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Tips to protect your nails and hands:
At your fingertips
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Manicure Tips
* Remove the old polish. Moisten a cotton ball with nail polish
remover. Press the cotton ball over the nail for a few seconds to soften
the old polish. Wipe gently with the cotton ball on the nail starting at
the base of the nail to the tip. This keeps old polish from smearing
into the cuticle.
* Shaping the nail is the next step. The fingernails should be filed
into oval tips. Begin on the left hand with the little finger and work
towards the thumb. Hold the finger between your thumb and the first two
fingers of the left hand. Hold the fingernail file in the right hand.
Slant the fingernail file so that the filing is done mostly to the under
side of the nail. File each fingernail from the corner to the center,
going from right to left and then from left to right. On each side of
the fingernail, stroke in one direction only. Repeat the process on the
right hand.
* Softening the cuticles is accomplished by soaking the fingers in a
small finger bowl filled with soapy water. A few drops of mild dish soap
added to water in the finger bowl works well. Carefully dry the hand by
holding a small towel and place, the hand on the towel. Dry the hand
while simultaneously pushing back the cuticle and skin on each
fingernail. Be very gentle.
* Apply cuticle remover by following the directions on the cuticle
remover tube or bottle. Gently loosen the cuticle with an stick or
cuticle pusher. Keep the cuticle moist while working. Wash gently and
dry.
* Clean under the free edge of the fingernail by dipping a
cotton-tipped stick in soapy water and cleaning under the nail from the
center outward to each side.
Sometimes it is necessary to remove dead cuticle or hangnails with
small scissors or cuticle nippers. Be very careful when you do this.
*Apply cuticle oil or cream at the base of the nail. Brush nails
gently in a soapy water with a downward motion. Dry hands and nails
thoroughly. Next use a very fine emery board. Buff nails giving them a
smooth beveled edge. Wipe nails to remove any particles of cuticle or
dead skin.
* Apply base coat using long strokes. When the base coat is dry to a
light touch apply polish. Apply polish lightly with strokes from the
base to the tip. Excess polish on cuticle or nail can be easily removed
with cotton tipped orangewood stick moistened with polish remover. Apply
a top or seal coat. Brushing the top or seal coat around and under the
tips of the nail will give the nail added protection.
* The final step is to apply lotion. Nails need to be completely dry.
Start at the wrists moving down to the fingertips with light rubbing
motion. |
 Get those long fingernails you’ve always wanted, it isn’t too
difficult if you take some simple precautions.
Long fingernails have been the envy of women for ages and research is
still being done today to find a way to create the perfect nail tonic
that will turn dry, cracked and brittle nails into long, strong beauties
in two weeks or less.
As of right now, there are no real miracle applications to make this
happen or wed all be running around with three inch nails asking the
guys to pick things up for us and open our soda cans. There are,
however, a few ways you can build up the strength of your nails, get
them to grow a bit and maybe keep them from splitting or breaking so
easily.
One of the natural enemies of fingernails is water. Water softens up
the fingernails and makes them prime target for disaster. Couple water
with a vigorous activity such as cleaning, scrubbing, scraping, washing
dishes, doing laundry, etc. and you may as well kiss your nails goodbye.
When you clean, wear rubber gloves no matter what. Even if your task
will only take a minute or two, don those gloves. Rubber gloves keep
your nails dry and they protect them from activities that normally cause
nail breakage, like taking wet laundry from the washing machine.
What you put inside your body can be just as important as what you do
to the outside of it. If you want to have good strong nails, you have to
be sure you are getting good nutrition.
Calcium is a necessary nutrient for strong fingernails and you need
plenty of vitamin D to help your body absorb it. When women are pregnant
the often find their nails growing better than ever before, this is
because of the bodies increased ability to absorb nutrients during this
time.
Finally, never bite your nails and do not use them as tools. Nails
can be great for picking off stickers, etc. but if you use them like
letter openers, they are going to disappear faster than you can grow
them.
Protecting hands
Depending on what type of work you do, your hands can receive a lot
of abuse from weather, harsh chemicals and cleansers, dirt, grease and
heat. Our hands can become dry, cracked and rough with thick hard
fingernails and unattractive calluses.
Wearing gloves while washing and gardening can certainly help protect
our hands from the elements but applying a good moisturizer frequently
can be a wonderful protective coating as well.
To avoid sun damage blotchiness and premature aging of our skin we
need to remember to use a good sunscreen of at least a SPF-15 or more.
Avoid soaps that have a high alkaline content. They can strip your
skin of it’s natural oils and leave it dry and tight. Choose a mild
gentle soap that is pH balanced to keep your hands young and supple.
www.naturalhealthnbeauty.com |
