If you want to get the most from your manicure, start with clean, healthy nails.
Your hands are often dry and chapped from frequent washing and exposure to wind, sun, heat and cold. Your nails can suffer the same dried out damage that the rest of your skin can. This kind of damage reveals itself in brittle nails and rough cuticles.
Give your fingertips a soak in olive oil for fifteen minutes to soften and hydrate the nail and cuticle. Follow up with a gentle exfoliator to remove any dead skin cells. You can use hand lotion throughout the day to keep your cuticles soft and supple. It’s important to keep your cuticles well cared for, because that’s what is protecting your fingernails.
Your nail manicure can be as bold or as simple as you choose. From a simple high gloss coat over natural pink nails, to boldly beaded nail tips. French tipped nails are among the most popular choices.
The french tip enhances the natural look of your nails. It’s a classic and elegant look that will compliment any fashion style or personality.
To start, trim your fingernails so they are all at the same length. Follow this with an emery board to gently file away any rough edges. Don’t use as sawing motion with your emery board as this will weaken the nail and cause cracks. File in one direction at a time. You can choose rounded or squared nails, as either looks fabulous with french tips.
A simple white nail polish is the traditional colour for a french tip. You can, however, play with the colour, choosing soft lavender, pale pink or some other pastel. Apply your nail polish to the tip of your nails on the natural white. Many women use a piece of tape to define a clear line on the nail when applying polish to the tips.
Allow your nails to dry completely between coats so polish will not smudge. Apply extra coats according to the recommendation on the label, or until you’ve reached the depth of colour you are happy with. The final step is a clear, shiny top coat to finish the look.
Voila, a perfect manicure, done at home that you can retouch on your own.
