Don't we all wish for silky soft hands and a set of great looking nails to go with it? Our hands and nails are exposed to all sort of harsh elements every day, from harsh UV rays or cold air to irritating chemicals and drying soaps. Caring for your hands and nails call for good daily habits and using the right products to care for them.

Here are the dos and don'ts you'd want to remember to get softer hands and stronger nails.

Do keep your hands moisturized throughout the day and before you go to bed. Any cream or lotion will do, but hand creams are usually non-greasy and are absorbed quickly.

Llook for the following ingredients when selecting a hand cream:

  • Hyaluroinic acid - to draw water into the skin, making hands look plumper and younger

  • Petrolatum, glycerin, shea butter and safflower seed - to keep skin moisturized

  • Alpha and beta hydroxy acids - to gently exfoliate the skin

  • Glycolic acid and vitamin C - for treating age spots

  • Pepptides and B vitamins - to enhance collagen production

Do wear hand creams with a broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF30 or higher to protect the delicate skin on your hands from sun damage. Reapply after you wash your hands.

Do rub petroleum jelly, vitamin E or cuticle creams into your cuticles at night to keep nails moisturized. Apply a moisturizing cream on the nails everyday as well. Select moisturizing products that contain lactic acid, phospholipids or urea to prevent cuticles from cracking.

DO massage your fingertips everyday to increase circulation to the skin around the nails. This will keep them healthy and prevent them from cracking and peeling.

DO eat foods rich in biotin or vitamin B7 to help prevent brittle nails. Foods rich in biotin include green peas, soybeans, oats, sunflower seeds, walnuts, brown rice, bulgur and brewer's yeast

DO use warm water when washing or soaking hands instead of hot water. Hot water strips the skin of its oil, leaving it dry.

DON'T use soap or any type of detergents when soaking. Water engorged nails weaken and the longer nails are in contact with soap, the greater the likelihood of damaging the nail.

DON'T push the cuticle back too far; leave it as much as possible. Use an orange stick to gently push the cuticles back if you do.

DON'T cut cuticles lest it leads to an infection. Trim only the part that has lifted away from the nail.

DON'T pull or tear hangnails. Gently cut them with a nail clipper to keep the cuticle intact.

Do use nail clippers that have a curved handle and a cutting jaw shaped to follow the natural curve of nails. These are typically available in drugstores and beauty supply shops.

DO keep all nail implements meticulously clean. Your nail tools can potentially transfer germs and other microbes, causing an infection if it enters a break on your skin.

Do treat ingrown nails and disinfect any cuts or tears to the cuticle promptly to avoid infection. Likewise, don't ignore nail or cuticle inflammation. Disinfect the skin as soon as you can with an antibacterial or antifungal agent.

DON'T use nail polish that contains dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde or toluene, and avoid nail polish removers that contains alcohol. These ingredients can dry out nails.

DO wear gloves when doing the dishes or doing the laundry to keep nails from becoming brittle. Nails can absorb about a quarter of their weight in water, causing them to expand. Nails contract when they dry. Constant expansion and contraction can weaken nails.

DON'T use your fingernails to pry things open, and be cautious when doing office work. Use a letter opener instead of using your nails to cut a letter open, and use your finger pads when typing on the keyboard instead of the tips of your nails.