Everyone is familiar with the phrase that hands are a visiting card of a woman, by which one can judge her grooming.
The skin of the hands is thin and delicate by nature, it is practically devoid of subcutaneous fat. There are very few sebaceous glands on the backside, and there are none at all on the palms. In addition, hands are constantly busy with work, in contact with hard tap water, soap, and household chemicals. It is no wonder that the skin of the hands constantly dries out and ages faster than the face!
The cuticle also dries up – if you do not remove its coarsened excess and do not nourish the base of the nail, this skin ceases to fulfill its protective function, nails grow poorly, exfoliate and break easily. On dry, weakened nail plates, even a professional gel polish coating made by the best master will not last long. Therefore, regular home nail care in-between visits to salons for nail services is simply necessary.
What is needed for care?
Let’s start with the choice of tools and tools. What do you need to care for nails, cuticles and hand skin?
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First, scissors.
Cutting your nails is not recommended. To avoid delamination, it is better to remove the length by filing. But cuticle scissors with thin, sharp blades will come in handy to gently, without cuts, remove burrs. Choose a professional tool made of high-quality stainless steel. The blades of the scissors, when closing, should converge smoothly, be even and perfectly polished.
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Nail file for manicure
The main advice is to forget about metal ones: they injure and provoke flaking. If the nails are brittle and brittle, a fine-grained glass, crystal or ceramic nail file is the best option. Such nail files act as carefully as possible and seal the edge of the nail.
You can also use files on a cardboard or plastic base, on which a working coating is glued. They are distinguished by the degree of hardness, or abrasiveness, which is measured in grit and is frequently indicated directly on the nail file. The higher the number, the gentler the tool’s impact on the nails. Remember that a file’s abrasiveness should be between 180 and 240 grit for natural nails.
In addition to files for cutting length and giving nails the desired shape, there are also polishers and buffs – nail files in the form of a polishing bar. These are soft tools with abrasiveness from 240 to 1200 grit, which polish the nail plates, remove all roughness, and give a mirror shine.
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Means for nails and cuticles.
It is better to have two hand creams at once – with different textures. Lightweight and absorbent with no greasy residue, carry with you and use after every hand wash. Thick and oily cream-balm, store on the nightstand near the bed and apply at night. Good hand creams contain the following ingredients: vitamins C and E, lanolin, nourishing oils (olive, avocado, wheat germ, mango and others), plant extracts. Not an extra thing in hand cream – SPF.
You can’t just use creams. The cuticle needs special care – oil. It will soften the cuticle and side ridges, giving the fingers a neat, well-groomed look, and nourish the base of the nails with microclimates, polyunsaturated acids and other useful things, making them healthier and stronger. Oil in the form of a pencil is convenient to carry in a bag, and a bottle with a brush or pipette is a “stationary” option.
How to properly care for nails at home.
So, how to properly care for fingernails?
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Trays
If you want to strengthen weak, brittle nails and accelerate their growth, take the time to do baths – preferably 7-10 evenings in a row for a cumulative effect. You will need sea salt – the one for baths and is sold in any pharmacy.
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Hand masks
Before going to bed, you can make simple and effective nail masks – this nourishing and softening care for the nail plate and cuticles will last all night.
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Manicure
Optimal for home conditions is a “wet” unedged one: it’s better not to do an edged one yourself – there is a high risk of injuring the cuticle, and the combination of steaming and remover will effectively relieve fingers of rough skin.
Care of the nail plate in the salon.
It is quite simple to take care of your hands and nails, but, undoubtedly, some procedures should be entrusted only to nail service specialists.
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Hardware and edged manicure.
This, for example, is hardware and edged types of manicure, which require certain professional skills. Without them, you can damage your nails and cuticles, and cause an infection.
Hardware manicure is performed using a special machine with cutter attachments, and its huge plus is high speed and high quality of nail processing without cutting tools. The classic edged manicure, although it is considered the most traumatic, does not give up its position – it is very much in demand in salons.
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Spa manicure.
If homemade salt baths seem too simple for you, go for a spa manicure. In addition to the standard treatment of nails and cuticles, the procedure includes hand peeling, body wrap, mask, and massage. All products have magical aromas and delicate textures – and beautiful, healthy nails, and a lot of fun!
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Paraffin therapy.
Perfectly helps to take care of nails and hands, maintaining their well-groomed appearance, and the long-known paraffin therapy. Paraffin retains heat in the skin of the hands for a long time, accelerating the metabolic processes in the cells. The skin becomes smooth and elastic, and the nails are strengthened. Ideally, paraffin therapy is recommended to be done at least once a month.
