Do you know how to take care of your hands properly? Have you ever removed your nail polish and forgot to use a base coat at the start? Well, it’s time to start paying more attention to how you care for your nails. However, with these simple hand and nail care steps, it’s easy to keep hangnails and cuticle issues from ruining the stunning effect.
If you’ve ever DIY, you know that dry skin around your nails and uneven cuticles can put a damper on your look. Plus, not using a base coat or top coat can cause your polish to chip pretty quickly-who wants that?
If you’re all about looking amazing and healthy hands, follow these tips to the letter. You’ll see a noticeable change in no time, as long as you keep taking care of them over time.
TIPS AND ADVICE ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FINGERNAILS
What are the most important points to pay attention to every day when it comes to taking care of our manicure? Let’s see:
MOISTURIZE WITH A HAND CREAM EVERY DAY.
Just like you should moisturize your facial skin twice a day, it is important to keep your hands nourished as well. So, get a few jars of hand cream and throw one in your purse, keep one in your car and place one on your nightstand so you can slather on moisturizer wherever you are. Apply moisturizer with damp skin to help with hydration.
PROTECT YOUR HANDS FROM THE ELEMENTS
You know how your complexion can be drier when the air is cold and dry? The same thing can happen to your hands. To properly moisturizing, be sure to wear your gloves when it’s cold to limit exposure to the elements.
AVOID SHOWERS THAT ARE TOO HOT
We know that a long, hot shower is probably something we look forward to at the end of a long day, especially if it’s been particularly cold. But very hot water can strip your skin of essential moisture. Turn down the dial and rinse with lukewarm water.
ALWAYS APPLY SPF
When your skin is exposed to the sun and not wearing protection, it can cause skin damage and show up as visible signs of aging, such as dark spots and wrinkles.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, you should wear a broad spectrum SPF of 15 or higher year-round (yes, you can burn even on cloudy days!) AND a broad spectrum SPF of 30 or higher on days when you’ll be spending a large amount of time in the sun.
Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going out and remember to reapply every two hours!
INVEST IN CUTICLE OIL
Ah, this often overlooked part of your fingers deserves some attention. Rub on some cuticle oil every day to help care for dry, frayed cuticles.
You can also make your own cuticle oil by mixing pure jojoba oil with a few drops of vitamin E. This cuticle oil will be excellent for your nails, making them supple and strong.
KEEP YOUR NAILS SHORT
Do your long nails tend to break easily? Avoid this by cutting them short and keeping the size. If you don’t want to show off your long nails, this won’t be a problem for you. This way you can fix and repair any nails that are broken or damaged. Simply file to the size and shape you want, and be gentle while doing it!
FOLLOW UP WITH A BASE COAT
Now that you’ve prepped your nails, it’s time to put on a base coat. The purpose of applying a base coat is to extend the life of a manicure. Also, if you plan on wearing a dark shade when it comes time to paint your nails, a base coat can help prevent polish from staining your nails.
FINISH WITH A TOP COAT
It’s time to seal the deal with a top coat to help protect your manicure from chips. A top coat can also help add shine.
ALWAYS FILE FOR THE SAME DIRECTION
Filing is an important thing, and one mistake many people make is to file in a zigzag pattern, this is not the right way as it can cause them to peel or break.
The ideal is to always file in the same direction, towards the center.
DO NOT CUT CUTICLES
Dermatologists say there is no good reason to cut cuticles. Cutting them can open the door to infection or irritation.
“When you get rid of the cuticle, that space is wide exposed and anything can get in there,” says Scher. Cutting cuticles can also cause nail problems, such as white spots, white lines, or ridges. If you have a bacterial infection in that zone, it can hinder nail growth. “That’s not particularly aesthetically pleasing, plus it’s uncomfortable,” says Ella Toombs, MD, a Washington, DC, dermatologist.
USE AN ORANGE STICK
If you want your nails to look longer, you can push your cuticles back gently with an orange wooden stick.
“Cuticles are not supposed to be cut,” says Toombs. “They’re supposed to be soft and cutting them can make them harder, more prone to fracture. If you cut them, they have a greater tendency to split.”
Some people who cut their cuticles regularly are afraid to stop, because they worry that their cuticles will grow and grow, giving their hands an unsightly appearance.
Experts say this simply won’t happen, and switching cuticle clippers to an orange stick is a smart move. Cutting the cuticle doesn’t make it grow faster. Nothing you can do can change the rate of growth.”
