Perfect Manicure Step #2 - Hand, Nail, and Cuticle Care

Good morning... or afternoon! Today's post is step 2 to my perfect manicure series; hand, nail, and cuticle care. This post will outline what I do to keep my hands looking their best. Many people seem to neglect their hands. I've seen people who spend hundreds of dollars each year on facials, beauty products for their hair or body, but they would forget about their hands. I'm writing this post in hopes of providing a simple outline for others who want to improve the condition of their hands. Remember that the products that work well for me may or may not work the same way on you. You can always use other products that are different from mine, and they may work even better for you. I'm only showing you my products. 

The key to success is perseverance. Applying lotion and creams only once a week, no matter how good the product is, will not work the way you want it to. You must be vigilant and work on your hands each and every day in order to see results. I keep all my products on my bedside table, so I see them before I go to bed. They remind me to keep up my routine of moisturizing my hands every day. 

The first thing I do for my cuticles is remove the dead skin around it. There are many misconceptions around removing the cuticle. I did some research prior to this post and this is what I read... The true cuticle is the dead skin between the base of your nail and your finger. This part can be safely removed. What you shouldn't touch is the eponychium, the live part of the skin between the nail and finger. The eponychium is usually clear and colourless, while the true cuticle is often a stark white when dry. To remove the cuticle, I use a gentle cuticle remover to soften and loosen the dead skin. There are many brands out there on the market and they can be easily found at beauty supply stores or the drugstore. I have used one from Orly and the popular on from Sally Hansen, the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. I only remove my cuticles every one or two weeks. I push my cuticles back with my thumbnail after showering, when they are soft and malleable, which keeps them in pretty good condition.

Every night before bed, I apply hand cream and cuticle oil. The products I'm liking at the moment is the Garnier Body Repair Reparative Balm and my own cuticle oil. I'll make another post soon about how I make my own cuticle oil, and why I prefer my own over store bought ones. Anyways, I usually apply the oil around my cuticles and under my nails, rubbing it in with a circular motion. I then wait a few minutes for the oil to absorb before using the hand cream. I prefer hand creams that are thicker because they seem to lock in the oil better than thin body lotions. 

That is basically what I do to keep my hands and nails looking their best. Obviously, you may have to modify my method to suit you and your body chemistry, as this is just what I do.

Mostin

Perfect Manicure Step #1 - File and Shape Nails

The first step to a perfect manicure is to file and shape nails. This step is often overlooked and skipped during the manicure, but I think everyone will agree that misshapen, crooked, and nails of uneven lengths will NOT look good on even the most perfectly polished digits. There are many nail shapes that are commonly used which can be seen in the photo below, found on www.beautylish.com. 

Let's get a little more in depth with each nail shape:

Oval: This is a more traditional nail shape. An oval nail shape is similar to the round nail shape, but I find it looks better on longer nails, (compare the oval vs the round nail length in the picture above). It can elongate the fingers, slim wider nail beds, and look elegant and classy if it's done right. To achieve the oval nail shape, file the sides of the nails slightly towards the centre and round the top. Voila!

Squoval: This is the classic "salon manicure" shape, the offspring of a square and oval nail. This shape looks best on shorter nails, as it can look slightly tacky on longer nails. A squoval nail can be achieved by either starting with an oval or square shape. It works either way. If you are starting with an oval shape, simply square off the top and round the corners to get rid of any sharp edges. Easy! If you are starting with a square shape, round the corners slightly towards the centre, the way you would achieve an oval nail while still keeping the nail square on the sides. There you go!

Square: This is, in my opinion, one of the more popular nail shapes among nail polish bloggers. A square nail shape is basically a straight tip at the end of the nails. This shape looks better on longer short nails, if that makes any sense, because it can cause a really short nail to look wider and even blunt. A square nail can be achieved by simply filing the nails straight across, only filing the corners when necessary to remove excessively sharp corners. 

Round: This nail shape looks best on shorter nails or nails with minimal free edge. Similar to the oval, this nail shape is flattering and slimming on shorter, wider nails. Simply round the edge. 

Almond: Hmmm... I don't have much to say about this one. Not to offend any people who are fond on the almond shape, but this is basically a nail that's shaped to represent the pointed end of peeled almond. This nail shape is the weakest of the bunch and can look evil and witch-like if it's done on long nails. Ummmmm, that's it.....

Let's talk files and clippers now. There are many types of files and clippers, varying in type, material, and size. Starting with files; there are glass files, ceramic files, crystal files, and emery boards. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a glass/ceramic file that won't give me shivers down my spine. For that reason, I use higher quality emery boards, more specifically, Revlon nail files, sold individually and in 2-packs. I am in no way shape or form recommending you use those cheap, sandpapery files sold in huge packs at the drug store. They are way to rough and will most definitely cause peeling, splitting, cracking nails. Now onto clippers; they are used to take down considerable length when needed. There's not much to talk about them, though clippers with a sharper crescent curve on the blade may cause the nail to crack.

I'm also going to share with you my favourite files and clippers:

From left to right: Revlon Files (approximately $1.50 each at Walmart or Shoppers Drug Mart), Earth Therapeutics Nail Clippers (approx. $5.99), Revlon Nail Clippers (unsure about price, guessing approx. $3-4), Pointed Orangewood Stick (got it in an art project kit, should be relatively cheap and sold in bulk), Revlon Crazy Shine (This is a sample, but full sizes are $5.99 at Shoppers).

That's it for today, thank you so much for reading!

Mostin