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 Hands
Dry, rough cuticles; chapped, flaky fingertips; chipped, brittle nails: these
are all signs of hands in need of a little TLC! The most common hand and nail
wreckers are harsh detergents and water, both of which stress nail fibers and
dry your skin. Make sure you always wear gloves when washing dishes, and use
lots of hand lotion throughout the day. If you find yourself washing your hands
frequently, you may consider purchasing an antibacterial hand lotion, which can
help reduce your trips to the sink.
For a manicure that can't be beat, follow these easy steps.
- Soak your hands in warm water with lemon juice or olive
oil and apply our Natural Cuticle Softener (below) to loosen
dirt and soften your cuticles. Massage your fingertips.
Dry your hands, and then clean with a brush.
- Apply a base coat to your nails holding the brush parallel
to the tip of your nail and sweep topcoat under nail to
prevent polish chipping.
- Apply nail polish. If you're in a hurry, use a light
or sheer shade that is less likely to reveal mistakes.
Use thin layers of color; lots of thin layers are less
likely to chip or flake than thick layers. Apply a top
coat.
- If you're struggling to achieve the perfect French Manicure,
color in the nail tip with white nail pencil. This is much
easier than polish and lasts just as long! Remember to
apply a top coat.
- Finish by fixing runny spots or smudges on your cuticles
by dipping a cotton swab in polish remover and dabbing
on problem area.
- Moisturize your hands with lotion when nail polish is
completely dry.
- To extend the life of your manicure, apply a coat of
clear polish every other day.
Feet
Why spend the summer hiding your feet in clumsy clogs or sweaty sneakers? Pedicures
are just as easy as manicures, and the results will have you wearing strappy
sandals from spring to fall!
Follow these steps to get great looking, healthy feet.
- Remove calluses and rough spots with a loofah or pumice
stone and apply an exfoliating scrub. Treat cracked heals
by applying mashed ripe banana to the affected area. Leave
on for 10 minutes, then wash and rinse the area.
- Apply our Natural Cuticle Softener (below) to cuticles
and gently push them back with your fingertips. Soak your
feet in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Massage your feet with moisturizing lotion. When lotion
has been completely absorbed, clean the surface of your
toenails with an astringent (witch hazel works well) applied
to a cotton swab.
- Apply a base coat followed by nail polish. If you are
short on time, use a sheer or light colored polish to minimize
mistakes. Tip: separate toes with cotton balls or mini-sponges
before applying base coat to keep polish smudge-free.
Natural Cuticle Softener
Mix 1 egg yolk, 2 tbsp. pineapple juice, 1 tsp. almond oil, and 1 tbsp. aloe
vera juice into a pasty consistency. Apply to cuticles of clean hands or feet,
leave on for 5 minutes and rinse with warm water. Push cuticles back and apply
moisturizer.
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