© shutterstock
Soft hands and well-groomed fingernails complete any outfit. In this piece, we introduce the sustainable brands whose manicure products will pamper your hands and nails no matter the season.
By: Sarah Marx
Sunlight, soap, heated air, vitamin deficiency — all of it can dry out skin and nails and leave them brittle. Our hands work hard for us all day long, which is exactly why they deserve regular, generous care. With the tips below, rough skin, torn cuticles, and broken nails will quickly become a thing of the past.
Soft skin and strong nails
The care routine for baby-soft skin and healthy nails starts right at the sink. Thorough, regular handwashing is essential for getting rid of germs and bacteria — but washing too often can also strip away the skin’s acid mantle, the protective layer made of water and lipids. That acid mantle keeps skin at its healthy, slightly acidic pH of around 5.5 and acts as an outer barrier against dirt and pathogens. Frequent use of hot water and heavily scented soaps can trigger allergic reactions and dry out skin and nails, leaving them cracked and rough.
Hand soap
If you’re already dealing with a compromised acid mantle, reach for pH-neutral soap, or even a soap-free cleansing bar. The Viennese company Saint Charles, which follows the principles of Traditional European Medicine (TEM) in its entirety, developed a plant-based hand soap, both liquid and solid, with exactly this in mind. Its main ingredients include organic shea butter, fair trade organic coconut oil, and essential oils, gently cleansing the hands while the fats it contains offer a touch of care at the same time.
The 500ml apothecary soap is available in the brand’s Vienna or Berlin stores, and through the Saint Charles online shop for €32.80.
Exfoliating
Once skin is free of dirt, a scrub is worth adding to remove dead skin cells. A natural scrub is easy to make at home — just mix olive oil with sugar or salt and apply it to the hands. The friction from the sugar or salt crystals lifts away dry, flaking skin, so whatever comes next can penetrate the deeper layers more easily and more effectively.
Cream
Now’s the ideal moment to apply hand cream, matched to your skin’s needs and, depending on the season and weather, ranging from light to rich. In the summer months, creams with SPF are especially worth having, since UV exposure can lead to age spots on the hands over time.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by John Masters Organics (@johnmastersorganics)
The New York label John Masters Organics is widely considered a pioneer of organic beauty, and its lineup includes three hand creams that won us over — not just for their fresh scent combinations (lime and spruce, orange and rose, lemon and ginger), but for how quickly they absorb without leaving any greasy residue. They keep hands hydrated for hours, and the natural scent has a genuine spa-and-wellness quality to it. The 54ml hand creams are available directly through the John Masters Organics online shop, or through the beauty platform GreenGlam for €18.95.
Nail oil
Before it’s time to polish, both the nail bed and cuticles deserve some attention. A nourishing nail oil, gently massaged in, does the trick, restoring shine and strength to stressed nails with regular use. As mentioned, frequent handwashing can dry out fingernails, and so can regular use of nail polish remover for anyone who paints their nails often, leading to dry cuticles and brittle nails that are more prone to tearing, splitting, or breaking.
The London beauty brand The Organic Pharmacy knows its way around high-end organic skincare, and has developed the ideal care oil for anyone looking to strengthen their nails. Its Lemon & Neem Nail Oil is deeply nourishing and supports healthy nail growth, with jojoba and neem oil as its key ingredients giving it added antifungal properties. Best applied before bed to both finger- and toenails using the handy pipette, massaged in briefly and left to absorb overnight. The Lemon & Neem Nail Oil is available, for instance, through GreenGlam online.
Nail polish
The day after your pampering routine, it’s time to apply your favorite polish. A clear base coat is worth using to prevent discoloration of the nail plate, and it also smooths out minor imperfections so the polish lasts longer. Anyone dealing with soft or splitting nails can also reach for a nail hardener at this stage.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nailberry (@nailberry_)
The London beauty brand Nailberry is vegan, halal, and cruelty-free, and specializes in healthy nail polish. Under the slogan “Colour your nails healthy!”, Nailberry has been expanding its color range since 2012, with new formulas rolling out constantly. The most exciting, to us, is the L’Oxygéné collection — its long-wearing premium polishes are award-winning and, remarkably, both breathable and water-vapor permeable. These high-quality lacquers also stand out for their richly pigmented, fast-drying colors and a built-in UV filter that helps prevent fading and discoloration. All Nailberry products are 12-free (free of toxins, chemicals, animal by-products, alcohol, and gluten) and available through the natural cosmetics online shop GreenGlam for €20.00 per bottle.
Follow this routine for hand and nail care, and rough hands and damaged nails will be a thing of the past. And if you’re looking to cut back on plastic, read up on how refillable cosmetics can help you avoid plastic waste.
