Women’s Hands.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1024, 16 October 1891, Page 4

Women’s Hands.

A really pretty, well formed hand is not met with every day. No one can help the shape of their hands, which are formed according to the type of men or women to whom they belong. From this, one may learn much of the characteristics and capabilities of a person by looking at their hands. Of course, some people are obliged to roughen and stain their l ands in their work, hut even those doing the hardest work can give care to hands and nails before retiring to rest, or upon getting up in the morning. Good soap should be used and the hands well lathered in warm, not hot water, and then rinsed in cold water, to which a spoonful of toilet or common vinegar has been added. They should be rubbed dry, especially across the knuckles and finger joints, and then rubbed with a little glycerine before going to bed. In the morning repeat the process but add the glycerine to the hands while covered with the soapy lather, rinse in cold water.

Especial care should be given to the nails ; keep them well trimmed, and the skin pushed back from the ‘ half moons.’ Some people have naturally very pretty nails, but neglect them so much that they are quite unsightly. Indeed occasionally one may see a woman whose neglect on this point renders her hands quite unsightly. The reddest and roughest hand is lovable and touchable if clean, in every respect with trim, well kept nails. It is a curious fact that if a person, male or female, once begins to take a pride in the look of his or her hands, the habit grows wonderfully, and tho hands seem to know it, doing daintily and deftly work which they did before roughly and slovenly. If the nails are at all soft, and the tips of the' finger tender, dip them after washing in a solution of alum. Where the hands are much stained, the following soap, which one can make at home, will be found very useful. Dissolve a cake of good toilet soap by putting it into a jar and setting the jar in boiling water, over the fire. Stir in half a wineglassful of spirits, either brandy, whisky, or gin, two tablespoonfuls of very fine sand, (which must be previously dried) and one teaspoonful of citric acid in powder. Take off the fire, stir till it begins to thicken and pour into a mould. This will clean the hands and make them white if used when work is over. Dora.