These hand care tips from a hand model will give you soft, supple, and wrinkle-free hands!

Our faces are the first thing others notice or look at, as compared to our hands, but that doesn’t mean that the hands shouldn’t receive the same love and attention when it comes to skincare.

Considering all the work our hands do and how much we rely on them, it’s no wonder they tend to age faster than the rest of our bodies.

The good news is that there are things we can do (and not do) to keep our hands moisturised and looking young! And who better to receive hand care tips from than a hand model?

Content creator Joni (@jonijawne), who happens to also be a hand model, took to TikTok to share all his hand care tips and tricks.

Read on to find out what lifestyle habits you should be adopting because we did a little stalking and research to compile the most important pointers!

What’s the difference between the skin on your face and your hands?

You may think that our faces are the most delicate, but that’s a misconception! In fact, the skin on our hands is a lot more fragile than the skin on our faces.

Our hands’ skin lacks the same volume and cushioning that our faces have. There are also not as many sebaceous glands, which means it can’t produce as much oil to keep itself soft and supple.

Just like the skin on our faces, the skin on our hands thins as we age when the fat in the back of our hands diminishes. This decreased volume and elasticity leads to translucent skin that wrinkles and develops age spots.

Comparatively, our hands are more prone to dryness and cracked surfaces since we do wash them more throughout the day, which can remove the natural oils that lubricate the skin.

Related read: 20 good hand sanitisers that won’t dry out your hands – including alcohol-free options!

How to take care of your hands like a hand model

It’s true, there are environmental stressors that cause ageing and we cannot avoid them entirely. However, there are ways to protect our hands and treat the skin to lessen any negative impacts.

SPF for your hands too!

Sun exposure is one of the top contributing factors that cause ageing in the skin. Photoageing can also happen to your hands, not just your face and neck!

When the collagen in your skin is broken down, your skin’s elasticity is reduced. From there, it’s only natural to see dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles. As much as it’s an Asian delicacy, nobody wants hands that look like wrinkly chicken feet!

So while you’re applying sunscreen to your face, do the same for your hands, as Joni recommends. If the nature of your job or daily activities requires using your hands a lot, opt for a sunscreen that’s non-greasy and fast-absorbing.

Related read: Here’s why you should put sunscreen on your hands when getting a gel manicure! Check out the shocking results

Try: Everyday Humans Oh My Bod! SPF50 Body Sunscreen

This lightweight lotion will nourish your hands with hyaluronic acid and protect them with SPF 50. This 100% invisible sunscreen doesn’t leave a cast and can be used for the face too!

It’s also sweat- and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. What’s more, it’s packed with plant-powered antioxidants from cucumber and green tea to detoxify and moisturise the skin.

Everyday Humans Oh My Bod! SPF50 Body Sunscreen (30ml) retails for S$19 at Sephora.

Also try: Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream with SPF 30.

As a dermatologist-recommended brand, there’s no reason not to trust Eucerin’s SPF hand cream. Made with licochalcone, a skin-soothing licorice root extract, this hand cream is light and emollient.

Your hands won’t feel slimy after application, and it’s budget-friendly, so you can be as generous as you’d like when slathering it on daily!

Eucerin Daily Hydration Hand Cream with SPF 30 retails for S$20.04 at iHerb.

Wear gloves whenever possible

There’s a reason why our mothers, grandmothers, and Korean Ahjummas wear gloves while doing house chores.

Whether you’re cleaning, gardening, or washing dishes, make sure to protect your hands too! Hot water, detergents, and rough yard work can dry your skin and cause it to age quicker than it should.

If you’re driving, it’s also recommended by many dermatologists to wear a thin, sun-protective glove.

Create a skincare routine for your hands

Another huge contributing factor to premature ageing in hands is the lack of moisture. It’s absolutely crucial to keep your hands hydrated for soft, supple hands.

Applying a lotion or cream after washing your hands or bathing can help to trap water in your skin and plump it up. Hence, retaining the skin’s elasticity.

Related read: Hand sanitisers drying out your hands? Here are 26 best hand creams to use!

Why not go the extra step and use whatever skincare products you have for your face on your hands too? Depending on your hand’s needs, you can make some tweaks to your hand care routine.

Retinal can be used to combat fine lines, peptides for loss of elasticity, and vitamin C for age spots.

If you’re new to using skincare on your hands, here’s what hand model Joni does to take great care of his hands.

He starts off with a toner to “wet the skin” and help the skin better absorb any nutrients to come. He uses SOME BY MI’s Beta Panthenol Repair Toner, which contains a mix of probiotics to repair the skin barrier and give lacklustre skin an instant reset.

SOME BY MI Beta Panthenol Repair Toner retails for S$28.57 at YesStyle.

Next, after patting in the toner, he applies a moisturiser above. Here, he uses CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for Dry Skin, which is a barrier-reinforcing cream that’s rich, non-greasy, and fast-absorbing.

It’s developed with dermatologists and provides 24-hour hydration while restoring the skin barrier with three essential ceramides.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for Dry Skin retails for S$29.61 at NTUC FairPrice. A discount is offered at the time of writing. Tap in to see the updated price.

Use hydrating oils for your nails and cuticles

If you’ve been to nail appointments before, you probably would have heard this from your nail tech. Hand care extends to your nails and cuticles too, so pack on the cuticle oil!

Said to be a game-changer, Joni shares that using oils on your nails and cuticles will help keep them hydrated and let them really shine.

He noted that any type of oil can be used, but here he uses Drunk Elephant’s Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil (15ml) retails for S$60 at Sephora.

Try: Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil

For those on a budget, a good nail and cuticle oil to get is Sally Hansen’s. The brand sells all sorts of nail products and has collected years of glowing reviews, so your hands will definitely be taken care of with this oil.

This fast-absorbing vitamin E oil nourishes and strengthens both your nails and cuticles for smoother talons with healthy-looking cuticles.

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil retails for S$12 at Guardian. A discount is offered at the time of writing. Tap in to see the updated price.

Apply an occlusive or petroleum at the end of your hand care routine

Joni finishes off his hand care routine by using “any sort of petroleum or occlusive”. This creates a physical barrier over the skin and traps the moisture in.

Plus, occlusive ingredients can also protect the skin from external irritants like pollen, cold wind, and friction.

However, occlusives or petroleums can be heavy, greasy, or sticky. You can choose to only apply it overnight so that your daily activities won’t be disrupted.

In the TikTok video, Joni uses CeraVe’s Baby Multi-purpose Healing Ointment Cream, which has a silky texture and is used to treat diaper rashes. It’s made with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and ceramides to soothe the skin and maintain its protective barrier.

CeraVe Baby Multi-purpose Healing Ointment Cream retails for S$18.41 at Shopee.

Feature image credit: @missskena/TikTok, @jonijawne/TikTok, @xting06/Tiktok