A: Get real relief from dry hands and brittle nails with my easy tips.

The key is constant protection from the elements. For starters, always protect your hands with rubber gloves when cleaning, working with chemicals, or washing dishes, and wear regular wool or cotton gloves or mittens when you are outside in the cold.

The best remedy for dry hands and nails I've found is hand cream. Apply an emollient cream to your hands and nails every chance you get, working it into the nail bed and cuticles. Your hands and nails need moisture to stay healthy and supple. Even the most popular nailpolish-style treatments don't work as well. Here are a few of my favorite creams and nail treatments:

Philosophy Handmade - serious care for extremely rough hands and brittle, peeling nails. I swear by it to keep my skin soft and nails healthy. (You can find Philosophy online at ibeauty.com and philosophy.com.)

Bliss Spa Lemon & Sage Body Butter - this may be for the body, but it's rich and luxurious for hands, too. I like to slather it on and work it into my nails. Smells fresh and spicy.

Lush Dream Cream - known for their fresh ingredients, Lush has packed this cream full of essential oils like rose, chamomile, tea tree, and lavender, along with cocoa butter, to make this the ultimate hand and body lotion.

BeneFit Touch me, then try to leave cream - with a fragrance this great, you'll want to use it all over! (You can find BeneFit online at benefitcosmetics.com.)

Philosophy Save the Nails cuticle cream - for rough, dry cuticles and parched nails, smooth a little Save the Nails in every night before bed for amazing nails. (You can find Philosophy online at ibeauty.com and philosophy.com.)

To keep your nails looking their best, trim or file any rough edges, always file in one direction (not back and forth), and please, don't use them as a tool. Follow these easy tips and you'll have healthier looking nails in no time!