When men's grooming is discussed, the conversation usually stops at the beard, the hair and the oiliness of the skin. The hands are hardly ever mentioned. Yet the hand that shakes another's hand, the hand on the keyboard, the hand that points to a figure on a page, is among the most visible parts of the body in any working day.
The structure of the hand does not differ much between men and women. The back of the hand has little sebum and thin skin; it meets washing, wet work, UV light and friction every day, and dryness and dullness appear there sooner than on the face. If men's hands sometimes look rougher, the reason is simply that they are less often cared for.
This article looks at why hand beauty rarely lasts for men, sets out three conditions that let it last regardless of gender, and considers the hands in a business setting.
Three reasons men's hand care does not last
Plenty of men have used a hand cream at some point. Ask why it did not become a habit and the answers gather around three things.
The first is stickiness. A texture that makes you hesitate before touching a keyboard, a phone or a door handle cannot be used at work. What cannot be used ends up at the back of a drawer.
The second is fragrance. Many men dislike a sweet, strong scent lingering on their hands, and some would rather not have any scent rising from their hands in a meeting. Avoiding fragranced products often turns into avoiding hand care altogether.
The third is the length of the routine. A multi-step regimen of the kind used on the face does not transfer to the hands. If it cannot be done in a single movement, it does not become a habit.
Three conditions that work for anyone
Turn those three reasons inside out and the conditions for lasting hand care appear. No stickiness, a fragrance that is not overpowering, and a short routine. Care that meets these conditions is not so much for men as for every busy person.
No stickiness. A beauty serum for the hands, built on water and beauty ingredients, sinks in lightly and lets you return to the keyboard or the paperwork immediately. Keep a 30 mL bottle in the desk drawer or the bag and all that is needed after washing is to reach for it.
A fragrance that is not overpowering. A scent designed to be enjoyed close to the hands does not spread the way a perfume does; it is noticed only when the hand comes near. Choose a calm fragrance and there is no reason to hesitate even in a business setting.
A short routine. Take one or two pearl-sized drops on the back of the hand, bring the hands together to spread it, and work it in between the fingers and around the nails. Under a minute. In the morning, after washing, and before bed is enough. We have written more about care at work in hand beauty at the office.
Hands in a business setting
A handshake, an exchange of business cards, a finger on a figure, a hand lifting a glass. At work, the hands move constantly just below the face, near the centre of the other person's view. Without meaning to, that person notices a dry, rough back of the hand or a split cuticle.
The impression the hands make depends less on age than on whether they are cared for. A moist, smooth hand looks composed in any movement. Among the elements of a man's appearance usually summed up as neatness, the hands are easily overlooked and reliably seen.
There is a practical side to this as well. Hands that are comfortable are hands that move freely. Skin that is tight across the knuckles, or split at the fingertips, makes a person hold the hand slightly stiffly without noticing, and that stiffness reads as tension to the person opposite. Keeping the hands supple is, in a quiet way, part of appearing at ease.
A word about the sun. Driving, or in meetings held outdoors, the backs of the hands receive more sunlight than the face. It is recommended to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher to the backs of the hands every morning and reapply roughly every two hours outdoors. Most spots on the backs of the hands are attributed to UV light, and daily reapplication is the basis of prevention.
Something the whole household can use
Some men feel that buying a new set of products for themselves alone is more trouble than it is worth. Unisex products answer that. A hand soap on the washstand shared by the family, a serum used from the same bottle. When a product suits any gender and any age, hand care stops being one person's habit and becomes the household's.
A gentle formula suitable for sensitive skin and children can be used by anyone in the family. If a product does not agree with the skin, stop using it and consult a dermatologist if necessary.
How Soie sees it
Soie's products are designed unisex and suit men as well. Enlight Hand Serum, a beauty serum made only for the hands, sinks in without stickiness, so it is easy to use at work or before picking up a phone, and its fragrance is pitched to be enjoyed close to the hands. Moist Fragrance Hand & Body Soap, which moisturises with every wash, can be shared at the basin and used on the body too.
Gender has nothing to do with hand beauty. The only questions are whether the texture is usable and whether the routine can be kept. For tomorrow's handshake, one drop on the back of the hand tonight. Start there.
