6 beauty tips for perfect hands
1 / Hydrate your hands every day
Like the rest of the body, they need to be hydrated, exfoliated and massaged. After each wash, remember to wipe them well with a terry towel, as water tends to dehydrate them. Then massage them with a nourishing treatment, if possible enriched with lightening agents for an anti-stain action, and antioxidants to protect the epidermis from external aggressions. Make palpate-rolling movements by peeling off the skin in order to plump it up by stimulating the production of collagen.
The additional advice: once a week, exfoliate your hands with a gentle exfoliation (a facial formula for example) which boosts natural flaking, makes the skin very soft and revives its radiance.
2 / Take care of your nails
Rather than taking care of your nails once a month, spend one minute each day, you will see better results. In the morning, apply the remnants of your day cream on the fingertips. In the evening, massage them with a vegetable oil like apricot oil to hydrate them. As soon as you feel that a nail is catching, file it: this prevents it from breaking or tearing. When your nails are long, use a glass file (the softest) or cardboard to shorten them, but never metal, much too aggressive. Avoid scissors or nail clippers, especially if your nails are soft, as cutting can lift their scales and weaken them further.
Another tip: if your cuticles are clean, dip your nails in soapy water and clean the edges with an old toothbrush to remove small dead skin. If they cover your nail a little, push them back using a boxwood stick.
3 / Boost the shine of your nails
Even without varnish, your nails can be smooth and shiny. If their surface is very regular, rub them every day with a buff polisher, which revives the microcirculation, gives a beautiful pink color and boosts the shine. If their surface is streaked or prone to imperfections, erase the irregularities with an abrasive polishing block. Be careful, only once or twice a month is more than enough.
Another tip: if you still find your nails lacking in shine, cheat with a transparent formula. A base with pink reflections for a revival of radiance, a purple or bluish treatment for an immediate fattening effect ...
4 / Apply your varnish like a pro
Always start with the application of a thin base coat to smooth the surface of the nail, facilitate the adhesion of the varnish and above all, prevent pigments from entering the nail. If you are using a conventional varnish, start with a first thin layer which acts as a primer. It does not need to cover the nail evenly. The second, a little more generous, will take care of it. If you are using a thicker gel effect varnish, a single coat may suffice. Then apply a drying top coat. The next day, you can add another layer of top coat, making sure it is not too thick, and going well to the end of the nail.
The advice in addition: put your varnish "Italian", leaving a small bare nail space on each side of the color. This lengthens the fingers by optical effect and avoids running the varnish on the skin and in the grooves.
5 / Detox from time to time
The varnish, as soft as it is, forms a film that isolates the nail from the air and prevents sebum and moisturizing care agents from penetrating. Result: the nails dry out. Ideally: keep your polish for up to three days. In the evening, remove it with a mild solvent. Then brush your nails with a nourishing treatment (balm, vegetable oil, gel enriched with arnica) and leave on overnight. Wait at least the next morning to put back a base or a varnish.
The advice in addition: if possible, limit the application of varnish to three days a week, to let your nails breathe as much as possible. If you are addicted to semi-permanent varnish, settle for one application before your vacation, but not all year round.
6 / Choose the right varnish formula
Here are the three main families, which meet everyone's desires and needs:
- Classic varnishes: they are forced to comply with European legislation, which is constantly evolving, and often even precede regulations. Many brands, even if they do not necessarily claim it, have developed formaldehyde-free varnishes, an ingredient which should soon be banned, but also toluene or camphor-free.
- Ecological varnishes: they have eliminated a maximum of toxic ingredients from their formulation, in favor of more natural solutions, including plant pigments, corn, bamboo or potato extract. The formulas often dry less quickly, but some manufacturers have managed to create fashionable shades, which have nothing to envy to those of classic brands.
- Gel effect varnishes: inspired by the semi-permanent gel, these hybrid varnishes mostly contain acrylic molecules, for better grip, good impact resistance, but without the drawbacks of semi-permanent varnish. They are removed with a conventional solvent.
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