Face apart, the hands are probably the most ‘on show’ part of the body, so why are they also one of the most neglected areas?

Showering, washing up, cleaning, taking the kids swimming… Hands take on the stresses and strains of everyday life 24/7, so isn’t it time they were better taken care of? Here’s how to get your customers to take superior care of their hands and nails, with our top 10 guide.

1. Encourage daily attention

Most people have good intentions when it comes to looking after their hands and nails but those intentions often fall by the wayside. Bioderma’s Atoderm Hands & Nails is an all in one protection product which can be used daily. It is non-oily, hypoallergenic, and helps to soften hands and protect nails from damage. Camille Poggi is the training manager at Bioderma and she told Beauty Magazine: “Hands and nails are weakened daily by many aggressors and with a very thin skin similar to that on the face, it is a daily necessity to take care of our hands. In addition, the first signs of ageing usually appear on our hands in the form of dark spots.

“Our tip would be to wear gloves not only when it is cold, but also rubber ones while using household cleaning products and to follow each hand wash with an application of our Atoderm Hands & Nails. We would also recommend a final application before going to sleep at night and use of a daily sunscreen which is suitable for hands such as Bioderma Photoderm Spot, which can ward off the appearance of dark spots on the hands.”

Recommend: Bioderma Atoderm Hands & Nail (RRP £4.90)

2. Hydrate nails and cuticles

With summer fast approaching it’s important to get nails in tip top shape for showcasing a plethora of new summer colours. Hydration is something that customers should be aware of when it comes to nail care, as a healthy and hydrated nail bed will promote strong, smooth nails, reduce ridging and improve cuticle appearance. Soaking nails in olive oil once a week will also have a beneficial effect.

Recommend: OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil (RRP £16.95)

3. Increase nail shine

Healthy nails looks their best when they are shiny, so manicurists will often recommend the use of a nail buffer, not only to file and keep nails in shape, but also to add polish and shine. Buffing also stimulates blood circulation at the base of the nail, which encourages healthy growth. Remind your customers that, as with filing, buffing should be done in one direction only.

Recommend: Leighton Denny Trio Buffer (RRP £5); Mavala Nail Care Nail Buffer Kit (RRP £16)

4. Vote vegetarian

Many more consumers are now opting for vegetarian choices when it comes to their beauty products and this applies to hand creams too. ORGANii products are both organically certified and suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and two new hand creams are launching this month. Liz Earle products are largely suitable for vegetarians and her Orange Flower Hand Repair continues to fly off the shelves with those seeking to align their beauty choices with their culinary ones.

Recommend: ORGANii Hand Cream, in Sensitive and Regular variants (RRP £2.95); Liz Earle Orange Flower Hand Repair (RRP £10.50)

5. Soapy success story

The market for soaps and hand washes has really stepped up in recent years and on the theme of choosing ethically, customers might want to opt for something from the Soap Co range which bills itself as “luxury skin care that is good and does good”. Based in East London, with a traditional workshop in The Lake District, the company prides itself on its strong social and environmental ethos. Soap Co provides training and work opportunities for those who are visually impaired, have disabilities or are disadvantaged and offers a range of soaps and hand washes, with Black Poppy and Wild Fig Hand Wash a particular hit with customers.

Recommend: Soap Co Black Poppy & Wild Fig Handwash (RRP £12) with refills available; Soap Co Geranium and Rhubarb Soap (RRP £9)

6. Buzzing for bees

When it comes to key ingredients in hand care products, nothing beats beeswax which makes an appearance time and again for its soothing and nourishing properties. Recommend your customer invest in a beeswax-based product to avoid flaking skin and chapped cuticles – it will also smell pretty great too, and the packaging is normally an attractive addition to any bathroom shelf or handbag!

Recommend: Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme (RRP £7); Crabtree & Evelyn All Purpose Balm (with beexwax and shea butter) (RRP £9)

7. Get professional

Renowned podiatrist Margaret Dabbs has just launched what she calls ‘The Face Lift For hands’, a professional treatment that seeks to combat the signs of ageing on hands. The first part of the treatment involves state of the art lasers to reduce or remove wrinkles, tighten the skin and even out the skin tone, while the second involves using Dabbs’ anti-ageing hand serum to leave skin soothed and protected. The complete recommended treatment course is six sessions of 50 minutes each, carried out three to four weeks apart.

Recommend: Course of six treatments (RRP £750)

The hottest nail shades right now

 

Leighton denny – Havana Heat. This tropical-inspired collection gets its hues from the “colours, sights and fiestas of Cuba’s Capital City”. Shades to watch are Firecracker (a fiery coral) and Fever Pink (a hot magenta). (RRP £12

OPI – Lisbon. Another set of nail hues inspired by a capital city, OPI’s latest offering boasts its own punchy red in the form of A Red-Vival City and a coastal sea green in Closer Than You Might Belém, which also comes with its own Infinite Shine variant (RRP from £12.95)

Rimmel London – Supergel Red Instinct by Rita Ora (two shades of Red Instinct and Crimson Love) and 60 Seconds, Rita’s Shades of Black (black is most definitely back this season) are the standout launches here. (RRP from £2.99)

ORLY – Pastel City Collections, inspired by Los Angeles. The LaLa Land set of four polishes includes a dreamy blue and a soft lilac tone. (RRP £15 for four shades

8. Breathable beauty

All customers like products which do two things in one, so one surefire recommendation has to be ORLY’s Breathable Treatment and Colour which hit the shelves in the last 12 months. It pitches itself as the first ever professional treatment and colour in one product, promising the strength-boosting formula that one would get from a nail treatment, combined with a pop of colour. Available in a huge range of 18 shades, the product features ORLY’s Advanced Oxygen Technology which allows oxygen to pass through the colour and penetrate the nail itself, promoting nail growth and increasing nail thickness.

Recommend: ORLY Breathable Treatment and Colour (RRP £12)

9. Nine-free is the magic number

Benecos nail polishes are a great choice for the customer who does not want to pollute their nails with all sorts of nasties which can be found in traditional nail polishes. Graeme Hume is the managing director for Pravera, the UK distributor for Benecos, and he told Beauty Magazine: “Our nail range offers up to 90% vegetable/mineral based ingredients using innovative formulas that have low solvent (for drying purposes) yet still perform to customer expectations; as well as being free from the ‘nine chemicals’ such as camphor, formaldhyde, silicones and so on which are present in most other brands.

“We have also developed our own nail polish remover brand, based on orange oil, to remove the colour, as there is no need for the volatile acetate-based nail removers commonly used.”

Recommend: Benecos Nail Polishes (RRP £6.95)

10. Back to basics 

Nail care supremo Leighton Denny has rolled out two core products in his expert Nails range to target basic nail health, and both are worth a recommendation. Rock Solid contains silk fibres to form a protective coating over weak nails, leaving them stronger and healthier, while Bare It All contains marula oil (another much-touted nail care ingredient) to leave nails nourished and provide an entirely even nail base ready for a splash of colour.

Recommend: Leighton Denny Rock Solid (RRP £12); Leighton Denny 

The first signs of ageing usually appear on our hands in the form of dark spots