Beautiful nails made easy

Feature

Your nails are an indicator of your general health, and if you use your hands a lot when you talk, they're also going to get plenty of attention from the person you're trying to attract.

Everyone wants nails to be proud of, but if yours are less than perfect there are lots of ways to get them in great condition in no time. Keeping your hands looking clean, feminine and polished doesn't require weekly trips to the manicurist.

Here is an easy nail care routine to get the perfect nails you've always wanted. It should take 15-20 minutes just once a week.

1. Remove any old nail polish. To remove the old polish, moisten cotton wool with nail polish remover and press over the nail for a few seconds to soften the polish. Then with a firm movement, bring the cotton wool from the base of the nail to the tip. Repeat this process until all of the polish is gone.

2. Shape the nail, using a file or emery board. File each nail tip from corner to centre; do not file in a see-saw motion with the emery board because doing so can cause ridges in the nail and nail splitting.

3. Soak the hands in warm, soapy water for a few minutes to remove dirt. Clean under free edge of nail with an orangewood stick.

4. The cuticle is the skin that grows from the finger onto the base of the nail. Push the cuticle back, but not too far. Leaving the cuticle intact helps to prevent infection of the nail growing tissue.

5. Now apply clear nail polish. There is no reason to waste money on several different kinds of clear polishes such as a ridgefiller, base coat, top coat or nail strengthener. They all do about the same job. After the clear polish dries, apply a colour polish of your choice if you wish. Let it dry. You may then reapply the clear polish as a top coat. This will help strengthen the nail and prevent chipping of the nail polish.
6. Finally, apply a moisturising cream or lotion to the hands and cuticles. This will help prevent splitting of the nails.

Try these 10 tricks to keep your manicure looking great for longer.

1. Keep nails short. Long nails are more prone to chipping and breaking than short, professional-length ones. Aim for nails no more than a quarter inch past your fingertips.

2. Groom cuticles. When polish is applied to overgrown cuticles, it peels off easily. Keep cuticles in check by applying a drop of oil to them and gently pushing them back with a wooden tool.

3. Clean nails. Apply polish to nails that have been cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in nail-polish remover. Any oil or lotion left on the nail bed will prevent polish from bonding to the nail and cause peeling in a day or two.

4. Apply a base coat, even if you're in a rush. It gives coloured polish something to stick to so it lasts longer.

5. Apply polish in thin coats. Wipe one side of the nailbrush against the neck of the bottle to ensure excess polish is removed. Then sweep the brush up the length of the nail in thin coats. Thick coats of polish bubble and peel.
6. Allow polish to dry between coats. Manicure experts say that giving polish some time to dry before applying a second coat allows the first coat to form a better bond to the nail. The second coat will then bond to the first.

7. Wrap polish onto nails. When applying polish, sweep a bit across the edge and under the nail tip. This wraps the end, minimising chipping.

8. Throw away old polish. Old nail polish changes consistency and becomes thick and won't have the staying power of newer polish. If you can't bear to bin your favourite bottle, add a bit of polish thinner (not remover) to make it smoother.

9. Protect hands from water. Immersing your hands in water for too long can cause polish to lift off the nail, shortening the life of your manicure. Use rubber gloves when you're washing dishes, and keep showers to a quick 10-15 minutes.

10. Apply topcoat daily. It's the number-one way to ensure your manicure lasts. Sweep on a protective topcoat daily to increase your nail polish's staying power.

MyVillage, 21st October