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Manicures and Your Appearance

Webmaster | October 25, 2010 | no comments

A question was recently put forward as to why women go through all of the trouble and expense of getting a manicure. The result of subsequent discussions revealed that manicures are one of women’s many secret weapons. One woman stated that she gets manicures because they are cheaper than therapy. Another said that a manicure can be a nice quick pick me up when you are feeling down in the dumps. One of the most popular answers was that they can also instantly make you feel prettier (or at least a little fancier). There are pictures everywhere of women strutting about with perfectly manicured fingers.

It is nearly impossible these days to open a magazine or turn on the television without seeing a set of perfectly manicured digits. One reason could be that it’s the ease of which we can now get manicures. There are nail salons popping up everywhere like wildflowers. The business is so competitive now that some salons offer a first time free manicure, while others have half price days.

It is not unusual to see a lot of different images put on the tops of people’s nails and toenails such as getting a picture of a flower or a butterfly on your big toe for a special occasion or just for whimsy. That being said, pictures or images have their place, however, it just may not be in the workplace – your mileage may vary.

And then, almost as intrusive as automobile ads, are ads for new types of polish. Some polishes promise to be chip proof, while others advertise long lasting shine, and still others that promise to strengthen and protect your natural nail. So it is self evident that manicures are important to all women at some point and time in their lives, even if they won’t admit it.

Apparently it’s fun (and important) to have freshly painted nails when you are going to be heavily photographed and for special occasions. Manicure and pedicure parties are becoming a staple of all bridal parties. Even if you aren’t the bride everyone wants to compare rings with the other married women, so it’s a good idea to have those digits polished and looking their best.

Getting a manicure these days seems to be common practice for a lot of people. More and more men are receiving manicures regularly; however, it’s fairly obvious that this type of pampering is significantly dominated by women. You can stop in at any nail salon and be amazed at how many women are there – mother and daughter pairs, wedding party members, and women that were just there for a little much needed indulgence.

However, if you are not in the fiduciary position to alleviate you monetary excess, it is very possible to master your own at home manicures.

The first step to doing an at home manicure, is to put the kids to bed. Well, not really, but it helps to get the polish on evenly if left alone to fully attend to your nails, without having to wipe a runny nose, or change a diaper while filing your nails. All kidding aside though, use one of those one minute manicure products to scrub your hands. One suggestion is to use a great exfoliate that also has essential oils in it. The oils will keep your hands feeling silky smooth and soft for hours, even after repeated hand washing. Also the oils really help to moisturize not only your hands, but also your cuticles. This eliminates that time consuming step of having to soak your hands in a bowl of water. And, really, who has time for that? When your cuticles are soft, it is important to push them back with either an orange stick or a cuticle pusher. If you’re in a hurry, you can just use your finger nail. It’s not perfect, but it will do in a pinch.

Pretty much, that’s the extent of an at home manicure. If, however, you have a little more time on your hands, go ahead and shape your nails. Shaping can be tricky. You should stroke the emery board in the same direction, rather than back and forth. This supposedly prevents damage to the nail and, like other things that grow in nature, nails also grow with a certain direction or, grain. Filing against the grain can cause chipping and tear out – so it is always best to run with the grain rather than against it.

Lastly and most importantly, the crucial step in any at home manicure is, of course, the polish. You should attempt to put the polish on in thin even coats instead of a single, heavy application. Three brush strokes is supposedly the best method, one stroke for each side, and one stroke right down the middle of the nail. Realistically, the best advice to give is to get a good polish. Always remember, you get what you pay for!