Hand Care Routine for Aging Hands: 5 Tips I Use for Dry, Wrinkled Hands


Linda Robison
By: Linda Robison — Certified Facial Fitness Specialist
Disclosure: As an affiliate partner and Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Linda Robison
By: Linda Robison — Certified Facial Fitness Specialist
Disclosure: As an affiliate partner and Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

My hands started giving away my age before my face did.

They looked drier, thinner, and more wrinkled no matter how much lotion I used.

Over the years, I started experimenting with different products, massage techniques, overnight treatments, and a few unusual ideas that actually surprised me.

This is the simple hand care routine I keep coming back to because it helps my hands look smoother, softer, and a little fuller without spending a fortune.

This isn't a complicated 20-step routine. It's just five things I've found myself doing over and over because they make the biggest difference. 

If you're wondering why your hands look so wrinkled in the first place, I explain the common causes, including dryness, sun damage, and loss of volume, in my Why Are My Hands So Wrinkled? guide.

Woman wearing moisturizing hand gloves as part of an anti-aging hand care routine for dry, wrinkled hands

✅ Quick answer

A good anti-aging hand care routine doesn't have to be complicated.

Mine comes down to five simple habits I naturally work into my day: keeping my hands moisturized, protecting them from the sun, gently exfoliating, massaging them for a minute or two, and giving them a little extra care overnight.

My hand care routine at a glance

Before I get into each step, here's what my routine looks like. Most of these habits only take a minute or two and fit naturally into my day.

  • After washing my hands: I use a gentle soap and apply hand cream while my skin is still a little damp.
  • During the day: Sun-protective gloves while driving.
  • Once or twice a week: Gentle scrub or brightening mask.
  • Before bed: Volufiline mixed with my hand cream.
  • Before bed: Quick hand massage.
  • Overnight: Cotton gloves to help keep my hands moisturized.

1. The one thing I started adding to my hand cream

Linda holding a bottle of Volufiline 100% cosmetic booster used in her hand care routine for aging handsThis is the Volufiline I use. I mix a few drops into my cream before bed and apply it to the backs of my hands.

This one's a bit unusual, but it made a big difference for me.

Volufiline is a plumping ingredient developed by a French company, and it's usually marketed for the face or chest.  But I started mixing a few drops into my nightly hand cream because I was curious to see what would happen.

After a few weeks, I noticed my hands looked smoother and felt softer. Even the skin on the backs of my hands didn't seem quite as thin as before.

ABZ Tip: If you don't have a hand cream around, you can use your face cream instead. Before bed, I mix 2–3 drops of my 5% Volufiline serum into a pea-sized amount of hand cream.

2. I never skip this one-minute hand massage

I do this at night before bed. Just a minute or two of massaging the tops of my hands (especially around the knuckles and tendons) gets the blood flowing, helps my hand cream spread more evenly, and leaves my hands looking smoother afterward.

Video Source: Carolyn's Facial Fitness

Not only does it feel good, it helps your anti-aging hand products absorb better. I follow with a rich cream and wear cotton gloves overnight. And your hands look so much better right after this quick massage!

3. My grandma's buttermilk mask still works

This is another little trick I learned from my grandmother, who inspired my love of homemade skincare recipes.

She used to spread a thick layer of buttermilk over the backs of her hands, leave it on for 10–15 minutes, then rinse it off and apply her hand cream.

Buttermilk contains lactic acid, which can gently exfoliate the skin. It's a simple way to help dry, rough hands feel softer and look a little smoother.

It won't erase deep wrinkles or replace lost volume, but I like these old-fashioned home remedies because they're simple and don't cost much.

4. The habit that probably saved my hands the most

I started wearing white cotton gloves while driving after realizing my hands were basically baking behind the wheel.

It finally hit me that I was protecting my face from the sun—but almost completely ignoring my hands.

I still think sunscreen on your hands is important, especially if you're outside a lot. I look for one with a high PA++ rating. But constantly reapplying it can be a pain. That's one reason I like wearing gloves while driving. It's an easy way to give the backs of my hands some extra protection.

These are the gloves I ended up using because they're easy and comfortable.

I used to skip hand treatments because once the gloves went on, I couldn’t do much. But these are soft, breathable, and touchscreen-friendly—which means I can still use my phone, type, or scroll while the lotion sinks in.

I even wear them while driving to keep my hands protected from the sun. One pair, multiple uses... and yes, I’m obsessed.

5. I treat the backs of my hands like my face

Once or twice a week, I gently exfoliate the backs of my hands. Sometimes I mix a little sugar scrub with almond oil, or use finely ground coffee grounds with almond oil. I massage it over my hands using light circular motions, then rinse and apply my cream.

I don't scrub hard. The idea is just to remove some of that dry, dull skin and leave my hands feeling softer.

The key: Be as gentle with your hands as you are with your face.

Final thought: you don’t need a perfect routine—just a consistent one

The biggest change for me wasn’t finding one miracle product. It was doing a few small things consistently.

Looking after your hands doesn’t have to take much extra time. Most of these habits fit naturally into things you’re already doing — before bed, while driving, or during your regular skincare routine.

If you’re already working on your overall skincare routine, your hands are worth adding to it too.

My hands aren’t perfect, but they definitely look better than they did a few years ago. Small habits really do add up.

More hand care tips

Looking for more ideas to soften, smooth, or brighten your hands? These tips and product suggestions go beyond the basics and are perfect for anyone focused on hand care over 40.

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Have a question or want to share your experience?

questions and comments

I'd love to hear from you! Visit my Questions & Comments page to ask a question, share a tip, or tell me what's worked for you.



Stay Connected with Me

Want to see what I’m up to? I’ll keep you posted on new products I’m trying, little tricks I’ve discovered, new finds, and a few personal updates too.

Linda Robison, certified facial fitness specialist and anti-aging advisor for women over 40

About the Author:

Linda Robison is a Certified Facial Fitness Specialist and founder of Anti-Aging Beauty Zone, where she shares practical tips, products, techniques, and at-home options for women over 40. She personally tests many of the methods she writes about.

Experience: Linda spent nearly 15 years as an Anti-Aging Health Advisor at the Life Extension Foundation and has over 30 years of experience testing facial anti-aging techniques, including training in Carolyn’s Facial Fitness. Her work has been featured in GB News and Beauty Box Magazine. You can view her background on LinkedIn and follow her on Pinterest.


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