7 Nail Care Tips ...

I don’t know how many people insist on pushing their cuticles down. This is actually an excellent way to get a fungal infection in your fingernail bed. They can be trimmed off after soaking your hand in a warm soapy solution, but never shove the cuticles down towards the bottom of the nail. It’s actually best to leave them alone all together.

Go from the corner to the center of the nail to file. I remember filing my nails as a kid. I’d watched my mom give herself a manicure and thought that filing nails consisted of simply see-sawing a file across the end of them. Granted, I was only 5 or 6 at the time, which means I probably wasn’t as observant as I should have been. I continued to see-saw my nails until my teenage years. It wasn’t until my mom was in the same room once when I was performing this ‘sawing’ of my nails that she flipped. She instructed me on the correct way to file my nails so that I didn’t damage them. She went to school for that kind of stuff, so I took her word for it!

A base coat will help the nail polish stick to your finger nail, while the top coat will keep the polish from chipping off as easily. I like to apply a couple of layers of top coat if I get in the mood to paint my nails. Working outside really does a number on polished nails, however, lots of layers and a great top coat can stand up to just about anything.

Handy buffing tools for nails are generally square and some have a couple of different sides to them. One is for buffing out the scratches in your nails and the other is for giving that glossy shine to each nail. Make sure to buff nails in one direction. It’s easiest to go from the base of the nail out towards the tip of it. Buffing your nails also helps to stimulate their growth.

I’m sure anyone who has painted their nails has ended up with a sheet imprint or a waffle-like appearance to their nails while trying to get dressed with tacky polish. Allowing your nails to dry thoroughly is important when it comes to eliminating the appearance of odd lines and such. It’s equally important when applying multiple layers. An automatic nail dryer comes in handy when adding multiple layers of polish. These are much better than testing the wetness of your polish by tentatively stroking a nail with the finger of your opposite hand. I’ve smudged many freshly polished nails this way!

Lotion will keep the polish from adhering to your nail the way it should. This means that your polish is more likely to wear off much quicker. It’s sort of like when you apply conditioner to your hair before coloring. Well-conditioned hair might feel soft, but it doesn’t hold the color as well. Apply your hand lotion after you’re completely finished with the manicure.

This might seem like a tedious task, but if you are able to give yourself a manicure every 10 days, it won’t take as long as if you only do it once a month. A home manicure can be a great way to relax too. Invite friends over and make it even more fun!

I hope these 7 nail care tips are some you can use. Do you have any that you swear by when giving yourself a manicure?

Top Photo Credit: caitysparkles