mani-pedi isn’t enough. Your hands and feet require daily love and attention. Here’s how you can up your style quotient with perfectly looking hands and feet.

1. Moisturize. Moisturize. And then moisturize some more.

Most people don’t moisturize their hands as they tend to get too sticky and they find it quite messy to use their phones or laptops, hold their bag, or ever the steering wheel. Same thing with feet – it gets too slippery, it destroys expensive shoes, makes feet dirty… A long list of (valid) reasons.

But if you don’t moisture, your hands will reveal your real age (something you’re desperately trying to hide). And your feet will crack and look terrible in your gorgeous shoes.

The trick is to use only non-greasy or gel moisturizers during the day that are absorbed in a flash. And save the thick, greasy, buttery, oil-based moisturizers for bedtime. Slap it on right before sleeping. Don’t forget to rub it into your cuticles and nails to keep them healthy. Then just put on some socks and gloves and you will have noticeably more youthful, softer and prettier hands and feet – in just a week’s time.

Tip: Keep a lotion by your sink so you can get into the habit of applying it every time after you wash and dry your hands.

Tip: Treat your limbs to an intensive treatment once a week or whenever you have a big day coming up. Cover your hands and feet with olive oil, then rub coconut oil into your cuticles and nails, follow this up with a thick layer of cocoa butter and then finish it off with a light layer of Vaseline. Baby soft skin guaranteed – that too overnight!

2. Use Sunscreen. Every. Single. Day.

We’ve all seen super stylish celebrities with crêpe-y hands that have brown spots on them. That’s all thanks to the sun.

The sun ages thin skin (on top of your hands and feet), causing those nasty wrinkles and brown spots, making you look much older than you really are.

Your best bet is to prevent it from happening. So apply a sunscreen liberally. Don’t neglect your feet either. If you wear sandals often, your feet need to be covered with sunscreen too. This prevents your feet from getting those horrid sandal tan lines too.

Tip: Keep a travel-size tube of sunscreen in your handbag. Or a small tube of hand cream that contains SPF 15 or more will also do.

3. Reduce wrinkles, spots and pigmentation.

Ok so you’re already seeing some sun damage on your hands. Don’t fret. You can lessen the spots and lines by using an anti-aging face cream that contains retinol. Retinol is the magic ingredient that reduces fine lines and hyperpigmentation. If you don’t want to spend too much, buy a cheaper drugstore version. Just remember to use it every night for at least a month to see a real difference.

4. Exfoliate for smoothness.

Exfoliation at least once week is a must. When you exfoliate, you slough off all the dead skin that accumulates on top to reveal smooth new skin. If you don’t remove that layer of skin, the lotion wont work as well as it should and you won’t get the results you’re looking for.

From your kitchen: Mix 1 tsp of sugar with 1 tsp of olive oil and gently scrub your hands and feet in a circular motion. Olive oil is packed with moisturizing omega-3 fatty acids, while the sugar buffs away all rough, dry skin.

5. Make your nails super strong.

Brittle, chipped, yellow nails are an absolute fashion faux pas.
So how do you prevent them from breaking? By keeping them moisturized. The more moisture your nails have, the less likely they are to break.

So make sure you rub in moisturizer or oil and seal it with Vaseline to keep your tips in tip-top condition.

Tip: Chop and add tiny pieces of garlic in your transparent nail polish. Garlic makes nails super strong and resistant to breaking. When you apply it, it will stink for just a few minutes and then the smell will disappear. Give it a shot. The pros outweigh the cons.

6. Take your vitamins.

Pregnant women swear their nails grow faster, are stronger and shinier. It’s not really the pregnancy, it’s the prenatal supplements that are responsible for the lovely talons. A shortage of Vitamin B and Omega 3 leads to ridged nails, while a calcium deficiency can make your nails brittle and dry that chip off easily. So pop a fish oil and calcium supplement everyday to get the healthiest nails ever.

7. Get a monthly manicure and pedicure.

This is one treat you just shouldn’t skip. And why would you? The pampering session is exactly what the doctor ordered.
A regular mani-pedi keeps your nails neat, clean and healthy. What you don’t realize is that apart from cutting your nails and cuticles, you are also removing the fungus trapped in your nail bed. Oh, and that heavenly stress relieving massage also improves blood circulation and tightens your skin. Perfection!

Now that your hands and feet look like a million bucks, it’s time to put together that killer ensemble and make a real statement.

This post was guest-authored by beauty blogger Delara Lalwani. Check out more beauty tips, tricks and advice at www.thebeautywonderland.com.

Photo Credits: Madison