Well-taken care of nails and hands are an important part of your daily beauty routine. No matter how amazing your makeup or hairstyle is, if your hands and nails are dry and peeling, it can ruin everything.
Taking good care of your hands and nails ensures that your hands look their best. If you’re wondering what you can do, here are 15 easy tips.
- Protect Your Hands From The Elements – You know how the skin on your face can feel parched when the air is dry? The same thing can happen to your hands. In addition to properly moisturizing, wear gloves when you’re in cold climates in order to limit your exposure to the elements.
- Slather On The SPF – Speaking of the elements, one common place we forget to apply SPF is on our hands. But excess exposure to the sun can lead to skin damage and show up as visible signs of aging, (think dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles) down the road. Ideally you should apply sunscreen every day (you can get burned even on cloudy days!) 15 minutes before you go outside.
- Moisturize Regularly – The same way you moisturize your face every day, it’s important to keep your hands hydrated too. Without enough consistent moisture, you’ll quickly experience dry skin and cuticles. So, be sure to stock up on a quality hand cream and always keep one handy so you can apply and reapply throughout the day. Pro tip: Apply the moisturizer on damp skin, right after you hop out of the shower or wash your hands, to help lock in hydration.
- Exfoliate Regularly – We use our hands constantly throughout the day and they take on lots of wear and tear. Once or twice a week, use a sugar scrub to give your hands a quick exfoliation and help keep them smooth and soft.
- Invest In Cuticle Oil – Cuticle oil is a must to give your nails and cuticles necessary moisture. Rub on a little bit of cuticle oil often to help care for dry cuticles. Note: Don’t use the oil right before applying nail polish strips as this may cause them to not adhere properly. It’s perfectly fine to use the oil after your nail polish strips have set for a few hours.
- Don’t Forget To Buff Your Nails – Invest in a nail buffer and use it to keep your nails smooth. This is important when you’re doing an at-home manicure as it will help ensure a more even nail polish application. Just be careful not to overdo it.
- 7. Use A Nail Strengthener – It’s a good idea to apply a good nail strengthener before applying nail polish strips, especially if your nails are brittle, weak or peeling. The strengthener will help your nails grow and prevent splitting. Color Street has recently launched nail strengthener that has been getting great reviews.
- Wear Household Gloves – While doing dishes, cleaning or using harsh chemicals, always wear cotton-lined rubber gloves. They’ll also protect your nails and hands from the hot water that can dry them out.
- Avoid using your nails as a tool – Speaking of household work, you don’t want to substitute your fingernail for a screwdriver or can opener. Nails can get damaged when you use them for scratching, opening or unscrewing things.
- Always File Nails In One Direction – Although your natural inclination might be to file your nails back and forth, doing this can leave the edges rough and frayed. Instead, file in just one direction, picking the file back up in between each swipe.
- Don’t Peel Off Your Polish – When it’s time for a refresh, resist the urge to quickly peel your nail polish of. This can strip your nails, leaving them weak and fragile. Instead remove your polish with a quality non-acetone polish remover. For glitters and designs try soaking your nails a bit and using a cotton round or gauze to wipe off the color.
- Give Your Nails A Break – If you like to wear polish all the time, let your nails rest now and then and apply a good nail moisturizer.
- Take care of toenails too –Like your fingernails, toenails also need to be trimmed and moisturized regularly. If they are difficult to cut, soak your feet in warm salt water for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, you can snip your toenails easily.
- Avoid biting nails or removing the cuticle –Cuticles are meant for our protection. There is no need to snip or push them back. This can also damage the nail bed, and allow bacteria or fungi to enter.
- Avoid using harsh nail care products – Don’t be tempted by cheap products for your nails and hands. Always use good quality branded nail and hand care products. You’ll be glad you did!
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