Female models and staff at Talent Management try to take good care of their hands – as we all know, they are thought to be the most accurate indicator of a woman’s age, and for that reason tips on keeping them young-looking are always welcome! With this in mind we thought you may like to hear our favourite hand and nail care tips, and keep yours looking their best for longer.

Wear rubber gloves
Get into the habit of wearing gloves when doing any kind of housework. Cleaning products and dirt are harsh on the skin and nails, so protect them every time. You can even make doing the housework into a treat for your hands by applying your favourite moisturiser every time, before you put on the gloves!

Dry your hands thoroughly
Always dry your hands carefully after a shower or bath and finish with moisturiser – and to avoid damaging your nails NEVER file them until they are completely dry.

Enjoy a healthy diet
Make sure you get plenty of biotin (a B vitamin), calcium and zinc into your diet. Biotin will strengthen your nails and can be found in leafy green vegetables, peanuts, egg yolk and liver. Calcium is possibly the most important supplement for women over 30 – it keeps your bones strong and of course, your nails, and is present in most dairy products, seaweeds and nuts. White spots on the nails may indicate a zinc deficiency – boost your levels by eating seeds, beans and nuts.

Keep your hands hydrated
Use a good moisturiser on your hands every day – ensuring that your daytime choice contains a minimum SPF of 20. At night use a nourishing hand cream and once a week finish with oil (vitamin E or even olive oil). For deep conditioning, weara pair of cotton gloves over this treatment throughout the night.

File your nails correctly
To keep your nails at their strongest, file in one direction rather than using a ‘sawing’ back and forth action, which will make them weaker and more prone to breakage.

Look after your cuticles
Gently push your cuticles back after a shower or bath. You may do this with a towel while drying them, or use an orange stick with a little cotton wool wrapped around the end. Be gentle or you will damage them. Never cut your cuticles. Try massaging around the nail and cuticle with vitamin E oil for conditioning.

Always use a base coat
When painting your nails, always use a base coat to avoid staining them with the colour coat. Try to go for something nourishing and strengthening. Talent Management loves Sally Hansen products, such as ‘Diamond strength Instant Nail Hardener’.

Avoid polish removers containing acetone or formaldehyde
Acetone and formaldehyde are extremely drying for nails. Use acetate-based removers instead.