hand care

To look beautiful and fashionable you not only have to dress right, eat good food, take care of your face, hair and skin but you also have to take care of your hand. The skin of the hand is very delicate and since they are always in direct contact with drying elements like detergents, hot water, harsh sun etc, they age quickly, sag and look rough and chapped. Here are a few tips on how to take care of your hands. Every time you wash your hands or do some intense manual labour, massage your hands with vegetable oil or Vaseline. Soak hands in a bowl of warm water to which 1 tsp of corn starch has been added for 5 minutes daily after finishing the house-hold chores. This will ensure that your hands feel smooth and silky. Before going to bed at night massage your hands with a blend of lemon juice and rose water in fresh butter. This will make your hands smooth and soft. Mix 1 tsp. of Glycerin, 1 tsp. of lemon juice and 5 drops of rose water and rub it on the hands every night during winter months. This will keep your hands soft and prevent chapping. For chapped hands in winters, wash with lukewarm water (before going to bed), apply milk-cream and put on a pair of gloves; wash hands the next morning. To remove stains from hands rub with a slice of lemon or a raw potato. For nicotine stains, apply lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes before washing. Cucumbers are also known for their smoothening characteristics. Mash a cucumber and massage your hands with the mixture. After 10 minutes, wash off the mash and repeat if needed. If your elbows are dark and hard, mix glycerin with lemon juice and apply on the area.

make your manicure last

Try these 10 tricks to keep your manicure looking great longer.

Keep nails short. Long nails are more prone to chipping and breaking than short, professional-length ones. Aim for nails no more than a quarter inch past your fingertips.

Groom cuticles. When polish is applied to overgrown cuticles, it peels off easily. Keep cuticles in check by applying a drop of oil to them and gently pushing them back with a wooden tool.

Clean nails. Apply polish to nails that have been cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in nail-polish remover. Any oil or lotion left on the nail bed will prevent polish from bonding to the nail -- and cause peeling in a day or two.

Apply a base coat. Even if you're in a rush! A specially-formulated base coat gives colored polish something to stick to so it lasts longer.

Apply polish in thin coats. Wipe one side of the nailbrush against the neck of the bottle to ensure excess polish is removed. Then sweep the brush up the length of the nail in thin coats. Thick coats of polish bubble and peel.

Allow polish to dry between coats. Manicure experts say that giving polish some time to dry before applying a second coat allows the first coat to form a better bond to the nail. The second coat will then bond to the first.

Wrap polish onto nails. When applying polish, sweep a bit across the edge and under the nail tip. This "wraps" the end, minimizing chipping.

Toss old polish. Old nail polish changes consistency and becomes thick and gloppy. That means it won't have the staying power of newer polish. If you can't bear to toss your favorite old bottle, add a bit of polish thinner (not remover) to make it smoother.

Protect hands from water. Immersing your hands in water for too long can cause polish to lift off the nail, shortening the life of your manicure. Use rubber gloves when you're washing dishes, and keep showers to a quick 10-15 minutes.

Apply topcoat daily. It's the number-one way to ensure your manicure lasts. Sweep on a protective topcoat daily to increase your nail polish's staying power.

Manicure

Manicure

Things you require for Manicure:

Nail scissors
Emery board (nail file)
Buffer and buffing paste
Cotton wool and buds
Tissues
Enamel remover
Small dish with diluted disinfectant (dettol)
Orange stick
Cuticle knife
Cuticle nippers
Cuticle cream
Cuticle remover
Small bowl for soaking your hands
Moisturiser
Base coat
Coloured Enamels
Topcoat

MANICURE PROCEDURE

1. First make sure that your hands and nails are clean. Remove any old enamel that you may have on your nails with the cotton wool and enamel remover.

2. Decide on what shape you would like on your nails, cut them if needed, and then use your emery board to file them. File your nails into the most crack-resistant shape: a square with rounded corners.

3. Take a cotton bud and remove a very small amount of buffing paste from the pot and smear on the top of your nail. With the buffer, buff your nails. To get a natural shine, use a buffer that offers three or four polishing textures. Start with the coarsest surface and end with the finest one.

4. With another cotton bud, remove a small amount of cuticle cream and apply to the cuticle of each nail. Massage this in circular movements.

5. Soak your hands in warm soapy water containing an anti-bacterial liquid soap.

6. Dry your hands carefully pushing back the cuticles with the towel.

7. Put a tipped orange stick into your cuticle remover and wipe over each cuticle and push back each cuticle in circular movement.

8. Wet your cuticle knife to carefully lift the cuticle from the nail plate.

9. Use Cuticle nippers to remove excess cuticle.

10. Re-soak your hands then pat dry. It is important to remove cuticle remover from your hands after application. Dry and apply a good moisturiser all over the hand and arm up to the elbow, as this is a place everyone tends to forget.

11. Squeak clean the nails with cotton wool and enamel remover again to remove any oil from the moisturiser that is left on the nail plate.

12. Now apply nail enamel. Don't shake your polish! Roll the bottle between your palms (like Manicurists do) to get rid of the air bubbles and stir the enamel.

13. Apply your base coat and wait for it to dry. Pick your coloured enamel and paint on, wait for the enamel to dry and apply the topcoat to coloured enamels. If you do not wish to paint your nails then just quickly go over them again with the buffer for a lovely shine.

14. One last thing, use your orange stick and enamel remover to remove all traces of enamel left on the skin to make a really neat job.

A few important tips

Eat a well balanced diet to get that shine on your nails.

Apply hand cream after putting your hands in water, also as extra treat for them at night apply a good moisturising cream.

Use an oily enamel remover, as this will prevent moisture loss from the nail plate and stop your nails drying out.

Have regular manicures to maintain your nails. Or as I said before do one yourself!

Wear gloves to protect your nails from detergents and chemicals, e.g. washing up, also do not forget the cold outside and then there is the gardening and the housework!

Don't wait for polish to set. To speed-dry, run your nails under cold water-not a blow-dryer-for three minutes after applying the final coat. Cold hardens enamel faster than heat can.

Never trim you nails right after taking a shower or bath. Water softens nails and makes them shred during clipping

Pedicure Tips

Pedicure Tips

Out of all of the parts of the body, the foot is often the first to be neglected. Pedicure is the care of the feet, legs and toenails. Here we will see the tools required for pedicure and the procedure. Thus with a little pampering on a regular basis of your feet you can take care of them and you will have feet that will look beautiful and sexy.

Things Required For Pedicure

Nail cutter
Nail file
Cuticle cutter
Cuticle pusher
Nailbrush
Orange stick
Pumice stone
Foot scrapper
Two basins large enough for footbath
Enamel remover
Cotton wool and buds
Moisturizer
Base coat
Enamels either coloured or frosted
Topcoat

Materials Required

Acetone
Liquid soap or shampoo
Luke warm water
Antiseptic lotion
Oil or cream
Nail polish
Foot powder
Hydrogen peroxide

Pedicure procedure

1. Soak your feet in warm soapy water for a couple of minutes then pat them dry. Make sure that you cover your toenails thoroughly.

2. Remove any old enamel from your toenails with cotton wool and enamel remover.

3. Use your nail clippers to file and cut your nails. File your toenails to take off any rough edges, but only straight across.

4. Take your tipped orange stick and put some cuticle cream on, massage into the cuticles in circular movements. Clean the foot using nailbrush, foot scrapper and pumice stone.

5. Re-soak your feet for a couple of minutes.

6. Again with your tipped orange stick apply cuticle remover to the cuticles.

7. Wet your cuticle knife to carefully lift the cuticle.

8. Re-soak again and then dry thoroughly.

9. Apply a good moisturiser all over your foot and ankle take the time to gently rub it in. Also at this time you can lightly dust between your toes with a medicated talc or foot powder.

10. Apply your base coat and wait for it to dry. Pick your nail polish and paint on. Don't forget the topcoat for coloured enamels.

11. One last thing, use your orange stick and enamel remover to remove all traces of enamel left on the skin to make a really neat job.

Some important Tips

Wash your feet regularly - to avoid a fungal infection which will cause athletes foot.

Make sure that you always dry them properly, even in between the toes!

Exfoliate your feet often - once a week.

Apply medicated foot powders, anti-perspirant and refreshing foot sprays.

Massage for relaxation and to get the blood circulation going.

Only ever cut your toe nails straight across to avoid in growing nails.

Wear cotton socks to absorb moisture from your feet.

Buy correct fitting shoes.

Alternate your footwear. If possible wear shoes that will let your feet breath - either a sandal or leather shoes.

Always remember to keep your implements clean: if they are left dirty they may harbour germs and cause infections.