Cuticle care.

I was in India just over 10 years ago and there a palm reader, hunched over a table made of stacked tires staring at the then soft lines along my 18 year old hands foretold that I would “work with my hands, so - take - care” he explained in broken english. Over the years I have worked as a barista, in childcare, in customer service of all varieties and sales all the while over washing, picking, peeling and under nourishing my hands, nails and cuticles.

For years I spent little attention on my hands other than the odd manicure - where I would have someone with much steadier hands than mine moisturize, apply gel polish, and massage my rough palms and peeling cuticles. My hands and nails would look fine for two weeks before I began picking at them again (my lifelong anxious habit) leaving my nails striped and weaker than before. Each time I looked down at my hands I would feel this sense of disease as I used my hands to make and tend to the things in my life but neglected their care.

There is something really wholesome and luxurious about caring for yourself in simple, free and kind ways. Tending to my hands, nails and cuticles has become a nightly ritual this year. Time I may have spent on my phone before bed I now use buffing my nails, gently applying cuticle oil to the beds of my nails and rubbing in unscented moisturizer into my palms and the tops of my hands.

The palm reader in India was right, but not in a profound way. Many of us use our hands for work - but very few of us actually spend time tending to the extremities that allow us to do the work we do.

• Bare Hands

  This kit sits on my bedside table or tucks into my bag when I travel. The oil supports in nourishing my nails and cuticle beds. I use the file to buff the tops and to soften the edges.

• Moisturizer

  I have been using Aveeno moisturizer for years because it is what my mom uses. I recommend you use up what you have then purchase an unscented affordable brand.

• Ritual

  What is more important than the products you use on your hands is the time and attention you spend tending to your hands. Choose a time to commit to spending 5-10 minutes nourishing your nails and embed it into your routine.