Easy nail care tips

Nail care is a must for everyone!  Ladies, gents, babies, kids, teenagers, adults… we all need to take care of our nails, to be hygienic, well-groomed and professional.  We even give manicures to our canine friends, don’t we?  Whether you’re a fan of nail salons / bars, or not, basic nail care at home, is inevitable!
Below, I share with you some easy nail care tips, to be used at home:

1. Although there are various nail shapes, the most common ones tend to be round, oval or square.  Gents usually go for square and short nails, while ladies often crave for longer nails.  The natural thickness of your nails dictates their strength and resistance to breakage.  Applying a good nail strengthener could help.
2. You should never file your nails in a ‘see-saw’ or back to forth motion, rather follow one direction movements with any appropriate tool, such as an emery board.  Traditional metal nail files may cause damage.
3. Soaking your nails in water to soften the cuticles, then pushing the latter back with an orange stick and cutting them, is not recommended.  Instead a cuticle softening cream or oil should be massaged gently.  Apply a little pressure on each nail, using your fingertips, to stimulate blood circulation, for healthy nails.
4. Massaging your fingers, hands, fists, forearms, elbows and upper arms, in circular and upward motions, relaxes the muscles.  We use our hands a lot daily, don’t we?
5. To maintain the smoothness and  firmness of my hands and feet, I use a moisturizing lotion with collagen and elastin, which is suitable for everyone.  This lotion penetrates to work deeply into the skin, unlike most other products, which tend to be water-based.
6. Remove all traces of oil from your nails (eg. with a non-oily nail polish remover / wash with warm water and soap, pat dry / other suitable product).  Use a base coat, before applying colour nail polish.  Allow each coat to dry thoroughly, and then use a top coat.  Use top coat around the nail tips, to prevent chipping.
7. Although you may find it difficult to give yourself a perfect / professional-looking nail polish application, the three stripe method could be used.  This consists of painting a vertical stripe on the left side of the nail, another one on the right side, and then a third one the centre of each nail, covering the whole nail. Neatness improves with practice.
8. Drinking lots of water daily (around of 2-3 litres), helps in hydrating the body, keeping our skin, hair and nails healthy and glowing.  Eating a balanced diet, with regular physical exercise, breathing fresh air, and enough sleep, are a must.  Be happy and relaxed!

I invite you to share your tips on nail care (kindly abstain from naming brands for commercial purposes / only share a link if informative).  Thanking you!

Note: There are contraindications to manicure and pedicure treatments.  In case of any medical concern, do seek professional advice from your Medical Practitioner / Doctor.