Tips on pampering your skin from the world’s most sought-after set of hands
Your hands say a lot about you, so it’s a shame that they are one of the most neglected parts of the body in terms of skincare. With the constant cycle of washing and wringing your hands undergo daily, they can easily end up chapped and wrinkly in the winter.
If there’s one person qualified to lecture us on hand care, it would be renowned parts model Adele Uddo. Her slender fingers, long nailbeds — and, above all, impeccably maintained skin — have lent her glamorous job opportunities around the world.
Uddo’s hands can be seen in ad campaigns for high-end brands — Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Louboutin, to name a few — and in numerous print editorials, where her famous appendages have caressed the chiselled features of Hugh Jackman and Patrick Dempsey. When she’s not busy lending a hand to Hollywood royalty, Uddo spends her time in Los Angeles formulating her all-natural face and body lotion, Essentiel by Adele.
The industry veteran is letting us in on all of her beauty secrets. Read on for simple steps to keeping your hands baby soft and camera-ready.
Photographed by Lorin Crosby for Lisa Nik
Nourish on Damp Skin
After a shower is prime time for lotion application. According to Uddo, rubbing in oils or body milks within the 30 second frame while the skin is still damp helps lock in the moisture. “I sometimes don’t fully dry my hands after washing them to create that special window for plumping the skin,” says Uddo. “I’d message the excess onto my elbows — typically a dehydrated region — so nothing goes to waste.” Refined from Tahitian gardenias and coconuts, the NARS Monoï Body Glow II will give your skin a drink of water, along with a subtle fragrance perfect for bedtime.
Go Natural
Uddo will give any hydrating agent a try by pouring it over her hands — even olive oil from the kitchen. This experimental attitude has led to her discovery of the right substances that will naturally hydrate. Look out for safe and nourishing ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and Vitamin-E oil when you shop for products. The LUSH From Dusk 'Til Dawn Massage Bar contains a number of those ingredients as well as a range of invigorating essential oils.
Support with Supplements
What goes inside your body matters as much as the things you put over it. Apart from clean eating, Uddo supplements her diet with multivitamins and Young Living’s Sulfurzyme, a combination of wolfberry and MSM (dietary sulphur). According to Uddo, the inspiration stems from the sulphuric baths used by ancient Romans to beautify their skin. The third most abundant mineral in the body, sulphur is most concentrated in skin, hair and nails and is essential for collagen production.
Keep it Tiny and Often
“Having tiny bottles of lotion in easy-to-access places — like next to your computer or by the bed — makes a huge difference,” says Uddo, who moisturises her hands nearly ten times a day. While you’re applying sunscreen on your face, remember that your hands need sun protection equally, if not more. The La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Hand Cream has a SPF 15 rating and comes in a compact and lightweight tube.
Don’t Forget the Nails
From her experience of working with the world’s premier nail polish labels and manicurists, Uddo has come to learn that an oval or almond shaped nail is least prone to breakage. Square tips easily result in jagged edges, therefore increasing their vulnerability. Invest in a cuticle oil that fortifies nails against harsh winter elements and be consistent about applying them every night. Dr. Hauschka’s Neem Nail & Cuticle Oil contains all-natural leaf and floral extracts that will enhance growth. Just remember to give your toes the same amount of love.