How can I make my hands look younger?

Our hands age faster than our faces, but they are often overlooked. Frequent handwashing, exposure to disinfectants and chemicals, and exposure to sun all take their toll. I, for one, am not throwing my hands up without a fight. From home kits to professional treatments, here’s my guide to turning back the clock.

First, you’ve got to level up your suncare game. More often than not, daily face and body sunscreens prove too sticky or oily for hands. Supergoop! Hand Screen SPF40 (£19.95 for 30ml) protects against excess melanin production that can cause age and liver spots, and is rich in natural antioxidants like sea buckthorn fruit extract and argan oil – providing hydration without the greasy slip. 

Apply a few drops of vitamin C to the back of the hands to combat age spots – or lentigo – that often appear as tiny speckled freckles and in time grow and group together. Wait 30 seconds for it to dry before applying a hand cream. Try a super-charged formula like Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C serum (£58 for 30ml). When layered under SPF, vitamin C’s wrinkle and sun-defence properties are amplified.

Supergoop! Hand Screen SPF40, £19.95 for 30ml

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C serum, £58 for 30ml

Layered under SPF, vitamin C’s wrinkle and sun-defence properties are amplified

To help avoid wrinkles, look for hand products with retinol. The backs of our hands don’t have the cushioning, fatty tissue of the palms or the balls of the fingers, and as elastin and collagen is lost over time, the skin thins and almost takes on a translucent quality. There also aren’t as many sebaceous glands, which means local skin can’t make as much oil to keep itself soft and supple. But dry skin is fertile ground for wrinkles. Chantecaille Retinol Hand Cream (£74 for 75ml) has a genius blend of soothing rose, softening vitamin E, botanically derived vitamin A and retinol.

Chantecaille Retinol Hand Cream, £74 for 75ml

Rituals The Ritual of Jing Hand Mask, £12.90 for 70ml

I also swear by a super-rich and nourishing overnight treatment. Bioeffect EGF Hand Serum (£39 for 40ml) is my bedside companion. It contains epidermal growth factors, which have long been used by medical practitioners for wound healing and cell regulation, and they’re a welcome ingredient for overworked hands. Meanwhile, niacinamide evens out brown spots; hyaluronic acid hydrates; and ceramide moisturises.

Loose skin or advanced hyperpigmentation? Follow the serum with Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Spot Correcting Hand Cream (€13 for 50ml); its patented Viniferine ingredient (derived from vine sap) is great for correcting dark spots. 

Don’t forget to de-stress your hands. Stress releases cortisol, which breaks down collagen in the skin, causing wrinkles and sagging. Massage in Rituals’ The Ritual of Jing Hand Mask (£12.90 for 70ml) once a week: its sandalwood and lavender fragrance helps clear the mind, reduce stress and improve sleep quality. Microbiome-friendly active ingredients also strengthen the skin barrier – and are great for softening nail cuticles.

If you are really worried about loss of volume, then fillers may help. Dr Ash Soni, founder of The Soni Clinic, says patients are “starting to pay attention to their hands. For years they have focused more on face and neck treatments, meaning the disparity between their face and hands is becoming hard to ignore”. His go-to injectable is Restylane Vital Light by Galderma. To boost collagen and elastin try tissue-regenerating polynucleotide injections, derived from salmon DNA. “More a time-release injectable than an instant plumper, polynucleotides are great for those looking to start preventative rejuvenation at cellular level.”

Acqua di Parma Sublime Hand Cream Le Nobili, £38 for 30ml

Byredo Mojave Ghost Hand Cream, £35 for 30ml

Lastly, it should go without saying, but do make applying hand cream a daily ritual. One favourite is Acqua di Parma Sublime Hand Cream (£38 for 30ml). Jojoba oil and vitamin E offer protection from environmental stressors like cold, heat, and air con. And the magnolia and Sicilian lemon scent is delicious. Another is Byredo Mojave Ghost Hand Cream (£35 for 30ml), which has a warm woody scent. I apply them immediately after handwashing, to lock in moisture.