14 DAY TRIAL // While going to get a manicure has now become a habit for most women out there, we must never forget that, in order to have healthy and, consequently, good looking fingernails, we must also pay due attention to them at home, even when doing regular chores around the house. Because a weekly visit to the beauty parlor can sometimes not be enough, let’s see three easy tips on how we can keep our nails looking great.
First off, always make sure you use rubber gloves when you do the dishes, the laundry, or all other activities that also imply the use of detergents and other chemicals. Sure, you may feel a bit of discomfort at first, especially if you’re not used to wearing gloves when doing housework, but you have to think of your hands and nails too. Not only will the rubber prevent the detergents from damaging your hands, but the same also applies for the nails, which will be thus better protected. The gloves will also help you prevent what can only be deemed a woman’s biggest drama – that of broken nails – all the more so if you’re a fan of long manicure.
The second step towards having awesome fingernails is just as easy as the first one. Whenever you take a shower/bath and apply lotion or other moisturizers on your body or hands, make sure you do the same on your nails. The lotion will make the skin on your hands soft and, at the same time, have a strengthening effect on your manicure. In case your nails break off easily, you can use castor oil instead of the regular lotion, which is known for its beneficial effects especially on nails and hair. Of course, the only stipulation here is that you don’t immediately go and wash your hands of the greasiness so, as a workaround to this, you could apply it right before bedtime, and then to put a pair of cotton gloves on to make sure you don’t ruin the sheets.
The third tip for healthy nails can never be stressed enough. It has to do with the files you use to keep your manicure always looking exceptional. An abrasive file, for instance, will only damage your fingernails, especially if you do your manicure in a hurry and forget about the golden rule of always running it in the same direction (only from left to right, for example). This is why an emery board is recommended, as also is that you should always keep it at hand (meaning, in your purse, where else), just in case an emergency occurs.
Remember, having great nails is not only about going to have your manicure done once a week. So, do whatever you can at home as well, to make sure your fingernails look great for more than one day a week.