Help Yourself to a Home Manicure

Help Yourself to a Home Manicure

Not everyone has the time or money to have a manicure done at the salon, but everyone can easily do a manicure for themselves in the comfort of their own home. Chances are you already have most of the things you need sitting around the house, but if not, the essential supplies are often inexpensive and easily attainable.

The first step to your perfect home manicure lies in the art of filing your nails correctly. As a general rule there are four nail shapes to choose from; Rounded, square, pointed, and oval and great care must be taken to get each of your ten nails into the same length and style. It is vital to file your nails from left to right and then right to left. You should always make a point to never move the file in a quick backwards and forwards motion, this only acts to weaken the nail structure. Always take care in filing the sides of the nail, use the minimal amount of gentle upward strokes.

Our hands are constantly exposed. As one of the busiest parts of the body they endure constant movement and are vulnerable to the elements that everyday life gives us. Cold weather can leave us all prone to dry skin and the hands are no exception. Treat them, and your nails to a simple moisture soak using lukewarm soapy water. Alternatively use a think hand cream or Vaseline and wrap up your hands with a soft cloth or gloves and let them rest for a good ten minutes to absorb and replace lost moisture.

Any good salon offers exfoliation as a hand and nails treatment, and you can easily do this for yourself at home. Perform this using a specially prepared exfoliating hand and nail cream and apply generously to the hands and nail area. If you don’t have an exfoliating cream you can make up your own exfoliating solution using a fusion of hand soap and salt. Use the mixture, working it gently around the hands and cuticle area for several minutes. The exfoliation process ensures that you remove dead skin cells, thoroughly cleansing the hands while softening the cuticles and any hard skin. Once you have completed the exfoliation, rinse the hands well and pat dry with a soft towel.

The next area you need to focus on is the cuticle. One thing you must never do is cut the cuticle. The cuticle is there to protect the base of the nail and the join onto the finger and a damage cuticle can be painful and unsightly. Gently push the cuticle back using an orangewood stick. You can then use the cuticle stick to carefully remove any debris from under the nail tip.

Finally, to complete your home manicure, use a specially formulated hand and nail cream to hydrate and revitalise. Apply a good amount to each hand using small circular motions. Massage the cream into vulnerable areas such as the knuckles and finger joints.

Giving yourself a home manicure once a week will keep your hands and nails looking and feeling fresh, clean and extremely well maintained.