Are your hands ready to the summer?

Groomed hands
Summer puts the body back on show, including hands and feet. Your hands work hard for you, so take care of them.Manicured hands are essential for a well-groomed appearance. The secret to a good manicure is the correct equipment, quality products and patience. Perfect nails should not be rushed.

Step-by-step guide to beautiful nails:
1. Remove old nail polish with a cotton ball dipped in acetone-free nail-polish remover.
2. Make sure you always file your nails in one direction only.
3. The fashionable nail shape right now is the 'squoval', a cross between a square and an oval. This shape has been proven to give nails the most strength to ensure they don't break easily.
4. Soak your fingers in a pampering nail soak.
5. Apply a cuticle cream according to the instructions on the packaging and gently push back your cuticles.
6. Apply a nail cream or nail oil and massage each nail and cuticle to improve circulation and growth, and relieve dryness.
7. Apply a good hand cream to your hands to help prevent premature ageing.
8. Get rid of any excess oil by cleaning your nails with an acetone-free nail-polish remover.
9. Apply a base coat.
10. Apply one coat of nail polish.
11. Wait until completely dry and apply a second coat.
12. Apply a topcoat once the second coat is completely dry.
Think about it:
When manicuring your nails, consider your lifestyle, habits and environment. For example, if you use your hands a lot – typing, working with children or nursing – rather go for natural, short nails. Also keep in mind any sport or hobbies you enjoy, and what would be best suited to those pursuits. If you live in a harsh environment or regularly work outdoors, your hands and nails will need a weekly regime of nourishing and soaking.
Good idea:
Microwave two plastic sandwich bags filled with some hand cream for three seconds. Put your hands into the bags for five minutes, then gently push back your cuticles with an orange stick wrapped in cotton wool.
Pampering nail soak:
1 cup of bottled water
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
10 drops lemon essential oil
Soak your fingers in this energising mixture for about 10 minutes.

Time on your hands

In your 20s:
Prevention is better than cure.Get into the habit now of applying sunscreen to the back of your hands after you've applied it to your face. When you're driving, your hands are constantly exposed on the steering wheel, because UVA penetrates through glass.
By protecting your hands now, you'll prevent pigmentation blotches later, which can be time-consuming and costly to erase.
Products to try:
Revlon Nail Care De-Aging Hand Cream with SPF 10 R59,95.

In your 30s:
Beautiful hands in a hurry.Keep a tube of hand cream next to your hand basin, next to your bed and in your car – and apply it often.
But if your hands seem beyond repair, book a specialised manicure: Warm oil is massaged onto your hands and then they're dipped in paraffin wax to boost the effect (your hands heat up in the wax). It's the best way to get beautiful hands... fast.
Products to try:
Essie The Cuticle Pen R137. No bottle, no spills, so keep it in your handbag to apply to dry cuticles. Jessica Nail Whitener R99. A quick coat gives nails a groomed, glossy appearance. Medisan Waterless Hand Cleanser R8,95. Keep this product in your bag to clean your hands anywhere; it won't leave them feeling parched.

In your 40s:
Banish blotchy pigmentation.Regular exfoliation will keep your hands looking smooth and youthful. It removes dry skin, and also improves the appearance of superficial blotchiness caused by pigmentation.
A hand cream that contains antioxidants, retinol or hydroxy acids will also help, but it needs to be applied regularly.
Cape Town dermatologist Dr Ean Smit recommends microdermabrasion to treat pigmentation. IPL is another option. You should see results after the first of these non-invasive treatments, but subsequent treatments might be necessary if blotches are large or numerous.
It is very important to apply a sunblock after IPL or microdermabrasion to prevent pigmentation from returning or intensifying.
Products to try:
Sally Hansen Age Correct Retinol Hand Créme R81,95.

In your 50s:
Help for bony hands.With age, the layer of dermal fat that gives the skin its cushioning diminishes, so hands and feet look bonier and blood vessels become more obvious. Fat can be injected into the hands to soften the boniness, but respected South African plastic surgeon Dr Gavin Morrison recommends caution. 'One needs to be careful with hands, as their primary purpose is function. Also, because fat takes best where there is some subcutaneous tissue in which to site it, the risk is irregularity.'

The Art of Nails By Jacqui Jefford

Jacqui Jefford has now held her position of professional excellence within the nail industry for over twenty years. Jacqui is widely renowned as a nail art authority, her work recognised as pioneering and her style and creativity highly sought after by an extensive A-list clientele.
The Art of Nails presents five cutting-edge collections. Demonstrating 28 exciting styles in step by step detail, she offers a remarkable blend of glamour and inspiration invaluable to anyone who shares Jacqui’s passion for nails. Styles range from fashion to fancy dress and all showcase stunning photography. Expert explanations make her incredible work achievable to fellow nail art lovers.