Top-Ten Tuesdays ~ Nail Care Tips

Good morning cupcakes! This past weekend, I was laying out an informative leaflet for my clients on how to take care of their cuticles in between services so I thought why not share the 10 best nail care tips on my blog? And here they are!

10. Keep a rich hand cream on your bed-side table and massage a little into your hands before you go to bed.  For added benefit and to help the cream penetrate your skin deeper, put a pair of old gloves on and sleep in them.  By morning, you will have baby-soft hands.  This tip applies for your feet as well; instead of gloves wear a pair of thermal socks though :P  Also, apply hand cream after each time you wash your hands to replenish moisture.

9. Eat your way to beautiful nails! Up your protein intake as well as zinc and  iron to grow strong and healthy nails.

8. Always wear rubber gloves when doing house or gardening chores as detergents and chemicals sure do leave their marks on hands and nails!

7. Always bear this in mind: Your Nails Are NOT Tools! Take your time to find the right tool for the job rather than risking breaking your nails.

6. Once a week, give yourself a full manicure & pedicure (click here for a full procedure) and use a buffer to boost circulation.

5. Never, ever cut your cuticles! They are there to protect against infections (click here for more info on how to take care of your cuticles).

4. Soak your bare nails in a bowl of olive oil.  Leave them there for 10 minutes, then wipe away the excess with some cotton balls.

3. Always file your nails in one direction as sawing back and forth will break them. And, don't file them when wet as they will be more liable to break! For information on how to choose the right nail file, click here.

2. Always use an acetone-free polish remover to minimize the drying effects and remember to leave a hair-line gap near the cuticle when applying polish to avoid staining.

1. Should your nails still stain, try this home-made scrub: mix 2 teaspoons of white sugar with 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar.  The vinegar will de-stain your nails due to its acidic properties! Just make sure you rinse it well afterwards and apply a richly moisturizing hand-cream!