health and well-being — what, then, must you do to keep your hands beautiful? Here is some advice.

Massage is very beneficial for the beauty of the hands, for it lends them suppleness and makes them soft and pliant, and it helps you correct their flaws and blemishes, such as prominent finger joints, redness, and unusual fleshiness. Use a massage cream if your hand is of the dry type, and talc powder if it is moist with perspiration. And do not forget that the massage should go from the fingertips to the wrist and beyond.

Moist hands are a delicate, embarrassing matter. A friend of mine, an actress famous for the beauty of her hands, told me how she deals with this problem, which is due to enlarged pores. This is her advice: dip your hands for about two minutes in very hot water, then dip them for about another two minutes in a bowl of cold water. After that dry them lightly, then massage them gently, using an astringent solution such as rose water. There are many other solutions for the hands that you may use.

But the beauty of the hands also depends to a great degree on the care given them. Never manicure your nails carelessly; rather take your time in trimming and tinting them before you go out, and arrange a fixed program of your time for their care, setting aside an hour every week and five or ten minutes every morning.

The present fashion decrees that a woman's nails should be long, tapered at the tips, and tinted. This fashion adds to the charm of the long, slender, well-tended hand. But the plump hand needs greater precision than that in its manicure, for the nails must be moderate in their length, their tapering, and the color of their polish, so as to suit the general shape of the hand. And the hand and nails — whether long or short, slender or plump — must be scrupulously clean, for nothing is uglier than tinted nails on a hand that has not been given adequate care.

You must give the weekly manicure your fullest attention. To carry out this operation and the massage, you must first remove all old polish from your nails, then wash your hands in hot water. Everything you will use must be within reach — the massage cream, the talcum powder, the towels, the bowl and hot water, and the manicure implements.

First massage the palm and back of the left hand, using the palm of the right hand, and let the massage be vigorous, from the joints to the wrist. Then begin with each finger and massage it firmly with the ball of your thumb, starting from the tips toward the palm, pressing hard on the joints; and massage the

A drawing by the German artist Albrecht Dürer, made five hundred years ago, depicting an old woman who has clasped her hands in supplication during her prayer. From it, it is plain that the refined hand keeps its beauty even in the days of old age, and bespeaks the personality of its owner.

thumb by the same process. Then stretch and bend each joint of the fingers. Massage each finger from top to bottom in the same way, then rotate it gently using your thumb and finger. Finish this operation by massaging the wrist gently and rotating the hands from the wrist for a minute or two; this operation makes the hand supple.

When you are ready to trim your nails, first dip one hand in a bowl of lukewarm soapy water. Never trim your nails with scissors; use a file instead, filing them from top to bottom, not back and forth, for that leaves the edges of the nails rough. Then use an emery board to complete the operation.

Finally, Madam, remember that brilliant shades of polish and splendid jewels draw all eyes to your hands — so avoid them, unless you are certain that your hands fulfill the conditions of beauty set forth here.