It's essential to prepare your hands and nails before
applying nail polish. First, exfoliate your hands
by massaging them using a small amount of body scrub.
Rinse with water and dry thoroughly. One of the main
causes of chapped hands is not drying them properly
after washing.
File your nails. If they are brittle or tend to
split, keep them flat across the top with smooth,
rounded edges. When filing, move in one direction,
from outer corner to centre-sawing movements can damage
the nail plate. Choose a nail file with a fine surface
that glides over the nail.
Coat hands in a layer of sweet almond oil, to
nourish
and soften, then wrap in a warm towel and relax for
15 minutes. Unwrap, and gently push back cuticles
using a rubber hoof stick (available from most chemists).
Never use cuticle clippers, as they can nick the skin.
Rinse hands with warm water and dry thoroughly to
remove any oil residue.
Apply one coat of base coat over your entire nail
and allow a couple of minutes to dry. This will help
strengthen the nail. Some products also level fine
ridges and imperfections, leaving a smooth surface
to apply polish. There's a wide range of base coats
to choose from.
For a square look, paint a straight line across
the tips; for a rounded appearance, follow the curve
of the nail; and to get a pointed style, paint in
from each side to the centre. Some manicure kits include
sticky strips to use as a guide. when applying, lay
your hand on a flat surface and keep the ball of your
painting hand steady and keep the ball of your painting
hand steady by resting it on the same surface. Leave
to dry.
Finally, apply a coat of translucent shell-pink
polish over the entire nail to seal the whitened tip
and complete the look. Allow 10 minutes for it to
dry. For extra shine and protection, apply a clear,
glossy top coat.
HAND MESSAGE
To stimulate circulation, rub your palm over the back
of the hand and then repeat with the other hand.
This movement is very similar to washing your hands
and it does not only stimulate circulation, it also
warms the hands.
SOFT HANDS
So your hands don't feel soft anymore?
Before you go to bed, lavish on the Vaseline and then
pop on a pair of cotton gloves. Your hands will be incredibly
soft by morning.
WATER
DAMAGE
Too much water and chemicals
Get into the habit of wearing rubber gloves when you
do any cleaning around the house.
The reason? Cleaning agents can be extremely harsh on
both nails and hands. The nails when exposed to water,
swell and then shrink back as they dry. This contributes
to brittle nails.
