- 1. Why is Hand and Nail Care Important?
- 2. 13 Rules of Hand and Nail Care
- 3. Step-by-Step Nail Care Routine
- 4. Salon Hand and Nail Care Procedures
If you want your hands to look beautiful and well-groomed, take care not only of the skin, but also of your nails. It’s not hard to make your nails pretty and healthy without going to a salon. You should just know the main nail care rules, establish and follow a certain routine. Read on to learn about the basics of nail care.
Why is Hand and Nail Care Important?
Household cleaning products, temperature fluctuations, low-quality makeup and skincare products directly affect the look and health of your nails and hands.
There are few sebaceous glands on the back of the hands and none at all on the palms. Due to this, the skin on the hands gets dry and ages faster than anywhere else on the body. Cuticles also grow rough. If you don’t moisturize it, your cuticles will stop performing their protective function and your nail plates will start thinning and splitting as a result. This is why it’s important to have a good hand and nail care routine.
13 Rules of Hand and Nail Care
1. Use hand cream regularly
Everyday moisturizing will not only help to preserve the health of your hands, but also slow down the aging process. Use moisturizing cream for hands and nails every day, massaging it into cleaned skin until it’s fully absorbed.
2. Take care of your cuticles
Use special oils: pour several drops on the base of the nail and carefully rub it in. Do it every day for very dry skin and at least once a week for normal skin. It’s better not to use cutting tools. Use cuticle remover and orange wood sticks instead of scissors.
3. Strengthen nail plates
This can be achieved with soaks, masks, vitamins, and wax for nails.
4. Nourish the skin on your hands
Soaks and masks should be done not only for your nails, but for the entire hands. You can use soaks with salt and oils, ready-made and homemade masks. Don’t forget about gentle hand scrubs.
5. Do massages
A massage is a relaxing procedure that is good for almost any part of the body. Hands are no exception. Massages stimulate blood flow, increase oxygen saturation, and facilitate cell regeneration. Combine a massage with applying hand cream and cuticle oil for a better effect.
6. Choose safe tools
Nail care will be more effective, if you substitute a metallic file with a glass, cardboard, ceramic, or laser one. Metallic nail files can lead to splitting nails. When it comes to choosing a file, look at its abrasiveness: 180-200 grit for thick nails and 250-300 for thin nails.
7. Disinfect!
Disinfecting your tools before manicures is a must. Hand care can result in bacterial and fungal infections, if you forget to treat your nail scissors and clippers with a disinfectant.
8. Keep your nail length in check
Your nails should not be too long to get in the way, or else the nail plates can start splitting and breaking. To avoid these problems, file your nails regularly.
9. File your nails correctly
Nails must be dry during filing. Don’t shape your nails after a hot shower — or you risk ending up with split nails. File in one direction only, not with sawing movements.
10. Pay attention to the color of your nails
There are special products that can help to make your nail color pretty and consistent. They have a whitening effect as they contain lemon acid. For at-home manicures, you can also use a lemon, gently wiping every nail with a lemon slice.
11. Buy high-quality cosmetic products
Good hand and nail care products are a great investment in the health of your hands. Buy nail polishes of famous brands that won’t make your nail plates turn yellowish and choose non-acetone polish removers.
12. Wear gloves
Put on protective gloves when you’re about to use household cleaning products and wear warm gloves or mittens in cold weather. This will help to protect the thin skin on your hands from chemicals, cold and wind.
13. Eat a balanced diet
Thin, deformed, brittle nails can indicate a deficiency of vitamins and other nutrients. It’s important to have a healthy diet: eat products rich in vitamins A, C, B, E, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphor. Your diet should include fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, milk and fermented milk products, grains, legumes, and nuts.
Step-by-Step Nail Care Routine
The main nail care procedure is a manicure which is easy to do yourself at home. It’s recommended doing it at least once every one or two weeks.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- cuticle clippers or remover
- nail scissors
- a pusher
- a nail file
- orange wood sticks.
Step-by-step at-home nail care routine:
- Make a warm hand soak: take room temperature water, add some sea salt, and soak your hands in it for ten minutes.
- Pat your hands dry with a towel. Apply remover to your cuticles and let it sit for five-seven minutes.
- Push the cuticles back with an orange stick and carefully remove the pterygium with a pusher. If you don’t use remover, cut the cuticles with nail scissors or clippers.
- Shape your nails with a file.
- Wash your hands, dry them with a towel, carefully massage some oil into the cuticles, and gently apply moisturizing cream.
- Do a hand massage.
Check out our detailed guide: At-Home Manicure For Beginners
Salon Hand and Nail Care Procedures
You may be wondering what to choose: at-home or salon hand and nail care. We recommend that you take advantage of both of them. For example, at-home nail care can extend the lifespan on a salon manicure.
Salons offer the following services:
- manicure (classic, European, Russian, Japanese, spa, etc.)
- nail sealing
- enhancement with silk wraps, bio gel
- paraffin wax treatment
- professional nail soaks and masks
- massages.
Proper hand and nail care will produce a lasting positive effect. Combining regular at-home and professional procedures will yield even better results and your hands will always look young and fresh.
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