HOW TO GROW STRONGER & LONGER NAILS

There are few things more frustrating than spending a half an hour getting a manicure or painstakingly giving yourself one just to have your nails break. Or when your nail polish chips before the end of the afternoon. Or maybe there are more irritating things, but when faced with a chipped nail or nail paint, few will spring to mind.

To avoid chipping polish, make sure you apply your manicure correctly. Start with clean, dry nails. Buff them before you apply anything and make sure that any old polish is completely removed. Next, apply a base coat. Use long strokes starting at the base of nail and go all the way out to the tip. Start in the middle of the nail and then fill in the sides with similar long strokes. After that dries, apply one thin layer of nail polish and then another coat after that dries. The emphasis is on ‘thin' layers. Thick layers tend to chip easier. After the second layer of nail polish has dried, apply a top coat to seal it. Re-applying a top coat every couple of days will help preserve your manicure with minimal effort.

Regular nail maintenance, whether or not it is followed by 4 or 5 rounds of polish, is necessary to keep your nails looking good. Keep them trimmed in a nice rounded shape that mirrors the half moons at the base of your nail, push back the cuticles, and apply a clear coat of polish if you like. Don't bite them! Use a nail file if they need shaping and if you prefer longer nails, paint underneath with clear polish once a week.

A FEW TIPS:

Add a few of these tricks to your nail care repertoire and you will see your nails grow stronger and longer than they have ever been before.

* Massage your nails: Yes, even nails need a massage, and we don't mean the cuticle; we're talking the actual nail itself. Massage stimulates the blood flow in your nails just as it does in every other part of your body, which keeps them growing and healthy.

* Avoid acrylic nails: They only make your real nails weaker. The goal is to get to where you need less maintenance – not more. Acrylic nails are pretty high maintenance - not to mention expensive.

* Drink lots of water: Water is nature's magic elixir. Brittle nails, like dull hair and dry skin, start with dehydration. You will eliminate the problem at its root by supplementing any other nail care with a good 2 liter bottle of water (at least) every day.

* Moisturize your hands regularly : Some use nail creams tailored specifically for the purpose of moisturizing your nails. Other use hand cream and make sure that their nails are liberally covered. Still others swear by soaking their hands in olive oil. Whatever you prefer, do it often. Your hands need hydrating inside and out and your moisturizing potion of choice will take care of the outside the way water takes care of the inside.

* Calcium and vitamin D : A regular serving of yogurt and non fat milk will give you the calcium necessary to keep your hair, teeth, and nails growing healthily. The vitamin D usually comes along with it as it is necessary for your body to process the calcium. Take a multi-vitamin daily just to be on the safe side.

Homemade Rich Nail Cream For Strong & Healthy Nails

You might be lucky enough to possess strong, healthy nails. But it is imperative that you keep them that way. While some women clean the utensils with their bare hands and try to remove the ingrained dirt sticking on to them by scratching with their nails, still others use their nails as screw drivers, brush, a tin opener or as a gardening shovel. Likewise, many do not think twice before immersing their fingers in harsh detergent solutions and other chemicals. All these activities can make the otherwise healthy nails to become brittle and lose their natural luster.

Remember these points:

* Nails should not be kept too long that there is a possibility of their breaking nor should they be cut too short so that they expose the nail bed.

* Always use a mild soap or a hand wash while cleaning your hands.

* Do not forget to wear gloves while attending to household chores like washing, cleaning or gardening.

* Avoid direct contact with harsh detergents and other soap solutions.

* Also do not immerse your hands in water for long periods of times. This weakens the nasoaking fingernailsils.
brushing fingernails

* To remove the dirt off the nails, put your hands in lukewarm water to which a drop of a mild shampoo is added. Remove them after 1-2 minutes and gently clean them with a soft brush or soft linen.

* To remove stains from your nails and fingers try some of the home remedies.

* For keeping the nails shining and strong, sometimes in your leisure time, massage the nails and the cuticles with olive oil, with slow and gentle strokes.

* Massaging nails with the diluted water of alum also keeps them shining.

* A gentle massage with mustard (sarson) oil also helps.

* You can also use this homemade rich nail cream.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon avocado (butter fruit) pulp
1 teaspoon egg yolk
1 teaspoon honey
A pinch of salt

Method:

Blend all the ingredients to a smooth consistency. Apply a small quantity of the paste to each nail, massaging gently into cuticles and surrounding skin. Rinse off after half an hour. You may prepare this cream in a larger quantity by increasing the proportions of the ingredients and store it in the refrigerator, to be used within a month.beautiful fingers

For the oils and the creams to work on your nails and for better results you shouldn’t use your fingers or nails for at least half an hour. So the best time to massage nails is a few hours before retiring to bed. That way you won’t be using them for a long time.

Nail Care Do's & Don'ts

Who among us doesn't feel better when we have a great set of nails to show off? Going to the salon and getting the works is one thing, but what are the steps to caring for those gorgeous nails all week long?

* Do coat the outside of the nails with polish or ridge fillers, which can help protect the nail and prevent breaking and splitting, at least while the manicure lasts.

* Do moisturize the cuticle area to prevent cracking and peeling, which can hurt the matrix.

* Do wear gloves to protect nails and cuticles from housework, gardening and washing dishes.

* Do be cautious when doing office work. Nails and cuticles take a beating filing, opening letters (use a letter opener), typing (use the flat of your finger pads on the keyboard instead of the tips of your nails) and handling papers.

* Do apply hand cream frequently, especially after you're done washing your hands, and pay attention to the cuticle area.

* Do wear a sunscreen during the day on your hands and cuticles to prevent sun damage, which can hurt your nails. Reapply every time you wash your hands.

* Do meticulously clean all nail implements and change nail files often. Bacteria and other microbes can get transferred by the nail tools you use, causing infection or harm to the matrix.

* Do disinfect any tears or cuts to the cuticle, and treat ingrown nails as soon as possible. Nail infections are not only unsightly, but also can cause long-lasting damage to the nail. Any drugstore antibacterial ointment, such as Polysporin, Neosporin or Bacitracin, will do.

* Don't use nail products that contain formaldehyde or toluene. They pose health risks for the nail and for your entire body as well.

* Don't use fingernails as tools to pry things open.

* Don't use your fingers as letter openers. That destroys the cuticles, which destroys the nail matrix and affects nail growth and strength.

* Don't soak nails for long periods, and never use any kind of soap or detergent when soaking. Nails and cuticles that become engorged with water weaken, and the longer soap or detergent is in contact with skin and nails (despite the advertisements for Palmolive dish detergent) the greater the potential for damaging the nail and cuticle structure.

* Don't overuse any kind of nail-polish remover. Use a minimal amount on the nail and avoid getting too much on the cuticle and skin.

* Don't push the cuticle back too far. Leave the cuticle alone as much as possible. Trim only the part of the cuticle that has started to lift away from the nail.

* Don't allow any manicurist to touch your hands with utensils that have not been properly sterilized. The importance of this step cannot be stressed enough. Risking your health and well-being for a manicure is just not worth it, and that is a definite possibility with bacteria-laden nail instruments!

* Don't pull or tear at hangnails. Always gently cut them away, leaving the cuticle intact and as untampered with as possible.

* Don't ignore nail or cuticle inflammation. Disinfect the skin as soon as you can with an antibacterial or anti fungal agent. Any change to the nail's appearance needs to be checked out by a dermatologist.

Tips For Artificial Nails

Artificial nails are available in different sizes and colours. All you have to do is stick them on with nail glue. They can stay on for a few days, as long as you take care of them. If your hands spend a lot of time in the water, your nails may come off a little sooner. So, try not to get in the water for too long.

After sticking them on, you could apply nail polish, so that your nails look shining. If you want to remove your artificial nails, soak them in warm water for about ten minutes, and very gently peel them off. Just bear in mind that these products will not make your nails any healthier. In order for your nails to remain healthy, you should remove the artificial nails once in a while, and let your nails breathe for a few weeks.

Yogurt For Beauty

Yogurt is not only a delicious, healthy food but you can also use it for your skin and hair, as it is a natural softener. Make your own yogurt at home by adding a spoonful of yogurt to a bowl of boiled and cooled milk.

As a hair conditioner:

Yogurt is recommended as a natural hair conditioner. Wash and rinse your hair, then rub some yogurt into the scalp and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse and then wash again.

For dandruff:

An hour before shampooing your hair, work a liberal amount of yogurt into your hair, then shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

For nail care:

Your hands and nails can also benefit from yogurt. Mix some yogurt with lemon juice. Keep it in the fridge for a few hours and use to massage your hands and nails. Your hands will become soft and supple and your nails will acquire a healthy shine.

As a face pack:

Mix yogurt with a pinch of turmeric to make a face mask. This paste can also be applied and massaged on your arms and legs. Rinse with cold water and wash with gram flour. This serves as an excellent pack for your skin.

As a pre-bath gel:

Mix eight spoons of yogurt, one spoon of vegetable oil and three spoons of lemon juice. Apply this pack on your body with firm upward movements. Rinse off after 10 minutes. This rejuvenates your skin.

As a skin softener:

Take a bowl of yogurt, petals of six roses, and two spoons of talcum powder. Mix them well and apply on your face. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Mix yogurt with wheat flour and apply this paste on your skin 10 minutes before taking a bath.

In a bowl, mix together four spoons of plain yogurt and one egg. After shampooing, apply the mixture on your head and thoroughly massage into your hair. Work from root to tip to make sure all your hair gets coated. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. This is specially good for softening dry hair.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR NAILS STRONG ?

Sometimes fragile nails need more drastic treatment than saline baths. In this case you should use the salutary qualities of herbs. Let’s make vitamin addition for your nails.

Mix the equal amount of grinded herb: Hypericum perforatum L., thyme, camomile and burdock-root. Spill 1 glass of boiling water 2 table-spoons of herbal mixture and stay closed. Put your fingers into warm infusion for some minutes.

After herbal bath rub the mixture of vitamins A and E into nails. To make this mixture you should crush some capsules of these vitamins in the small bowl and mix. Try to rub the vitamins in every nail at least for 30 seconds.

Do remember to take calcium every morning and in combination with vitamin procedure, described above, your nails will become hard and beautiful.

HOMEMADE TIPS FOR DARKENED NECK...

The beauty of the neck is often flawed by dark patches and spots around it; especially the nape of the neck is more prone to darkening. This could be due of pigmentation, dead cells clinging to the surface of your skin, dirt and grime which gets embedded in the skin because of dust and pollution and neglecting neck care. Skin allergy caused by constant wearing of ornaments around your neck could also be the culprit. It is all the more embarrassing if this discoloration is too distracting. And if this marked difference between the skin colors of the face and the neck makes you overtly self-conscious, don’t just sit back, do something about it.

A crepey neck can be improved by regular cleansing, and by scrubbing with a soft nail-brush (try the plastic bristled ones) to work away dead skin and improve the circulation. Also cream it lavishly for softness and smoothness.You could also bleach the skin around your neck to improve its color.

Want to try your hand at some home-based treatments for your darkened neck? Then treat it with some of these packs made from mundane household items from your kitchen and bathroom.

* Dip a towel in hot water. Wring the towel to squeeze out excess water. Now dab this towel over the darkened areas so as to give steam to your neck, almost like a sauna.

Repeat several times. This not just lightens the skin discoloration but also slightly melts the fat around your neck.

* Grind fenugreek (methi) leaves to a fine paste and extract its juice. Mix this juice with besan (gram flour) or powdered sprouts of your choice. Apply liberally on your neck and let it stay for 15 – 20 minutes. Then wash off.

* Apply Rice Kanji water over darkened areas of your neck for about 15 minutes. You could even apply this to any of your darkened areas such as armpits, under your thighs etc.

* Using light strokes with the palms of your hands, massage your neck with fresh, preferably home made butter for 5 minutes at least once in a week. Use upward movements and don’t pull or stretch the skin unnecessarily.

* Mix vinegar with a coarse powder of wheat grains. Apply for about 15 minutes and then wash off.

* Take the squeezed half of a lemon and sprinkle table salt and turmeric over it. Rub this lemon over the darkened areas of your neck.

* Mix multani mitti (fuller earth) with rose water and apply it on your neck and wash off after 15 minutes.

TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL & STRONGER NAILS...

Nail Care Tips:

Your nails are an important part of your hands and they too need to be taken care of well. Well-kept hands with neat, clean, painted nails are a pleasure to behold. Dirty and unkept nails will make your hands look ugly. Your nails need to be strong and healthy for your hands to look beautiful. Here are a few tips on nail care.

* To harden soft nails soak them in warm olive oil for about 20 minutes on alternate days.

* For strong nails soak them in a mixture of horsetail.

* To remove stains from your nails, mix one tablespoon of lemon juice in a cup of water and soak your nails in this liquid for a few minutes.

* It is not a good idea to remove the cuticles from your nail, as it will make the nail susceptible to infection.

* If you use nail polish then do not use acetone polish removers.

* When you wear nail polish, give your nails a break from time to time. Leave them without polish for a few days.

* For natural nail polish rub petroleum jelly on your nails then buff with a soft cloth.

If you have brittle nails or split or dull nails then here are a few vitamins that will help you:

* Organic Silica: This will increase the growth of nails and prevent them from becoming brittle.

* Essential Fatty Acids: Found in most oils are good for healthy and strong nails.

* Vitamin B especially B5: Important for healthy skin and nails.

* MSM (Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane) : Important for healthy nails.

Ensure that you follow a hand care regime, even it means only applying moisturizer on your hands. Even if you do this regularly it will go a long way in making your hands look better.