Starting Out
The most effective and inconspicuous way to begin is with a simple handshake. You can tell much about a person through this gesture; it is a story in and of itself. A ruler, paper and pencil, good lighting, and magnifying glass can also prove to be helpful to have handy.
Skin
The first thing you will probably notice is the feel of the hand, especially if you are not looking down at it. Is it soft and gentle? Is it rough and strong? All of these things can tell you a great deal about the person to which it is connected. It will help you get a feel, literally, for the type of life and the type of person you will be looking at.
Most hands you will touch will not be excessively hot or moist. The temperature of the hand relates to health and stability. A cold hand on one end of the scale could be an indicator of instability and/or the lack of strength to handle everyday tasks and challenges. Other times, it can just be good old-fashioned bad circulation that is the cause; in this case you should also check the head line for the possibility of heath problems. A clammy hand is an indicator of nervousness, sometimes this is just a passing thing, but more chronic nervousness will be evident in other parts of the hand, namely in the mount of Mercury.
Another thing that you may notice with a handshake is the texture of the skin. Extremely smooth skin can be an indicator of a nutrient deficiency; this is more common in older people. Other times, that extremely smooth skin can be a red flag to watch out, this person has a slippery personality. Very course skin is generally an indicator of stress, usually stress that is physical in nature.
While you are noticing the skin, you should also take note of the thickness of the skin. Skin thickness is indicative of the perceptiveness of the person to those around them. The thinner the skin of the hands is, the more perceptive that person is prone to be to others. Thicker-skinned hands are more self-involved and are less likely to consider the feelings of those around them.
Nails
Don’t forget the nails while you’re here! Nails are important and can tell you a lot about the person’s self-esteem, health, and degree of balance in life.
Did you ever think about the way you choose to cut your nails? Believe it or not it tells a lot about you. A nail that is neither too long, nor too short, too pointed, not too squared, and unbitten nor overly decorated shows balance.
An oval nail, which is the most common type of nail you will encounter, indicates good balance. They are not extremists in any sense of the word, and have learned the value of compromise. They function well in society.
A square nail that is roughly as long as it is wide and is not over curved at the top is generally an indicator of strength and stamina, but I would not count on this person to have an overabundance of common-sense.
A rectangular nail that is obviously wider than it is long is indicative of someone who is driven in life. They have a purpose and a goal and they have the knowledge and ambition to obtain their goals, but they need to be careful to think things through and not to let their ambition blind them to things around them.
The last nail type that we will discuss is the almond nail, it is rather rare, and indicates great beauty, which is usually coupled with poor health. This person needs to be aware of the things in their environment that can hinder their health, but in the right conditions, its beauty will be unsurpassed.
Note: a person who uses excessive decoration on their nails may be hiding something, may want to appear more confident than they really are, or may just want to mask something that they feel is undesirable about them.
Now that we have looked at the cut of the nail, let’s look at the texture of it. Ridges on the nail are a stress indicator. You might suggest a dietary addition of the universal stress vitamin, B-complex, even additional gelatin to smooth those ridges right out.
Poor health can also be observed in the nail. Dished nails can indicate poor circulation, or the presence of heavy metals. Dark nails with blue near the cuticle can indicate lung problems. These are just general indications and should be reviewed further by a licensed medical professional.
Ideally, the nails should appear smooth and slightly pink in color, indicating overall good health and energy.