Getting ready for a party and wondering what clothes to wear? Make-up, shoes, bags all set to complement your attire. But wait! Aren’t you forgetting something? A very small detail like a nail paint that doesn’t match your attire can ruin your look.
Gearing Up To Paint Firstly, your nails should be manicured, or trimmed and shaped properly. Keep a bottle of nail polish remover handy, before sitting down to paint your nails.
The paints dry up fast so you need to work with a lot of care and attention. The nail polish remover has to be your quick fix eraser to remove an error, before it dries up. Don’t use cotton to clean up nail paint. It sticks to the wet paint, thereby spoiling your hard work. Extra care should be taken if you have any cuts or wounds around your fingers. Add stickers, nail tattoos, sparkles on your nails for more attention!
Coating It Right Apply a base coat before a nail color to avoid getting a yellow tint. Always wait for the first coat to dry to give a smooth texture to your nails. Paint one strip in the centre of the nail. Then, paint a strip on the right and then to the left. The first coat has to be very thin for better results and the second coat has to be smooth. Finish it off with a transparent nail coat to prevent your nail from loosing luster and chipping.
Handy Tips Do not shake the nail polish bottle as this will cause air bubbles. Instead roll the bottle between your palms to warm it up. Place your fingers under gentle running tap water. You can also use a hair dryer to dry your nails, if you’re in a hurry. Keep nail paints and nail polish remover away from the reach of your younger siblings and pets. For brittle nails, use nail hardening fluid for your nails, before applying nail polish. Nail hardening fluid will add strength and enhance the beauty of painted nails.
Correcting Nail Work To remove nail polish lumps, immediately clean with a nail polish remover dabbed in tissue. Roll a bottle of dried nail polish in your palms. If the nail paint does not flow out smoothly, it’s best to discard it. Dab a bit of nail polish remover in tissue paper to remove any clumps or mistakes from your nails.
GET A FRENCH MANICURE AT HOME!
This is easy, and we advice you do the manicure at least once a fortnight
For the French manicure:
• Take lukewarm water in a small tub. • Add 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide • Add any shampoo for formation of foam. • Keep your hands in the solution for at least 10 minutes.
Optional: Now pat dry your hands and bleach them and once again keep your hands in the solution.
• Clean your nails • Then remove the dead skin with cuticle cutter • Finish by pat drying the hands and applying hand cream/lotion. • Massage for from elbow downwards for 5 minutes.
CUTICLE CARE
Trimming the cuticles is a big no. Your cuticles is live skin that protects the nail, and cutting them can lead to injury and infection, apply cuticle remover and push back the cuticles gently with a pumice stick in small circular motions before painting the nails.
THE TRUE GIVEAWAY OF AGE IS IN YOUR HANDS!
They say that no matter how much you maintain yourself, the true giveaway of age is in your hands. So why not groom them as you do the rest of your anatomy? We give you some tips on how to keep your nails healthy and well manicured so that you can give the beauty salon a miss for want of time or even money!
Know your nails… • Brittle nails: Include skimmed milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish and sprouts in your diet to increase your protein and calcium intake. • Broad nails: This one is a must try. Try leaving a very narrow strip on either side, devoid of polish. This gives your nails a longer, narrower look. • Long nails: Apply a white frosted nail polish on the under side of your nails and increase the appeal. • Short, stubby nails: Lighter coloured nail polish can make your stumps look longer and sleeker!
Quick Tips… • Don’t peel off chipped nail polish, as this can result in removal of the protective layer of the nail. Instead use a nail polish remover to get the job done. • Instead of your usual nail cutter, try using nail clippers for cutting nails. This way your nails will tend to crack or split less. • For Cleaner, whiter nails, just rub a slice of lemon under your nails and voila, you’ll see the transformation.
