How to anti-age hands like Anthea
( WITHOUT THE FILLERS )
EyES are the windows to the soul, and hands without doubt are the indicator of true age. Nothing says ‘whoops’ like a smooth face and the gnarled hands of a fairy tale witch. Such was the fear of 58-year-old TV presenter Anthea Turner (left), who revealed she’d had a £475 filler treatment on her hands to smooth out wrinkles (right). ‘ They were my biggest giveaway!’ she said. ‘I’d become a tiny bit selfconscious of them in recent years. I’m delighted — I think they look much younger now.’
Dr Alexis Granite, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, says. ‘The skin on the back of the hands is particularly thin, and although it doesn’t age more quickly than the face, not only are they in constant use, they’re also exposed to the elements. I see many patients who say they don’t like them, especially crepey skin and liver spots.’
But you don’t have to blow £500 on invasive procedures to turn back the clock — here Dr Granite explains which noninvasive approaches and products may help . . .
RETINOL REPAIR
EXPERT: ‘If you’re going to use a dedicated anti- ageing ingredient on your hands, retinol is probably the best option. Versions formulated for hands tend to be more moisturising, which is beneficial as retinol can be drying.
TRY: Goldfaden MD Hands To Heart, £35, spacenk.com/uk, contains retinol, niacinamide to brighten skin and hyaluronic acid to moisturise.
SMOOTH AS CREAM
EXPERT: ‘Look for creams that feature exfoliants such as urea, and emollients such as hyaluronic acid or ceramides. They are inexpensive but effective.’
TRY: Eucerin UreaRepair Plus 5% Urea Hand Cream, £5.66, escentual.
com. Ideal for rough and cracked skin. No colour or fragrance.
FRUIT ACIDS
EXPERT: ‘AHAs, or fruit acids, offer gentle exfoliation over time by gently dissolving the “glue” between dead skin cells.’
TRY: Murad Rejuvenating AHA Hand Cream, £25, murad.co.uk, contains glycolic acid to improve skin texture and tone, along with a hyaluronic acid- rich botanical extract for hydration.
MOISTURE BARRIER
EXPERT: ‘ If you have extreme dryness, look for a rich cream packed with waxy emollients, such as olive oil. The oily skin layer acts as a barrier, and when dehydrated can become cracked and painful.
TRY: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, £ 22, kiehls. co. uk, which contains botanical oils and natural wax derived from olive oil.
EXFOLIATE YOURSELF
EXPERT: ‘Gently removing dead skin cells makes skin appear brighter and feel smoother, and may allow other products to penetrate more effectively.’
TRY: L’Occitane One Minute Hand Scrub, £16, uk.loccitane.com. A combination of crushed husks and shea butter gently removes dead skin cells. Or make your own with coarse sea salt and olive oil.
MASK THE SIGNS
EXPERT: ‘A mask may help deliver hydration and a concentrated dose of active ingredients to parched skin on hands.’ TRY: Hand Restoring Dry Mask by Swiss Clinic, £24, One of the most popular developments of the past couple of years has been the dry face mask — and now it’s available as a sheet which you loop around your hands and massage to activate the treatment. Contains stearic acid to remove dirt.
SPOT THE TRUTH
EXPERT: ‘Nothing says “too much sun” like ageing spots on hands, so remember sun protection is as helpful on the hands as anywhere else.’
TRY: Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Anti-Ageing Hand Cream SPF25, £4.79, boots.com. This has glycerin to moisturise, and active soy, which helps reduce the appearance of brown spots.
PRICEY YET DIVINE
EXPERT: ‘Some people loathe the feeling of hand cream on their palms, so if you can find an alternative delivery system, it’s an ideal solution.’
TRY: 320MHz Rose Otto Revive Hand and Nail Recovery Serum Oil, £48, plantmebotanics.com. The roller ball application means you can apply to backs of hands. Smells divinely of roses and is superbly moisturising.
GLOVES ON
EXPERT: ‘For patients with very dry skin or eczema, I often suggest a thick emollient followed by cotton gloves, which help the moisturiser to penetrate more effectively.’
TRY: The Body Shop Thirsty Hands Moisture Gloves, £7, thebodyshop.
com. Apply hand cream and slip these on before bed. Not a come hither look, but they’ll look softer in the morning.