Proper nail care is very important in today's world where a first impression means so much. They say a person's hands say a lot about them and your nails can make a big difference on how neat and attractive your hands look. If your nails are not attractive and healthy it will be obvious when you shake hands with people or simply introduce yourself.
These days taking proper care of your nails is important for both men and women due to the reasons mentioned above. For men, however there is a stigma attached to going to a nail salon or purchasing a nail kit, and even for women the cost of a professional manicure can be prohibitive.
With that in mind here are 8 tips for naturally keeping your nails healthy and attractive without spending a fortune every month on a professional manicure.
1. You will need to get yourself at least the basics of proper nail care like a good nail file, nail buffer and perhaps some cuticle oil which you can usually find in a nail kit. Remember these are very basic products which can be found in any drugstore and you don't need to spend a fortune on name brands with these products.
2. Use the nail file to file down your nails to a proper length. However be careful not to do this too often. You should really never file the nail unless it's about a quarter inch grown from the top of the pink part. Filing before that can weaken the nails and cause them to break easier.
3. As with proper skin and overall health in general, proper water intake is important for naturally healthy, attractive nails. Aim for at least eight glasses of water per day.
4. When applying nail polish aim for doing two or three thinner coats instead of one thick one. This will give you a stronger coat of polish by drying faster and lasting for a longer period of time.
5. Be careful with the products you put on your hands such as soap and lotions. Avoid products with alcohol or other drying agents because that tends to dry and weaken nails, making them brittle and prone to cracking.
6. It is important to keep your hands and cuticles moisturized and hydrated. Try using cuticle oil to soften cuticles and provide hydration which will make them look smoother and feel more comfortable.
7. If you bite your nails you need to get rid of this habit as soon as possible, no matter what it takes. Not only is this a really nasty habit to observe it will destroy the appearance and health of your nails and hurt any other efforts at proper nail care you may be doing.
8. When using a nail file or nail buffer on your nails make sure not to use the back and forth motion because that generates excessive heat on your nail which will weaken it. Instead go from the side to the middle along the ridge line of the nails.
Follow these tips consistently and you will be on your way to naturally healthy, strong and beautiful nails which will be an important part of creating a positive first impression!
