As much as we do the skincare and hair care, when it comes to hands and nails , they always take the back seat.
Most people opt for manicures or pedicures only at the salon. Not sure if it because of the lack of time, or not willing to invest in the products. I do not comment on it, but getting it done is what matters.
Life came to a standstill with the pandemic, salons closing and a major setback for people because their now at their own risks for hair cut, spas, pedicure and manicure. With that said, taking care of yourself in terms of skin, hair and nails isn’t a big deal if you are willing to spend some time for it.
When it comes to nail care, we commonly find two sets of people. People who can do manicure with closed eyes and people who do not know the difference between the cuticle and the half-moons. No matter whichever category you belong to, here are tips that make nail care easy.
DO NOT BITE NAILS
Though most people do it out of stress or being tensed, biting nails just as we learnt in primary school isn’t a great habit. We are either directly feeding on the germs from the nails and spoiling the nails which already had a good manicure. In short to avoid it, you could maybe cut it out immediately once it grows big, have a peer signal you when you are about to bite. Nails do not taste great anyway.
MOISTURISE
Dish washing, sanitizing, using hand washes frequently wipe of the natural oils from nails. It makes the nails brittle, crack and split. The best way to moisture is to use baby cream or vaseline. Just massage the nails until the cream is absorbed.
LENGTH RECONSIDERATION
Nails that chip along edges or are stripping of at the tips need to be reconsidered for length. If you are someone who does daily chores like dish washing , peeling I hate to break it, it is difficult to manage with long nails. You could maybe reconsider the length to a level just above the finger that can be manageable.
NO CUTICLE REMOVAL
Cuticles signify the nail health, so do not break the barrier, It can easily lead to inflammation. Cuticles protect your nails from infection and removing them can cause nail infection for a longer duration. You can invest in a cuticle oil to take care of your nails.
WEAR GLOVES
In case you use harsh soaps for cleaning, be it the house or vessels, make sure you wear gloves when you touch the detergent. Harsh chemicals might prove bad for nail health. Also make sure to wear gloves so that your nails do not chip when your either cleaning or gardening.
EAT WELL
A well balanced diet is very much necessary for overall body maintenance including your nails. A healthy diet can guarantee you healthy nails which are supple. Vegetables, whole grains, seeds, legumes and nuts when included in diet regularly help in producing nutrient rich blood which help in boosting mail health.
DO NAIL FILING IN ONE DIRECTION
People naturally tend to file nails in back and forth motion. What actually needs to be done is doing it in a one direction motion. Doing it in back and forth makes the edges rough.
DO NOT PEEL GEL NAILS
When you want to remove gel nail polish from nails, do not peel them off. They will strip the nail off and also the natural oils. They might even lead to brittle nails. Make sure you soak them with acetone and a cotton ball to remove the polish.
LEAVE THEM POLISH FREE
Once a while leave the nails polish free cause they need their breathing space. If nails turn yellow or are being very brittle, the nails signal you to give them some polish free time.
So go polish free for about a week or two, give the nails a good massage. Once they turn healthy you can resume to applying nail polishes.
SIMPLE NAIL CARE ROUTINE
- Remove nail polish with remover.
- File the nails.
- Push the cuticles back
- Cleanse the nails.Wash the hands thoroughly. Pat dry. Use acetone to remove any moisture.
- Apply base coat.
- Apply two coats of nail polish.
- Clean the area around nails
- Apply the top coat.
- Apply hand cream
I hope the above tips and routine might make it easier to manage nails in our busy lives.
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