Suppleness and softness are among the qualities of beautiful hands, and this is a truth no woman is unaware of. So to preserve the freshness of your hands, strengthen their muscles with massage after every tiring task. Take two minutes of your time for these exercises:
1: Massage each of your fingers with the greatest care, and likewise the wrist and the palm.
2: Stretch out your fingers and count to twenty, then rest them. Repeat this twice.
3: Guard your hands against roughness: begin your day with a lotion that stands as a barrier against the effects of weather and work upon them.
4: Dry them well, for dampness causes the skin to crack.
5: If you feel dryness or roughness in your hands, rub them with a cream at night and put on gloves.
6: Avoid putting them in hot water, and if you do, wear rubber gloves.
7: Keep them as far as possible from dirty work; the hard scrubbing you are forced into to remove certain stains harms your hands and your nails.
8: When cleaning a dry or dusty place, such as the stove, wear gloves — and likewise when cleaning the bathroom, the sink, and the dishes.
9: After you wash your hands with soap, make sure to remove it thoroughly by dipping them in plain water.
10: Avoid hard water. Rub them with salt or lemon after cutting onions and garlic, then perfume your palms with eau de cologne.
11: Do not let your nails grow longer than your work allows, and keep them clean.
12: Polish is necessary for the nails, to keep them from breaking, so that they remain strong and resistant; but it is essential to choose the color that suits you.