© Oleg Ivanov | Dreamstime.com
Last weekend I paid 55 euro for a manicure. Extravagant, I know, but as any woman worth her salt will tell you, hands are the first thing to go – well first visible thing to go – and mine were a mess through neglect, bleach, gardening, and various other forms of abuse.
So the manicure had been in the back of my mind for some time. I kind of expected to have my hands lovingly immersed in that hot paraffin wax stuff that they sometimes use, and to have all manner of lotions and potions applied, so that I would emerge after 40 minutes with hands that looked more like mine and less like my mother’s.
Instead for my 55 euro I got a quick exfoliate, a wipe with a damp cloth, the application of some anti-aging hand cream, a file and polish, and a free bottle of nail varnish to take home.
I have to tell you, ladies, I was disappointed – not just at the loss of the 55 euro but at the fact that the hands really weren’t that much better than before I parted with my cash. So, this weekend, I resolved to do better and without any outlay of cash (although it is important to bear in mind that I have a wardrobe full of the finest ingredients) I managed to at least equal, if not improve on last week’s indulgence. For what it’s worth, here’s the routine.
Wash hands with L’Occitane lavender handwash. Smells divine. You feel pampered immediately provided, of course, that you like lavender.
Exfoliate hands. I used L’Occitane’s foot exfoliator. Okay. So I’m a rebel. I could have gone for Origins Dermabrasion which was also in the bathroom or for Philosophy’s hot salt scrub but the L’Occitane is the creamiest of the bunch and that’s what my hands deserved this week.
Next, an innovation all my own – the hand mask – 50/50 Liz Earle Brightening Treatment and Liz Earle Deep Nourishing Mask. Hands soak it up in minutes. Entirely. This speaks volumes as Liz Earle fans will know. (It means hands were in dire need of moisturisation)
Next, the file and polish which included applying a nail oil (cheap as chips from the Suhada range at Lidl) followed up by a protein treatment (Nails Inc). Then the polish – Leighton Denny – and then the top coat. My Nails Inc top coat is too sticky to use so I had to improvise and used the Scholl top coat from the toe nail brightening kit. I’m nothing if not improvisational.
Finally, hand cream. Liz Earle. I’ve only got a small tube of this one so I save it for special occasions.
Total time investment: less than 10 mins start to finish.
Total cash investment: negligible seeing as I already have all the stuff although I clearly do need to go out and purchase a new top coat.
Value for money: Well the hands look moisturised and feel softer – so yes, the home treatment is worth it.
The 55 euro salon treatment definitely isn’t.
