Do it yourself manicure

Do it yourself manicure

A routine manicure without fail is a must to maintain your nails beautiful and attractive. Doing manicure every now and then may appear to be an expensive affair for you. In fact it is easy to under go a manicure programme at home with the help of a few materials without much effort or money at home.

Following are the steps to be followed while performing manicure at home:

• Before you start manicure always remember to remove the existing nail polish from your nails. For that you can use mild nail polish remover. Mixing a few drops of vegetable oil will help you to prevent dryness of nails caused by application of nail polish remover.
• To do a little exfoliation, you can rub your hands with a mixture of oil and sugar. You can use oils like almond, olive or any other vegetable oils. Wash it off using lukewarm water. Sugar mixed with lemon juice can also be used as a substitute to this.
• To start with your manicure, take lukewarm water mixed with a few drops of shampoo in a plastic basin. Soak your hands in this water for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Take a soft brush and remove all the dirt particles giving special care and attention to the areas around and under the nail.
• To remove cuticles you can apply cuticle removing creams. After application, simply push off the cuticles using an orange wood stick. Never attempt to cut off cuticles as it may invite serious damage to nails by way of attracting infectious bacteria to this area.
• A gentle rubbing of hands with a pumice stone will help you to remove dead cells from your skin.
• Now take a flat headed dead skin remover and scrub your nails to give them a shiny and smoother look and give your nails and a beautiful shape by removing dead skin from the side of your nails.
• Wipe off water from your hands using soft towel and pat it dry.
• After cleaning hands with a towel, apply some quality hand cream on your hands and nails.
• For complete relaxation of your hands, massage it gently. While massaging, clench your fist and stretch the thumb and fingers of your hands by holding it in the other hand and press all the joints with the thumb. Rub the hand while supporting it by the other to give it a smooth and shiny look.
• Now apply nail polish on your nails. To give it an even look you have to apply at least two coats of nail polish on the nails. If the shade of your nail polish is very light then go for three coats.

To apply nail polish first dip the brush in to the nail polish bottle and press it lightly against the edge of the bottle’s mouth to remove extra nail polish from the brush. Apply nail polish first in the centre of the nail. Then proceed from root to the end of the nail and then side ways. When the first coat dries up apply the second coat. This time apply the nail polish side ways and then in the middle. After application, leave the hands free to dry the nail polish.

Now you are ready with soft pretty looking hands. Here are some other tips for the better care of your hands.

• If you have dry skin, apply some quality moisturizing cream lavishly on your hands at bed time and go to sleep with cotton gloves on it.
• When you get time, apply the mask that you use for your face on your hands also.
• Dipping your fingers for about fifteen minuets in a bowl of warm olive oil will help you to soften the skin of your fingers and to nourish the cuticles.
• White vinegar is good for discolored nails. Take a cotton bud, pour two three drops of vinegar on it and rub your nails with it. Thereafter clean your nails by dipping a tooth brush in lemon juice and wash it off with lukewarm water.

Manicure tips

Manicure tips

A manicure which involves thorough cleaning up of hands and finger nails comes under the category of cosmetic beauty treatment. Either hands or nails alone or both the hands and nails together can be treated by using manicure programme. It involves the process of cleaning, filing, shaping and painting of nails by using nail polish or even applying nail art on it. It may often include the application of artificial nails also.

As the process of manicure involves a risk of infection, it is always advisable to seek the help of a beautician specialized in this field unless you are an expert in doing it.

Seeking the assistance of a specialized beautician to undergo manicure treatment definitely is expensive and so it has always been considered as a luxury by many. But if you are ready to take enough precautions against infections and wounds, you can do it yourself at home without spending much money.

Here are some tips for performing manicure:

• Do not forget to remove the nail polish on your nails before you start manicure
• Collect the tools to be used in manicure before hands. Tools usually include orange stick, nail file, pumice stone, dead cell removers, nail clippers etc.
• Use only lukewarm water to soak your hands. Using hot water will have a negative impact on your hands.
• To mix with water use only mild shampoo or liquid soaps
• Avoid using acetone based polish removers to avoid excessive dryness of your nails.
• Mixing up of a few drops of vegetable oil with nail polish remover will be helpful to avoid nails and skin from drying.
• To remove nail polish, especially dark pigmented nail polish got on the side of the nails, use an orange wood stick wrapped by a piece of cotton on the end and soaked in the polish remover.
• To remove dirt from the side of nails, instead of digging the same with the help of sharp objects, you can opt for diluted hydrogen per oxide readily available in the market for cleaning purposes.
• Excessive filing is not good for nails.
• Do not cut off the cuticles. Instead apply quality cuticle removal creams available in the market and softly push it off by using orange wood stick.
• Pumice stone is good to remove dead skin cells from the hand.
• When you apply cream on your hand pay special attention to the areas around and under the nail.
• While you brush your nails, brush it softly in a down ward motion. Finally with the help of an emery board give it a smooth and shiny look.
• Make sure that your nails are clean and dry before applying polish.
• Always use a base coat white colouring to your nail.
• To apply the second coat of nail polish wait till the first coat dries up.
• Soaking nails in a mixture of lemon juice and water is helpful to remove stains from the nails.
• Soaking nails in warm olive oil will strengthen the nails.
• Do not forget to give your hands a rejuvenating massage ever

Fashion trends in nails

Fashion trends in nails

The days of applying a single tone colour suitable for one’s costumes are gone. Over the past few decades, fashion trends on nails have undergone a radical change. This is an era of fascinating nail colours. Creating eye catching designs on nails using materials like nail paints, glittering powders or even stones including precious ones and beads and tattoos are the dominating trends at present.

Appearance of your nails gives you the ultimate look. Till recently we painted our nails using plain colours in accordance with the costume that we use. To make it more fashionable, what we had was only a nail polish mixed with glitters. Other varieties available were only mat finished or glossy finished nail enamels.

Today the flashiest part of women make up is nail art. Both East and West are after this new trend. To get your nail painted, you can opt for the assistance of a skilled beautician or even you can do it yourself at home with the help of the nail paint kits available in the market. Nail art kits that requires only five seconds to finish nail art are available in the market. It all depends on the design that you choose to apply on your nail. You can go for anything from classic floral designs to abstract paintings. While you choose a design make sure that it suits your style and costume.

Artificial nails can also be used for effective nail painting. If your nails are short or you are suffering from brittle nail problem you can very well opt for nails made of fiber or acrylic. Fiber nails require a simple pasting of the same on your original nail. You can use these nails for one or two months. Fiber nails are suitable for nail art as they are strong and flexible as original nails.

Expense for nail fashion depends on the design you choose. More complicated the design more will be the cost. The procedure for nail fashion is simple. First you can undergo a manicure treatment. This is however not a must. Then shape your nails by filing the sides of your nail. There after apply the desired design on your nail. Then you have to apply a solution to make it stay for a long time.

Both finger and toe nails can be painted like this. To paint nail pens and nail colors specially designed for the purpose are available. Pierced nails are also setting a trend now. Women pierce nails to wear small rings to give a special effect to nails. Some others use decorative stickers to make it beautiful. Even diamonds are being used by specialists to give nails an exclusive look.

The trends in nail fashion are often seasonal. On Valentine’s Day you can see teens and young women wearing small hearts coloured in red colour on their nails. The fashion changes accordingly. These days nail art competitions are becoming more popular.

Now women are the ones seen to be crazy about nail fashion. Usually men who undergo manicure and pedicure opt only for a colorless coat of nail colour to give their nails a finished shiny look.

Before you go after fashion, make sure that what you do suits your over all appearance and occasion. Nails in vibrant colours and abstract designs are only suitable for parties. Never use these designs on formal occasions. As on today black and dark blue are the most popular nail colors among the youth and celebrities. Applying a silver colored nail coating is also considered to be trendy.

It is no doubt that flashy nail fashion is an easy way to catch the attention of others and definitely it will make you stand out in the crowd. So do not hesitate, give it a try.

Manicure procedure

Manicure or treatment of nails and hands has an important role to play in the proper maintenance and beautification of hands and nails. The procedure has got three important functions to perform.

• Primarily it beautifies the hands and nails.
• It relaxes the hands and nails.
• It cures ENT problems.

However take note that manicure is not a medical treatment and is generally intended for beautification and relaxation of hands and nails. For optimum results it is advisable that you perform manicure at least once in every fifteen days. Basically the procedures involved in manicure are simple. It can be performed either at home or in a beauty saloon with the assistance of a qualified beautician. There is absolutely no need to pay regular visits to a beauty saloon for performing manicure. However it will be better that you seek the assistance of a qualified beautician once in a while for manicure. This will help you to understand the new trends if any and the latest quality products to be used for manicure.

Following are the procedures normally followed by a beautician in a beauty saloon. At home we often use home made products for performing manicure. However in a beauty saloon often various commercial products manufactured by branded companies are put to use.

• As the first step nail polish are removed from your nails using nail polish removers.
• Thereafter the hands are soaked in a bowl of lukewarm water mixed with liquid soap or mild shampoo.
• After fifteen or twenty minuets the hands are taken from water and brushed by using a hand brush. While brushing hands and nails it should ensured that the brush that is being used on you is a soft one. Special care will be given to the areas surrounding the nails and the areas under the nails.
• Nail cleansers are then used to clean the nails. Nail cleansers are basically detergents in liquid form. It is applied by mixing it up with water.
• To remove cuticles, cuticle oil, cream or lotions available in the market are often used. After applying cuticle removing agents on the areas around the nails, cuticles are removed by gently pushing it off with the help of an orange wood stick.
• Nail bleaches that contain hydrogen per oxide or other organic acids are used for removing stains from the nails.

Orange wood stick is used to clean the areas under the free edge of the nail plate. Ensure that your beautician applies only moderate pressure while doing so. Applying pressure in this area may lead to break or tear of nail plate and may ultimately lead to infections.

Pumice stones are used for the purpose of removing dead cells from hands and the areas around the nails. After that your nails are shaped by gently filing them in to the desired shape.

For the purpose of exfoliation a small amount of sloughing lotion is often used. This is good especially for persons with dry skin. Massage your hands by applying the lotion for a few minutes and rinse the lotion from your hands and wipe it off with a clean soft towel.

If the surface of your nail is uneven, it can be smoothened by using a buffer. A buffer is used in direction of the nail growth so that it does not cause any harm to the various layers of your nail plate. Buffing the surface of the nail will also enhance the beauty of your nail as it will help the nails to shine. Buffing the nails will also help them to remain stain resistant.

Beautician may advise you to undergo a paraffin treatment in case your skin is very dry. In this procedure,

• First the hands are sanitized thoroughly. This is to ensure that there are no impurities or micro organisms on your hands and nails.
• Your hands are then massaged gently with oil. The hands are then immersed in to paraffin and taken out.
• The wax is allowed to dry out and the procedure is continued for quite some time.
• After this, each hand is covered with a plastic liner and then with terry cloth gloves.
• After keeping the hands as such for around five minuets, paraffin is removed from your hands.

The hands are then washed thoroughly and patted dry with a soft towel. It will be ensured that your hands and nails do not have the remains of the lotions and oils applied on you. After the entire process nail polish is applied on the nails. At first a thin base coat is applied. After drying, it is followed by a minimum of two coats of nail polish so as to leave your hands smooth and silky.

Nail Hygiene

Nail Hygiene

Nails are designed to protect finger tips and toe tips from damage. Nails being pointers to the general health of an individual; they have an important role to play in medical science also.

Exposure of nails to polluted environment makes it highly prone to infections. We use hands to take food and it is easy to transfer bacteria accumulated under the nails to mouth. So it is essential that everyone should have a minimum awareness regarding nail hygiene.

• Excessively long nails trap more bacteria. So always keep your nails short and clean.
• Make it a regular habit to spend a few minuets a day to care your nails.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before and after taking food. It would be better if you can use lukewarm water for this.
• A plain washing is not enough. Wash your hands including wrists vigorously, giving special attention to areas under nails.
• Always use a mild soap for washing your hands and finger nails. You should follow the same procedure whenever you touch your pets, garbage, after sneezing or coughing etc. After washing, pat your hands and finger nails dry using a soft towel.

Never allow your finger nails to grow too long. Chances are more for dirt and micro organisms to accumulate under long finger nails. So keep your finger nails short as far as possible and beauty conscious ladies, who are eager to grow their nails, should take extra care to keep their nails and under areas of their nails clean and infection free.

Before you visit a beauty saloon for manicure or pedicure, ensure that the saloon you are going to visit is clean and hygienic.

• Usage or sharing of emery boards, filing instruments, pumice stones used in saloons may invite infections.
• Make sure that the metal instruments that are being used by your beautician while performing manicure or pedicure are sterilized properly.
• Even while you are undergoing a pedicure or manicure at home use only sterilized equipments and take care to keep them separately every time.

Never use sharp materials other than manicure equipments to clean the areas under nails. Manicure kits are available in the market. It is better that you purchase a standard one for your use. Be extra cautious while dealing with cuticles. Cutting of cuticles may invite infections. To remove cuticles use only quality cuticle removers. You may gently push it off also instead of cutting it.

You should be extra cautious if you are suffering from hang nail problem. In such a case, never use too much pressure on nails while undergoing a manicure or pedicure.

Comparing to finger nails, toe nails are more prone to infections. As in the case of finger nails, never allow your toe nails to grow too long. Properly maintain the length of your toe nails by timely shaping them.

• Give more attention to your feet and toe nails during rainy season. Constant contact of your feet with mud and water may adversely affect the health of your nails and skin.
• Always use good quality foot wear while walking in rain.
• Make sure that your foot wear does not absorb water and soak your feet. This can have even more adverse effect on your nails and skin.
• Wash your feet thoroughly everyday and apply moisturizer to retain its lost moisture.
• Take care of the area surrounding the nail. Bacteria may get accumulated there.

Another problem that usually affects the health of toe nails is a condition called athlete’s foot. To get affected by this problem you need not be an athlete. The main cause behind athlete foot is ring worm or fungus. Normally only men over twenty years are seen to be affected by this problem and the reason is wearing of undersized shoes especially in cold weather. Peeling and cracking of the skin is as a result of reduced oxygen to the skin. Itching can also occur.

The persons affected while athlete’s foot should give extra care to their feet while washing. To maintain hygiene they should dry the areas between toes completely.

• One can avoid this situation by using shoes of correct size. Cotton socks are recommended to them.
• They are advised to change socks whenever they feel that they are wet.
• Use sandals or walk barefoot while at home. This will help to ease the pressure on your toe nails and skin caused by the use of foot wears.
  

Effect of nails

Effect of nails

One cannot ignore the importance and effect of nails in the total outlook of a human being. A beautifully maintained nail attracts every one’s attention. A magnificently dressed up lady with patchy nail polish will create an impression among others that she is not keen in minute aspects of perfection. It will promote to create a negative impression about her among spectators.

The colour and appearance of nails have an impact on your appearance. It makes your dressing complete. One can easily assess the cleanliness of a person by verifying the nails of that person especially the toe nails. A shabbily maintained toe nails full of dirt is a sure sign of shabby character.

Apart from the cosmetic value, nails have an important role to play in keeping a man healthy. The discoloration of nails and patches appearing on nails may be an early indication disorders to some internal organs. In short it acts as an indicator of your general health. In fact condition of nails is an effective tool in a physician’s armory to diagnose various diseases.

• White patches of nails can be a sign of some disorders in the functioning of your liver. A nail appearing half pink and half white in colour attracts attention of a medical practitioner as it may be an indicator of kidney malfunctioning.
• A red coloured nail bed can be a pointer to disorders relating to one’s heart.
• The nails of a patient suffering from lung diseases usually appear yellowish in colour. Thickening of nails with yellow colour also acts as an indication to lung disorders.
• The nail bed of a patient with acute anemia usually seems to be pale in colour.
• In a diabetic patient, nails will appear yellow in colour with slight blue colour at the base of the nail.

Physiologically the main function of the nail is to protect the tender tips of fingers and toes. Nails are made of hard protein known as keratin. Nail covers the tips of fingers and toes from damaging. It also helps to pick up things.

Nail Structure

Nail Structure

The nails act as a protective cover to the delicate tips of fingers and toes. It is made of hard protein known as keratin.

Nails are composed of three important parts, a root, body and an edge. Root is that part of the nail that joins with the skin and is placed underneath the skin. Body of a nail is the centre portion of the nail that constitutes the nail plate. Finally edge is the tip of a nail that often grows beyond the finger tip.

Nails grow from the root region. As the nail grows it gradually pushes the edge of the nail beyond the finger tip. When the cells constituting the nail die, it becomes the nail plate; the outer surface of the nail. Chemically analyzed, nail plate consists mainly of a protein called Keratin and calcium.

The nail is held to the skin by the so called the cuticle. It holds the nail from its bottom side and is referred to as the eponychium. Cuticle that holds the nails from side is known as the paronychium and that which holds the nail at its edge is called the hyponychium. Cuticle is in fact a thick layer of skin itself. Nail fold is that portion of cuticle that overgrows on to the base and sides of a nail. The vital role of cuticle in holding the nail to the body is in fact the reason behind the advice not to cut the cuticles for enhanced look of your nails. Always take care to push the cuticles back rather than cutting it for cosmetic purposes.

The underside of the nail that connects the nail to the finger tip is called the nail bed. The upper most portion of the nail bed is scientifically known as lunula which is white in colour. In fact a nail is transparent in nature and it is the lunula that lies beneath the nail plate that gives the nail its white appearance.

A normal and healthy nail will grow by a centimeter in hundred days. Finger nails grow faster when compared to toe nails. Normally a finger nail takes about six months to grow completely. The growth rate of a toe nail is about fifty percent slower and it takes more than a year for a toe nail to grow out completely. Growth rate of nails is dependent on various factors and often varies from person to person depending on the age, climate, activity level and also his hereditary factors.

Like any other external organ in the human body, nails too require constant care and protection. Nails are prone to infections and if left unattended, it can lead to more serious diseases as there is every probability for the bacteria and other infectious micro organisms to enter your body through hand and mouth contact. In the circumstances proper maintenance of nails is a must to protect your general health condition. In fact healthy nails are pointers of good health. Viewed in a cosmetic angle, proper care and maintenance of one’s nail go a long way in enhancing the external appearance of the concerned person.

Nail Care - Caring for Nails - How to get beautiful nails?

We always wonder why women have gorgeous nails. Imagine the girl who extends a shabby finger in the Church for her boy friend to adorn it with a ring! Well polished, shapely and colourful nails add to the overall appearance of women. Even though nails are waste materials, caring them and keeping them clean and shapely is very important. The size and shape of nails depend on the size of the finger. A thick finger will have a large nail. Nails are to protect the finger tips which are very sensitive. They look beautiful on female hands because they have long fingers compared to men.

Since nails speak out of the general health condition and habits of a person, caring them and keeping them clean and shapely is indispensable. Also, an untidy wet nails can cause infectious diseases too. Spend about one hour a month, you can keep the nails in good condition. First of all modify the bad habits like -

• Chewing the nail.
• Avoid using chemicals with bare hands and always use gloves.
• Do not wet hands for long time. Wet nails may break very soon.
• While using the computer key board type with the tip of the fingers instead of typing with the nail tips.
• Do not give pressure on the nails as it will break soon.

Properly maintained nails last for a longer period. Polishing, filing, re-shaping and repair of damaged parts will give life for nails. Since nail polishes and removers are chemicals, use approved brands as it may cause allergic reactions. If you are not able to do it yourself, a beauty parlour is the best place you can visit. They are trained and licensed to use such chemicals. Manicurists always use sterilized equipments.

Some Good Habits

• Nails will always tell others where you work and what you eat. If you are working in cashew nut factory, confectionery shop or bakery you will always have a coloured nail. Try using a hand gloves.
• Put your legs in a half tub of warm water with liquid soap for 15-20 minutes. It will remove dirt and will give colour to your foot.
• Hand gloves can be worn while gardening. This will prevent sand entering into the nail.
• Trim the nail carefully. Short nails last longer as the chance of breaking is less.
• Use only branded nail polish always.
• While using hands, use the ball of the finger and not the nails. You can also use tools instead of hands.

Definition of nails and the need for nails

Broadly, nails can be defined as the protective caps of your finger and toe tips. As hands and feet are the most commonly used organs in a human body, fingers and toes are more prone to injuries and shocks. Nails are the nature’s boon to mankind to prevent the fingers and toes from direct injuries and shocks.

The finger tips and toe tips are highly sensitive areas as these areas are rich in nerve endings. Therefore an injury to the tips of the toe or a finger can be very painful and at the same time serious. A nail, which in fact is a type of skin itself, cover and protect these delicate parts of the human body.

The outmost layer of a nail which is called the nail plate consists of dead cells and is therefore immune to mild shocks and injuries. The main ingredients of a nail plate are keratin, a fibrous protein, and calcium. It is therefore very hard in nature which makes it an ideal protective layer for finger and toe tips.

The nail plate rests on the nail bed. Nail bed is another thick layer of the skin. However it consists of living cells and it holds the nail to your body. Nails are transparent in nature and increased blood circulation through the nail bed gives it a pink shade. Therefore finger and toe nails which are pink in colour and without any deformity are termed to be the signs of good health. A protein rich diet will help you maintain strong and healthy nails.

Nails can help in protection and helps in being a part of healthy and disease free person. The uses of nails are:

• Apart from providing protection to your finger and toe tips, nails help you to grip objects more firmly and efficiently. Toe nails protect you from banging your toes against hard objects.
• Nails also play an important role in diagnosing various diseases at its initial stages. The change in colour, texture, and appearance of nails often denotes abnormalities in the functioning of internal organs and can go a long way in identifying such abnormalities at the threshold. Even life threatening disease like cancer can be detected by closely monitoring the changes occurring to one’s nails. Needless to mention timely detection of cancer is crucial in its cure.
• The change in colour, texture and appearance of nails may be hereditary or due to other simple reasons. Therefore there is no need to panic on simple identification of some abnormalities regarding your nails. Consult a qualified physician in case of nail deformities and he will be able to guide you and diagnose serious troubles if any and suggest a treatment plan accordingly.
• Apart form biological importance; nails have an important role to play in the outward appearance of the person. A person with clean, healthy finger and toe nails creates an impression among others to be upright, punctual, gentle and energetic. Personal cleanliness of a person can often be correctly assessed by verifying the cleanliness of his toe nails. Among women, beautiful long nails are considered to be signs of beauty and glamour from time immemorial.

Tips on French Manicure - Giving yourself a French manicure

Tips on French Manicure - Giving yourself a French manicure

A French manicure is a great way to show off your beautiful nails and enjoy your time at the manicurist. You can always trust a nail technician to give you a French manicure that you will be proud of.

If you prefer to give your own manicures and desire to learn how to give yourself a French manicure you can follow the easy steps below.

1. First before applying nail polish clean your hands and nails thoroughly with an exfoliate scrub. If you do not have an exfoliate scrub you can add just a tad of salt to hand lotions. Be sure to rinse and dry your hands and nails well.

2. Next, you will need to file your nails. Always remember to file your nails from the corner to the center of each nail. Do not file straight across than can cause your nails to become weak. File in one direction only. Finding the right type of nail for filing can be found at your local beauty supply store. The coarse side of the nail file is for filing while the fine side is for finishing.

3. Using a hand moisturizer is the next step. Many nail technicians can give you the best ideas for moisturizers. Some people prefer to use olive or almond oil. You will now need to either soak your nails so soften your cuticles or you can also wrap them in a warm towel. Now, gently push back your cuticle using a cuticle stick. Do not cut your cuticles. Thoroughly rinse your hands with warm water and remember to dry completely.

4. Your next step in getting a French manicure is to apply one clear base coat completely over your nail. Let the base dry. This base coat will help strengthen and protect your nail.

5. To achieve the square look for your French manicure, paint a straight line across the tips of all of your fingernails. If you prefer a rounded look, follow the curve of your nail. If you want a pointed look paint each side of your nail to the center. You may find sticky strips to help you get a straight line when polishing. Let the polish dry.

6. The final step in your French manicure is to apply a coat of translucent pink polish over your entire nail; this will seal the tip that you just polished white and will finish the look. Let dry.

That’s it. You are ready to go. Enjoy your new French manicure. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Send them using the form at the bottom of the page.

The Do It Yourself French Manicure

How to do a French manicure for gorgeous hands

The finishing touch on any makeover is a good-as-new manicure, but who says you have to fork up a bundle at the salon to get perfect natural nails? You can maintain beautiful hands and nails at home with a few simple tools. We recommend a French manicure or American manicure (Frenchie's more subtle American sister) because they go anywhere, and with anything. Herein, our best do it yourself French manicure tips. Try on makeup and fashion trends in our virtual styling studio.

"The most famous of manicures is refined and flattering and shows that you pay attention to details."

To begin your perfect French manicure, open a window to ventilate your bathroom or find a comfortable spot to paint your nails outside. Remove all traces of nail polish with an acetone-free nail polish remover. For best results, soak a few cotton balls in the solution and press them onto your nail beds for a few seconds to loosen the polish and make it easy to remove.

Use a pair of cuticle clippers to remove stray hangnails caused by dry skin. Never cut your cuticles with clippers, instead push moisturized cuticle skin back with an orange stick wrapped in cotton to avoid damaging the nail bed. If you discover a hangnail but don't have clippers handy, prevent it from ripping further by slicking it to the skin with a bit of lip balm or sticky lip gloss. This will help you resist the urge to yank it off with your teeth before you can cut it.

Try this weekly anti-hangnail treatment: fill a small bowl three quarters full with olive oil, or mix equal parts olive oil and hand moisturizer, and pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Soak each hand in the warm solution until it cools for healthy, hydrated cuticles. File your nails into the most coveted shape du jour, the "squoval," which is a cross between a square and an oval. It is the most flattering shape for all hands.

French manicure kits can limit you because the whites are too white and pinks too pink. Buy the colors you like separately as you would any other color. The sheerer the polish, the less room you have for making mistakes. Our French mani polishes of chioce are totally natural and look more like a so-called American manicure than the stark white French variety.

Start with a clear, strengthening base coat to prevent your nails from breaking and yellowing. Allow it to dry, then apply two coats to white polish to your tips. Contrary to popular belief, a do it yourself French manicure doesn't required the steadiest of hands. Instead of painting the nail tips from side to side in a half moon shape, brush outward in several tiny strokes to create an even line. Follow with one coat of light pink polish from nail root to tip. The pink should be sheer enough so that it does not overpower the white. Finish with a quick-drying top coat to prevent chipping.

To get a French manicure look without using any polish, use a buffer to smooth the surface and a chamois polisher to impart high gloss shine. A nail white pencil can be used to whiten the tips of your nails in a pinch. The best part is that it doesn't require drying time. Simply dip the pencil in water and swipe it under the tip of each nail. Rinse your hands to remove excess and you're good to go. --Stephanie Simons

Read more: http://www.taaz.com/beauty/beauty-tips/nails/do-it-yourself-french-manicure.html#ixzz1GZn6lSVv

French manicure

French manicure

French Manicure

The French Manicure is world famous with the influence spilling in India as well. It’s a neat way to groom your nails that is a hot favorite due its prim and healthy look. The reason why this manicure is a rage amongst women is due its feminine and classy style. So what exactly is a French manicure and what is the procedure? French manicure is a style of shaping the nails and painting them with pink and white paint. The nails are basically shaped oval to soften the edges and are painted with a light pink coat whereas the tips are painted with a thin edged coat of bright white nail paint. One needs to be careful that the white edge is not too thick, which kills the authentic look. Overall, the manicure gives a super-natural look and apt for all types of occasions, be it professional or social. Getting a manicure at a salon is the best way to achieve the proper look, but its very much possible to try it at home too. Though it takes some time, practice and patience to get it right, it’s worth the effort if you want to save the money. Here’s how you do the French manicure: French manicure Requirements: ·A mild pink nail paint ·A white shade ·French manicure kit available at a beauty store ·Nail polish remover ·Warm water ·Cotton French manicure Process: Soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover and remove the old paint if any. Wash your hand thoroughly and soak in lukewarm water for a few minutes. Gently push the cuticles back in place for evenness. File your nails in a curved shape using the nail filer, scissors etc. With nail clippers, beauty scissors or a nail file, shape your nails evenly. Apply one coat of the protective clear base to avoid damage or chipping ·Apply 2 coats of the white paint only on the tips, preferable with one long stroke instead of breaking it up ·After the white paint is completely dry, apply one coat of the pink colour over the entire nail for a natural finish. For a bolder look you can use 2 coats. ·Its advisable to apply one more coat of clear polish for protection. Some caveats to consider while applying the coats: Ensure that the previous coats are completely dried else it might cause the next coats to smudge. For best results, buy a French manicure kit which has all the ingredients already plus some fake nails that help you paint the tips accurately by placing these over your original nails at an appropriate position. It is advisable to have long and healthy nails to don the French manicure. Professional nail art technicians definitely can value add to your manicure. E.g. they may use fake tips for you depending upon your choice. They will offer proper treatment in terms of conditioning and robusting before applying the paint. You can adopt a crazy theme depending on the occasion or during the holidays when socializing is at its peak. Paint the tips yellow and orange or get a Diya painted for Diwali. Going to Goa? How about a light blue and green to go with the azure waters and the foliage? There are infinite designs and colour permutations you can adopt depending on your imagination. So let the French manicure get an Indian touch and awe-inspire your friends to go for a similar look. French manicure Expenses. Well, beauty has its price and it varies within different stylists. They can charge anything between Indian Rupees 250 to Rs. 1000 for various types of treatments. There are ‘nail bars’ or nail salons that specialize in nail art and treatments in major metros wherein you can enjoy the experience of nail art while sipping coffee, so obviously they will be a little exorbitant. From a career point of view, nail technicians must be qualified but unfortunately there are few courses available in India. The other options are to join a nail parlour, which has qualified professionals or those who conduct nail art classes. One just needs to ensure the credibility of the lead person. Also, it would be a great advantage to be creative and inclined towards drawing / painting as the profession demands. Thus with women being more outgoing nowadays on the home front or business front, nail trends and nail technicians are hip nowadays. The onset of exclusive nail salons has given an impetus to nail technicians s a profession and they can start about on their own too. You can go to you Fairy godmother and get a makeover for your nails now! ~ Authored Karishma Bajaj

Different Procedures

Different Procedures

1. Paint yourself without guides

This takes a very steady hand and significant experience to get right and make your nails look good. Even if you can do a perfect manicure with regular polish, freehand painting to perfection is extremely difficult on 10 nails. Some technicians have it down to a fine art.

2. Paint yourself with guides

This method is probably the most popular. It can take a while, however, to comfortably peel off and perfectly position the French Manicure guide stickers. But those stickers are very cheap (a few dollars or less).

3. DIY glue-on acrylics

Another popular cheap manicure is a set of thin acrylic nails that you can glue on. The synthetic nail doesn't cover the entire nail bed. Even though the tips are bright white and have well-defined smile lines, this kind often yellow fairly quickly (not the white, the rest).

4. Salon acrylics

The manicurist affixes full-length curved white tips (the size they come in); then she cuts them down to the length you want.

5. Sculptured gel

A special gel is used with nail guides. The gel comes in different shades of white and pink. It cures under UV light in 30 seconds to 3 minutes. It is a tough material and it can be further protected with very shiny clear sealant.

Besides durability, the sculptured advantage is more tapered and more rounded tips. The factory-manufactured acrylics are much flatter than personally custom-made gels because they are designed to fit more women's nails. High arched nails to about 50% are one of the unique and definitive characteristics of sculptured French manicures.

The disadvantage of gels is limited to the skill of the nail technician. Gels can be too thick--several times thicker than natural nails and acrylics. The above picture is an example. Some women prefer the extra thickness, but make sure you get it by choice.

Touch Ups

The advantage of French manicures, as we have already noted, is they make your nails look clean. The disadvantage is they are not forgiving when they aren't clean.

French manicure pencils are a clever idea for touch-ups, but so far they get mixed reviews. Some of the critics say the white pencil color washes off too easily. They can work as a quick fix when you are going out. Since the pencils are pretty cheap they are worth testing.

Nail experts agree that manicures are well preserved with a good top coat and a new layer of clear top coat every few days. This is definitely true for the continued protection of French perfection.

Full Salon Services

Do you want to leave your favorite beauty salon this year looking perfect from the top of your head to the tips of your nails? Planning a day at a spa in 2010 to get your hair and nails done? Besides the new nail style ideas here you can also see hair styles 2010 pictures online.

2010 Beauty Trends

The manicure trends this year are expected to include the continuation of what fashion magazine editors noted got started in 2009: colored gel nails.

Originally gel was used only in French manicures (pink and white) and nail art; then colored French tips became popular. Now the same colored gel is being used to paint the entire nail. It seems like a natural progression, doesn't it?

Because cured gel is so durable, you can now get a manicure that lasts for three weeks instead of one--or even longer with the special gel top coats--like the IBD Intense Seal Top Coat.

Caution

What is the condition of your natural nails? Are they strong and healthy enough to handle the stresses of filing and chemicals used for manicures? Or are you prepared to wait for your nails to recover after acrylics are removed?

You don't have to look online in public forums very long to read accounts of women whose nails looked damaged after they removed their enhancements. Sometimes the damage was done in application; and sometimes it happened by the incorrect removal.

The thinner and more brittle your nails, the more careful you should be and the more research you should do before taking matters into your own hands. Consult your salon or read the great nail care advice online.

Manicure Trends

Manicure Trends

One of the latest nail trends is the old French Manicure in different new colors. So the nail bed color may stay pink, but the tips are not white. The most popular alternative nail tip colors are red and pink, but you also see black tips, too, since black nail polish became a hot nail color trend.

You also may have seen girls wearing alternative French Manicures where the tips are white as usual but the nail bed is a different color. Another type of manicure is the French style in reverse. The tips are pink instead of white, and the nail bed is white instead of pink.

French Manicures.com is just getting going. There are 50 pictures of manicures to get the nail show started, with lots more on the way. See if you can find yourself a hot new manicure style now, or if not, bookmark this site, and return later for the new updates. Beneath the 50 thumbnails on this page there are more pictures below.

French Manicure Nail Designs

The best pictures for brides of the most popular French Manicure nail designs

Nail styles come and go but one style remains popular: the French Manicure. Since they were introduced many years ago, in fact, French Nails have never gone out of style. They are a classic look for day or night, and you still see them everywhere.

But in recent years, we have seen different variations of the French Manicure. Now, instead of just pink nails with the traditional white tips, there are many different kinds of French Manicures. There are so many new options.

French Manicures.com shows modern brides and teen girls going to prom some of the elegant new nail styles and colors. You can find excellent pictures of fresh new ideas which you can print out and show your manicurist at the nail salon.

Wedding Nails

Wedding nail art for French Manicures is a popular look for the bride who wants to dress up her nails. It adds extra elegance to the classic French look. Women are choosing increasingly sophisticated manicures, but the great thing is the refined new looks are very pretty without being too flashy.

How to give yourself a French Manicure

How to give yourself a French Manicure



Fashion experts have differing views on the French manicure. Some think that the French manicure has gone pass and outdated, while some are of the opinion that the French manicure is a classic that will never go out of style. But whatever the fashion gurus think, many women go for the French manicure because of its simplicity and the natural look that it evokes. The French manicure also gives the nails that clean, well-groomed appearance that is neither flashy nor fussy.

But first, what is a French manicure? A French manicure is a style of polishing the nails wherein white paint is applied to the tips of the fingernails, and the rest of the nails are given a pink coat or painted with sheer polish that is colored either pale pink or very light beige. The French manicure is very good for short nails and nails that have a moderate length.

Before you start giving your nails a French manicure, make sure you have followed the general rule for putting on nail polish. You should prep your nails first by removing old nail polish with acetone remover. Then go and clean your nails and give them a trim.

Once you are done cleaning and trimming your nails, go ahead and apply a base coat to your nails. Keep this base coat thin and even. Afterwards, put a tip guide to your nail. This is supposed to cover the lower part of your nail as well as follow the curve of your nail tips natural white. When you are done with that, apply white polish to the exposed tips of your fingernails, and then let them dry. Keep the area that you will paint white thin. If you go too widely on the white paint, your nails will look chunky. Also, if you do not feel comfortable with stark white tips, you can use off-white polish instead.

When the white polish on the tips of your fingernails is dry, remove the nail tip guides thoroughly. And then, paint the entire length of your nails with a beige polish. Two coats of this polish may be necessary. After this, put a layer of top coat on your nails. This is the last step; after putting on the top coat, dry your nails and make sure they dry completely.

To extend the life of your French manicure and to keep your nails nice and looking well-groomed, you should make it a point to apply an extra layer of top coat on your nails every night.

For all its seeming simplicity, putting on a French manicure can get really tricky. Most drugstores and beauty shops sell readily-assembled nail polishing kits especially made for the French manicure. If you need extra help, you can find these kits very useful.

If you want to try out the French manicure but you are afraid to do it yourself, you can always visit a nail salon and have your nails done there. French manicure often costs extra than a regular polish because of the degree of accuracy needed for the job. It may be an expense, but it is worth it.



Also see: Illustrated French Manicure Tips and Personalize Your Manicure

Professional Manicure Tips

Professional Manicure Tips

A manicure is a beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands. Manicures usually involve soaking the hands, applying hand lotion, filing and shaping the nails and applying nail polish. There are also special manicures, like French manicures. This article includes:

• Find more on manicure and pedicure
• What is the procedure for manicure?
• What is the procedure for pedicure?

It is possible to give yourself a professional manicure or pedicure at home. You can even create your own professional manicure sets (including pedicure machines for those who want all the manicure and pedicure sets and tools). All you need is a few simple tools and knowledge of the procedure that professional manicurists use.

What are Manicures and Pedicures?

A manicure is a beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands. Manicures usually involve soaking the hands, applying hand lotion, filing and shaping the nails and applying nail polish. There are also special manicures, like French manicures.

Pedicure is the same sort of treatment for the feet. Again, it involves soaking the feet, filing and shaping the nails and applying lotion and nail polish.

The Procedure (for doing your own manicures and pedicures)

Below are the procedure that would be followed by a professional manicurist. By following the same procedure, you can also give yourself a professional-looking manicure. Before you start, though, you will need to collect some tools and put together one of your own professional manicure sets.

PROFESSIONAL MANICURE SETS

Here are all the tools you will need to give yourself a manicure or pedicure. Some items on the list are essential, but some items can be left until later. You can also buy professional manicure sets or individual manicure and pedicure sets.

The Basics

1. Bowl of warm water (this will have to be a very large bowl for a pedicure).
2. Nail polish remover.
3. Cuticle pusher (preferably orangewood)
4. A hand towel.
5. Nail clippers or scissors.
6. Clear nail polish.
7. Cotton pads.
8. Finger brush.
9. Nail file or emery board.
10. Nail polishing board (or nail buffer).
11. Massage lotion or hand lotion.
12. Pumice stone.

Extras

1. Finger bath.
2. Foot bath.
3. Bath salt.
4. Cuticle remover (this is not necessary).
5. Cuticle oil (this is not necessary).
6. Colored nail polish. (This isn't necessary if you do not want colored nails.)
7. Base coat.
8. Top coat.
9. Professional Items
10. Pedicure machines (can also be used for manicures).

HOW TO DO A MANICURE

If you have ever wondered how to do a manicure, the following list should be helpful. It is a list of steps that professional manicurists take when giving people manicures. By following the same steps (and using your own professional manicure sets) you too can give yourself a professional manicure.

1. Remove any old nail polish with nail polish remover. Wash and sanitize the hands with soap and hot water or by scrubbing with bath salt. Bath salt is best because it removes dead skin cells. Dry the hands with a clean towel.
2. Trim the fingernails and shape them with a nail file. Metal nail files or emery boards can be used, but professionals usually use fine glass files. To file properly, start with the file at the outer edge of the nail and move towards the center. You should not file nails with a saw-like motion.
3. Soak the hands in water. A cream, oil or chemical cuticle remover can be applied to remove cuticles. The cuticles are pushed back with a cuticle pusher. Metal cuticle pushers can be used, but they may damage the fingernail. It is best to use orangewood cuticle pushers.
4. Polish the fingernails with a polishing board (or nail buffer). A polishing board has a soft foam layer with a polishing surface.
5. Apply nail polish. Most professionals apply at least one layer of clear nail polish. If you want to apply colored nail polish, use at least three layers. Start with a base coat. Then put on the color coat. Finish with a top coat. Clear nail polish can be used in place of a base coat and top coat.
6. Finish the manicure with a hand massage. You can use hand lotion or oils. Some manicurists will soak the hands in paraffin or wax before putting on hand lotion.

How to Give Yourself A Pedicure at Home

It is good to pamper yourself. It gives a self rewarding feeling like you are doing something special for yourself. Giving a cosmetic beauty treatment to your feet and nails is known as Pedicure. For exposing the toes and feet, with slinky shoes, you need to have healthy and attractive feet.

If you don’t have time and money to get a pedicure done at salon, don’t get disheartened. You can do a very good pedicure using things you already have around the house.

1. Soak your feet in a tub of warm soapy water till it cools and allow it to dry to soften it. Rub the foot gently in a circular motion with a foot file. Let the foot continue to soak when you work on the other foot. Commercial foot soaking tablets or liquids are also available for softening, moisturizing, and deodorizing the feet. If you don’t have this, use a table spoon of baking soda and few drops of bath oil to get the same effect. Add some salt to the water to soften the dead skin cells. This will refresh your tired feet also. Dry your feet using a soft towel.

2. Now clip and file the toe nails. By rounding the nails slightly at the corner, file straight across the nails. For filing the nails, work with an emery board in both the direction by smoothing tears or breaks. File away the spilt or rough edges. Clean under nail tips.

3. Before polishing the toe nails, minimize the cuticle using a cuticle stick. Use an orangewood stick or cotton swab and apply cuticle removing solution to loosen the cuticle of the nails. Do not cut them; it can cause infection and pain. Hangnails or loose skin around the nails must be trimmed with cuticle trimmers or clippers.

4. Clean the excess cuticle solvent using a damp towel and apply foot cream lotion on both the feet and toe and massage for 5 minutes. If your skin is too dry, after massaging the foot with cream, wrap the feet with wet warm towel.

5. Now rinse your feet with warm soapy water. Using exfoliating cream like apricot scrub to remove the excess lotion. After rinsing the feet, wipe them properly to dry.

6. Use polish remover to remove any residue or lotion left on the toe nail. Apply a base coat of nail polish and let it dry completely. Now apply nail color gently on the nails according to your own choice. Wait for some time to let it dry.

7. Apply light foot lotion on feet, ankles and toes.

Your feet will look attractive and healthy, if you perform this process twice a month.

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Home Pedicure Tips

Home Pedicure Tips

Filed Under: Fashion by jessica — Leave a comment

March 4, 2011

Most of us neglect our feet. Nails of feet also need care as the nails of hand. You need not visit a spa to keep your feet in good condition. You can make your feet in top shape by using simple things at home.

In this fast-moving modern life people have little time to go to a spa. Home pedicure is the best option because it can be done at your convenience. To enhance the beauty and health of your feet and toenails at home you just need the right tools and basic knowledge of the procedure. You can have spa-quality pedicure anytime with the right pedicure tips.

Preliminary step is to purchase a pedicure kit. These kit consists all the basic tools like nail trimmers, cuticle oil, orangewood stick, nail colour and cuticle nipper.

Tips

• Firstly, soak the cotton band with acetone remover and remove the old nail polish.
• To cut your toenails always use high quality clippers. Cut your nails straight across. The nails are then cut leaving about 1/8th of an inch so that the nails don’t extend over the tip of the fingers.
• Don’t use metal files, use emory boards. File the nail in one direction around the corners for a soft square shape. For shortening and shaping nails use the coarse surface and for smoothing the nail edge use the smooth surface.
• Take a big flat bottom bowl and fill it with warm water. In this warm water add bath salt, Epsom salt and aromatherapy oil. Now soak your feet in it for 3 minutes. If your feet are more calloused then it is necessary to soak them for a longer time. You can also add quarter cup of milk in warm water. Dead skin loosens due to lactic acid in the milk. Soak your feet in water until the skin softens up.
• Rub cuticle remover on the base of each nail. Then wait for a minute. After that, slowly push the skin back with orangewood stick.
• Don’t cut your toe flesh. To trim loose skin, use cuticle nippers.
• To remove the dead skin of the balls and heels of your feet, use a foot scrub and foot file or wet pumice stone or an exfoliating body. Don’t scrub so hard that your feet turn red.
• Dry your feet fully including between the toes. Apply nourishing foot cream and rub the feet with little cuticle oil.
• To remove extra oils from the nails use an acetone remover. Apply three thin coats of nail paint. Do not paint cuticles. After applying three coat apply thin topcoat.
• To remove excess nail polish use orangewood stick wrapped in cotton & dipped in nail polish remover.
• You can also place cotton wool pads between your nails before applying a coat of clear base. Once the first coat becomes dry apply second coat of nail polish.
• Always clean your pedicure tools with warm soapy water after each use. Also wipe them down with alcohol. It will reduce the risk of bacterial infections.
• Before wearing shoes or doing any other work let it dry completely.

Pedicure Tips: How to Do Home Pedicure

Pedicure Tips: How to Do Home Pedicure

with nailsbylisa

Pedicure Tips: How to Do Home Pedicure

Unfortunately, time and money doesnâ € ™ t always allow you to enjoy the evening indulging in a relaxing salon pedicure. But with the right advice to a pedicure , you can make yourself a spa quality pedicure any time you want. Treat your feet with a soothing pedicure at home with these simple tips for a pedicure.

Use cotton wool to remove old nail polish from your toenails. Clip your toenails straight across with toenail clipper. Use a nail file to build your own toenails and remove the ragged edges. One of the best advice for a pedicure soak your feet for 10 minutes in the pool or pedicure tub filled with warm water. This will help reduce the cuticles and calluses on the impact on your feet bottoms. For an additional relaxation benefits, add some Epsom salt and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Wet pumice and scrub your feet in the lower surface to remove dead skin and calluses. Pumice is very abrasive, so do not scrub too hard to walk. Apply cuticle cream to your cuticles and use the orange stick to push it back easily. After the push cuticles back, the angle of the orange stick and move it to a slow circular motion to remove dead cuticles. Wipe away any excess cuticle cream with a warm washcloth. Use a foot lotion to moisturize the feet. Massage on legs lotion is absorbed by the skin. Nail polish wonâ € ™ t follow proper oily nails, so put some nail polish remover on a cotton and wipe the oil off your fingers. Apply two layers of your favorite nail color toenails. Allow each coat of polish dry before applying another. After the nail paint dries, add a clear protective coat of polish. To remove excess nail polish from the skin around the toenails, wrap a piece of tissue around the cuticle stick (or use a Q-tip), dip it a little nail polish remover, and swipe it on the skin around the toenails.

To reduce the risk of fungal and bacterial infections, clean the pedicure instruments after each use. Wash tools with warm soapy water and wipe them with alcohol.

With this simple at-home pedicure tips, you can make yourself the same quality, style spa pedicure you can get to the cabin.

Do you want beautiful nails? Learn more about Pedicure Tips that can help you get strong, healthy nails you deserve a www.radapro.com

The 25 Best Pedicure Tips Ever

The 25 Best Pedicure Tips Ever

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Whether you’ll be visiting a salon or scheduling your own do-it-yourself makeover at home, use these 25 pedicure tips to get your feet in tiptop shape for the spring sandal season. Don’t let your tooties swelter in shame inside boots and closed toes shoes when the weather turns warmer.

Tips for Salon Pedicures

1. Schedule a pedicure in the morning when fewer people have used the salon’s footbath or make sure you find a salon that cleans their footbath thoroughly between customers.

2. Bring your own pedicure tools to the salon to ensure you don’t get toenail fungus or bacterial infection.

3. If you have sensitive diabetic feet inform the salon at the time you make your appointment. Ask about sterilization procedures, the temperature of the water during foot soaks, and if any of the salon’s pedicurists have experience working with diabetic feet.

4. If you are diabetic and feel uncertain of the salon’s ability to take proper safety precautions trust your instincts and try a different salon. Remember that pedicures can be an invaluable component of diabetic foot care, but only when performed by a knowledgeable professional.

Tips for Home Pedicures

5. Begin by completely removing any residual nail polish from your last pedicure.

6. Soak your feet prior to exfoliating and trimming your toenails to soften the skin and enamel. Add a little milk to the water so that its lactic acid can loosen any dead skin. 5 minutes is usually a good rule of thumb for how long to soak your feet, but the more cracked and callused your feet are the longer they will need to soak.

7. Use a pumice to gentle smooth away calluses and rough skin patches. We recommend the Personal Pumi Bar because it is gentler on sensitive feet than a pumice stone or steel callus file.

8. After exfoliating, dry feet thoroughly, including between the toes.

9. Apply moisturizing foot cream being careful not to put moisturizer between your toes or you run a greater risk of getting a fungal infection such as athlete’s foot.

10. Cut nails straight across just above the skin to prevent ingrown toenails. Never clip the sides of your toenail and make sure your toenails don’t extend beyond your toes.

11. When rounding sharp nail edges file lightly in one direction being careful not to scrape the nail’s surface. Use an emery board rather than a steel nail file. A steel file is more likely to rip your nails.

12. The fine-grade surface of the emery board is for smoothing sharp or rough nail edges. This is the side you should use on your toenails. The coarser surface of an emery board on the reverse side is for shortening & shaping fingernails which can safely be kept longer than toenails.

13. Apply cuticle remover to the base of each nail & rub it in. Leave on for a minute.

14. Use a wooden or rubber cuticle stick (often called an orange stick) to gently push back the cuticles. A properly designed cuticle stick should be relatively small with rounded ends and a flattened tip.

15. When pushing back the cuticles, hold the stick at angle to prevent jabbing motions and use slow, gentle pressure. Be careful to remove skin only on top of the nail. Do not touch the toe flesh. Pushing back your cuticles should not be painful and should not bleed. If it hurts you’re pushing them back too hard.

16. While there are cosmetic benefits to trimming your cuticles, there is much debate among medical professionals as to the degree to which it increases your risk of infection. If you do plan to trim your cuticles use a sterilized, cuticle nipper. Don’t trim all the way down to the skin or you’re likely to bleed and feel a burning sensation.

17. If you have never trimmed your cuticles before it is probably a good idea to have a professional pedicurist show you how to do it the first time. If you have a foot condition, ask your doctor before trimming back your cuticles.

18. Don’t apply colored toenail polish to conceal toenail fungus as it will only protect the infecting bacteria causing the infection to last longer. Apply a coat of clear antimicrobial nail polish instead.

19. Prior to polishing remove any traces of cuticle remover from the nails by applying a non-acetone polish remover.

20. Roll your nail polish bottle between your hands rather than shaking it to avoid air bubbles.

21. When applying nail polish keep away from fans, air conditioners, and drafts which can also cause bubbling.

22. When applying nail polish use the three stroke method. One stroke on either side with the final stroke in the middle. Try not to paint the cuticle.

23. If you accidentally paint your cuticle or skin you can remove the blemish with a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover.

24. If you don’t wish to color your nails apply a clear coat of polish or use a nail buffer to remove surface enamel imperfections.

25. Moisturize your feet regularly; not just when you give yourself a pedicure. A recent AMPA survey revealed that only 41 percent of women moisturize their feet frequently even though it’s the easiest way to prevent cracked heels and peeling skin.

A Quick Footnote on Pedicures for Men

A common misconception that men have about pedicures is that their sole purpose is to pamper (and pampering is girly). When stripped of the pink nail polish, the basic idea behind a pedicure actually has very little to do with relaxation and luxury. The basic pedicure is simply a series of foot health saving actions performed in sequence to maximize their efficiency. Preventing dead skin build-up on your soles from turning into full-blown calluses which can become painful or crack and bleed is crucial for preventing pain and infection. Trimming toenails regularly is important for preventing fungus from finding its way beneath overly long, unkempt toenails and also preventing black toenails which occur as a result of the damage to the nail matrix from overly long toenails coming into contact with a shoe’s toe box during running or walking.

A foot hygiene survey conducted by Shopzilla in 2006 indicated that only 15 percent of men have ever had a pedicure. Most men take better care of their cars than they do of their feet. If you are a man who wants to improve his foot health, please feel free to use the above pedicure tips discounting the nail polish application advice (unless you’re a rock star or otherwise unconcerned with social convention). Your podiatrist and your feet will thank you for your manly efforts.