NO, it's not the name of a music group I am talking about your hands, the ones you use day in and day out. Hands have a lot to say about you. Even your handshake speaks to your confidence. Because you use your hands for handshakes, handing over reports or talking with, you need you make sure they represent you well. Your skin should be hydrated, your nails need to be clean and shaped if not manicured. Even you men. It's that attention to detail that we all look for when representing ourselves or when meeting others.

 Our outer layer is the largest organ on the human body, so it's not only important from a visual, professional look but it's also important for our overall health. Skin tells a lot about how we care for ourselves and how we want to be percieved. If you follow a strict cleansing routine, are careful about what you eat, drink plenty of water and also hydrate your skin you are letting people know that you do care not only about how you look and feel but how you want them to think of you. If you are uncertain of how to care for your skin you can contact a Dermatologist or see a reputable Salon that has exceptional products. Even drug stores have have skin products that are packaged together to give you what you need for healthy glowing skin. Remember what are you trying to tell people when they first see you?

There have been studies on earning potential and attractiveness. This does not mean you need to be beautiful and or handsome, it just means you have to pay attention to yourself and how you present yourself. For women in the workplace, there is one study that concluded that women who wear makeup in the workplace have a great earning potential of as much as 23%. Of course not all makeup is acceptable, use a light hand when applyin makeup and lean toward more natural colors, nothing wild unless of course you are in a creative industry. Again when first going into a job, be aware of what seems to be acceptable in your workplace. As you gain credibility that is when you can add touches of your personality. That being said "HAVE A GREAT DAY".

Another very important feature about grooming and the over all look of someone: Hair. Hair should be groomed and cared for every single day. Even if you do not shampoo everyday your hairstyle needs to be styled and for professional wear very simply styled, keep up on haircuts and if older make sure you keep up on hair styles. Another important element is hair color, even if your hair is grey you need to make sure it's shiny and has some depth to it.  Coloring hair often times adds body and dimension to a hair style, if you color make sure you keep the roots up. Showing dark roots is no longer a fashion statement and should never be in the workplace. Extreme colors are not acceptable unless you work creatively then wild colors maybe your calling card.

All the information that I share on my blog is because I have interviewed HR personal and business owners so if you think this is a strange topic think again. Facial hair is an important part of that attention to detail that we have control over. All facial hair needs to be cared for on a daily basis, it should be kept trimmed and colored if necessary. Facial hair is not just mustaches and beard however, it's also eyebrows ( you should have two not one continuous one), you also need to make sure hair down the back of the neck, in the ears and in the nose are all paid attention to as well. Tell your story by the way you look and tell it well.

  Each day I will write about grooming in the workplace and just about anywhere else really. I am going to start with the Face as it's what we all use to sell ourselves. So let's talk smiles. You want your smile to be friendly, warm, inviting, not arrogant. The basis for a great smile is of course dental care, there are so many great over counter products, now that you can do much of it at home. For smokers this is especially important as there is nothing worse than smoker's breath. Especially in the work place where you are often one on one.

  It is sometimes difficult to decide what it is that is expected of you for dressing in your work place. The first place to start is to see if HR has any kind of dress code or employee manual that gives you information on the subject. You can also pay close attention to those your are working with to see what they are wearing. However, I would caution you on that one, as the person you are looking at may not be dressed appropriately. The next option is to really think about how you want to represent yourself and your expertise and then dress to how you feel you best want to represent yourself. You can hire a consult llike myself as well. Someone who can do the research or already knows the answer.

Pantyhose seem to be a generational thing, with the younger crowd not wanting the discomfort. If you are in business however, as an intern or as the real deal, panyhose or some form of leg covering is in order. Do no show up to any big company with bare legs. If you are looking to climb the corporate ladder bare legs is not the way to do it. Men do not wear loafers or any other form of shoe without wearing soxs as well. It's not being corporate business appropriate.

 I need to finish this series on color and with only two left here we go.
Green is very calming, it also is the color or money so it means success and wealth. It also causes people to relax and trust. Why do you think they have green rooms for actors to sit in before appearing on TV.
Purple, is the color of royalty,power and passion. Purple is also known to stimulate the imagination. Do not use it when trying to negotiate with a man it's a woman's color.

I am so sorry I have been out of touch with all of you, but a very dear friend of mine had complications from surgery and so I have been there for her. We hope things are improving for her so I am back blogging. Life is so very precious and can be so precarious.
  Beige, tan, khaki are a lot like brown, although they most likely do not make as strong a statement. These are not great colors for sales as they don't really make a statement. If you do chose khaki in a suit chose a darker shade of it.