Ask any image consultant what men need to pay most attention to and they’ll probably tell you that it’s their hands. Most of us don’t give them a second thought yet they’re constantly on display and whether you’re on a date of in a business meeting you can bet you’re life they’ll be scrutinised. Here’s a three-point plant to ensure yours come up to scratch.

 

1. Cut to the chase.  The state of your nails speaks volumes about who you are. Leave them grubby and untrimmed and the signal you give out is that you’re lax about personal hygiene and are happy to neglect the finer details. So to keep nails neat use special nail scissors or clippers (do this immediately after a bath or shower when they’ll be softer) and always cut them squarely across the top. Never trim them down the sides or you’ll risk painful hangnails. Instead round off the corners and smooth the edges with an emery board or nail file working from the outside edges in. For the perfect nail grooming kit invest in Merkur’s Milano Luxury Grooming Set.

 

2. Be a real softie.  Everyday life can be hard on hands. Soaps, detergents, gym equipment and, er, hours on the Playstation can all take their toll on your skin so keep it presentable by removing dead skin and calluses with a little facial scrub once a week. Keep hands supple with a daily application of hand cream and improve the look of grubby cuticles (the skin around the nail bed) with L'Occitane’s Nail & Cuticle Cream.

 

3. Avoid spots of bother.  Formed by clumps of melanin (the pigment that gives you a suntan), liver or ‘age’ spots are the result of prolonged sun exposure. To prevent them use a hand cream with a built in sunscreen like Molton Brown’s Naran Ji Soothing Hand Lotion.

 

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