Hand Care

So on the card handling forum I frequent you find a thread every now and then about how to get your hands the right state to handle cards. You see them more often at the start of winter when hands start to dry out. Now there are  usually several theories about what to do, but most of them are short term what to do just before a performance.

Solutions I've seen include

• Lotion your hands up before performing
• Don't lotion your hands up it will dirty the cards
• Use hand sanitizer before handling the cards.
• Hand sanitizer contains rubbing alcohol which will dry your hands out worse.

Once in a while I'll see the correct answer or at least the one I consider correct. So what do I think is the correct answer. I believe the way to have performance ready hands is with a hand care regimen. Now I know most magicians are men and so are opposed or unfamiliar with the idea. But as I see it the only way to have supple skin is to do like the ladies do and work on it every day. As such after I take a shower I apply lotion to my hands way up past the wrists most of the way up my forearms. I go so far up the arm because some of the things I do require the spectator to hold my wrist and I want it to be as presentable as possible. What all this does for me is insures that any time I pick up a deck of cards my handling won't suffer from dry hands. By the time I pick up a prop there is no left over residue on my hands to ruin anything. I have to say this method works for me, though your mileage may vary and all that.