Could be work from home or at Office… married or single… we all are busy stuck up with some or the other work each day. But, we cannot ignore our beauty care regime as well… so, here are some quick yet affective tips for Woman to pamper their hands with a homemade manicure…
Start with a clean, dry nail bed. And when we say dry, we mean DRY. Moisture in the nail keeps polish from completely adhering and also prolongs the drying period. Avoid all this and start by rubbing polish remover across the each nail, even if there is no polish to remove. The alcohol will dry out the nail bed and leave a better surface to work with.
File nails with sweeping motions from one side to the other. Don’t saw at them. This is the technique real nail technician’s use, and it cuts down on breakage and hangnails later on.
Soak filed nails in sudsy water and clean with a soft brush. Baby shampoo and castile soap are both excellent, gentle cleansers that won’t dry out the skin on your hands too much. Try an old toothbrush to remove grit or dirt from underneath fingernails.
Soften skin and cleanse at the same time with exfoliating or mud treatments or a paraffin peel. The same facial scrubs and mud packs you’d apply to your face can work just as well on your hands. A paraffin mask can remove deep-down dirt and leave your skin feeling refreshed.
Apply a rich lotion to restore moisture to your hands. Try your facial moisturizer of choice; this will leave your hands soft, supple, and ladylike.
Push back cuticles with a cotton ball or warm towel; avoid orange sticks or “cuticle pushers,” which are known breeding grounds for bacteria.
Buff nails if you are really crunched for time; buffing blocks are available at almost every dollar or beauty supply store. This will give your nails a high-gloss shine without the waiting time or fumes of polish and also help encourage circulation in your hands and bring the nails’ natural oils to the surface.
Apply nail polish in two to three thin, even coats. Start with a stroke up the middle of the nail, then up the sides. Make sure to cover the tip of the nail to seal it and prevent peeling. Let the first coat dry for three minutes and the second for at least five. If you don’t have much time to wait for each layer to set completely, simply do your manicure and apply the base coat at night. In the morning, apply the next layer. Later in the afternoon or evening, apply the top coat.
To keep your hands looking their best between manicures, try these tips.Protect your digits with gloves. Cotton-lined rubber gloves are great for washing dishes or cleaning up; the cotton lining will absorb sweat and keep hands from getting wet and wrinkly anyway. Gloves or mittens are also a great move for dry air and winter weather, staving off the look of wrinkled “grandma hands.”
Every now and then, coat hands with petroleum jelly or castor oil and sleep with cotton gloves on. You’ll feel the difference in the morning!
Block dirt from getting under your nails when cleaning, gardening, or doing other dirty jobs by scratching a wet bar of soap. Packing the soap under your nails keeps the dirt out and helps make clean-up a breeze later on.
Massage hands several times daily with a rich lotion to both relieve stress and beautify your mitts. The lotion helps keep skin smooth and soft, while the massage action relaxes the hand muscles – especially important for those who type a lot – and increases healthy blood flow.
