What you eat will reflect on the health of your nails, too.
Lack of vitamin A and calcium causes dryness and brittleness.
Lack of protein, folic acid and vitamin C causes hang nails.
White bands across the nails are caused by protein deficiency.
A lack of sufficient hydrochloric acid can cause splitting nails.
Insufficient intake or vitamin B12 can lead to excessive dryness, very rounded and curved ends and darkening of nails.
Insufficient zinc can cause development of white spots on the nails.
Cuts and cracks in the nails may indicate a need for more liquids.
Red skin around your cuticles can be caused by poor metabolism of essential fatty acids.
Here are the guidelines to follow for improving the health of your nails:
Eat a diet composed of 50% fruit and raw vegetables in order to supply necessary vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Eat foods rich in sulfur and silicon, such as broccoli, fish and onions. Include foods rich in biotin such as soy, brewer?s yeast and whole grains.
Drink plenty of water and other liquids.
You may supplement your diet with royal jelly, spirulina or kelp, which are rich in silica, zinc and B vitamins and help to strengthen your nails.
Drink fresh carrot juice daily, this is high in calcium and phosphorus and is excellent for strengthening nails.
Eat well and your whole body will be better, healthier, more beautiful!
Long nails on women are considered sexy by many people, but there is caution. According to a study done by Shelly McNeil, M.D., an infectious-disease specialist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, nails longer than three centimeters (just a bit over one inch) are five times more likely than trimmed nails to carry the pesky pathogens that cause staph and yeast infections. To be on the safe side, Dr. McNeil warns that you need to be diligent about washing your hands (especially after contact with such germ-prone items as doorknobs, public toilets and gym equipment). You also might want to carry an alcohol-based hand gel that can be used to disinfect your hands when soap …
Whether you have a hot date or a job interview, a wedding or a casual night out at the bar, get creative and try some new styles for your nail painting needs. Follow the following quick and easy tips to achieve a glamorous look in only minutes!
Basic Hues:
Perhaps the simplest style of them all is the basic solid color manicure. For open-toed shoes, be sure to apply a coat of the same color to your tootsies to accent your outfit and make you feel even more stylish and sexy. Basic styles in neutral and mild tones work very well for first impressions. Save the black and silver for future engagements.
Choose a color that complements the clothing you intend to wear. If the outfit is patterned, pick a shade that appears within the design a bit less than the other colors and use that same shade of nail polish to emphasize that hue.
For an even more fashionable look, do your nails in the solid color and allow them to dry completely. When they are finished drying, use a thin brush or a toothpick with a different color and trace a diagonal line going the same way on each nail. Try to make them as uniform as possible, and as you become more and more adept at painting extra designs, create your own styles for fun.
School Spirited:
If you are still in school or attending college, an exclamation of school pride would wear well on your nails by painting them in your school colors. You can do this in one of many ways:
Alternate the colors by painting each nail entirely with one color and doing the next nail in the next school color. For example, if your school colors are blue and white, start with blue on your thumbnail, white on your index finger, blue on your middle finger, and so forth.
Paint the nails all the same solid color, and once completely dry, paint the tips the other school color.
Paint all nails one color, and using a toothpick or very thin brush, sketch a phrase or ?GO (mascot or school name)!? on your fingernails if it fits.
Get creative and make up your own? draw swirls, try to paint your school mascot, etc.
A Girl?s Night Out Styles:
Attract some attention with a wild and crazy style ? be it zebra stripes, metallic glints or otherwise. Perfect for a night to the clubs or a date out on the town.
Do a quick version of a French manicure by painting the base coat of your nails in a neutral tone, such as a salmon color. With a white hue, once dry, paint the tips of your nails carefully and as uniformly as possible. This works best if you are able to grow your nails out a bit so you can use your natural nails? anatomy as a guide.
Glitter and glamour ? Choose a base color to use on all of your nails to complement your outfit. Allow that coat to dry ? paint another coat if necessary. Once the nails are smudge-proof, take a glass coat of clear gloss or a sparkle coat that matches the chosen color and add your own special touches. Dark blue and black look very nice with silver glitter, red with gold glitter, though the combination possibilities are endless. These glittery styles may complement wedding apparel, semi-formalwear and even casual attire.
To save even more time, apply a clear coat to your nails each day to protect the polish from chipping. Experiment with decals and nail transfers if you are not up for designing your own artistic themes. Be creative, do not get discouraged and remember, the more practice you get, the easier it will become each time you try a new style!
There?s never been a better time to renew and revamp your image. For a fun, flirty and attractive look that takes only a few moments to an hour to achieve, make a conscious effort to keep your nails in tip-top shape with new nail designs this season.
Short and metallic
Metallics are all the rage this year, and spring is a great season to sport a trendy new look. For the best impact, keep your nails trimmed relatively short and show off a splashy metallic look. Silvers, greens, blues, blacks ? anything sparkly goes.
Greens are especially hot this year, so apply a pretty green hue to get in on the latest color craze. Take an extra step toward creativity and find a color that matches your car?s shiny coat!
French manicure
For a lovely feminine look, consider a French manicure. Beautiful pale pink nails with emphasized white tips accentuate your fingertips and complement any outfit, swimsuit or occasion. For a flawless manicure, head over to the salon and get your nails done, either naturally or with acrylics.
If you find yourself to be a little bit handy with nail polish or crafty in general, stop at your local drugstore or beauty shop and look for a French manicure kit. Many kits include little sticky strips to help you section off which parts of your nails will receive the white tips and white parts will remain pink. French manicures are still in style and many men find them sexy. Why not go for the girlie look?
Pretty and pastel nail art
It?s likely that pastel colors will never go out of style. Find a shimmery lilac or lavender, a dainty pink, peach or rose, or try other pale pastel shades.
For an extra creative touch, apply an iridescent, glossy, pearly or glittery topcoat. Or, for a modern twist, introduce a delicate white on your tips and enjoy a unique new French manicure.
Traditional nail design
For a no-fail look no matter what your personal style or wardrobe options, consider a standby pink or red. Softer pinks and reds seem to be making a strong appearance on nails, blending nicely with all skin tones, nail shapes and clothing color choices.
Reds and pinks tend to be classics in the world of lips and fingertips, so even if you can?t find a trendy look for your nails, you can stay in style with a tried-and-true color scheme. To get a little daring, gradually tone down your colors until you are moving from fire engine red and lollypop pink to paler shades of carnation, brick and maybe even peach!
If you can?t settle on a particular color, pattern or style for your nails, take a trip to the store and browse the shelves for ideas. You may spot a must-have color or an adorable set of adornments and decals. Get a little wild, a little crazy and a little unique this season. Don?t be afraid to express yourself and remember that healthy nails are important!
Want professional looking nails without spending your day?s pay in the salon? With some practice and a little patience, you can enjoy fancy nails anytime you want for only the cost of your nail polish!
Their pale pink base and bright white tips characterize the ever-popular French manicures, which are a common request at nail salons everywhere. Professional nail stylists may paint your nails alone or they may apply fake tips if you desire. Based on your personal preferences, a nail designer will give your nails a strengthening and conditioning workout prior to painting them. If you get your nails done with fake tips, you may have to make a trip back to the salon to get your French tips ?refilled? when your nails have grown noticeably.
Keeping longer, healthy nails will be most conducive to sporting a French manicure. To complete your own French manicure, begin with the following steps to prepare your nails for the procedure.
Using a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover, wipe off any old nail polish prior to painting nails. Wash hands and soak in warm water for a few moments.
With an orangewood stick, gently push back the cuticles so they are all even with each other once the water has softened your skin.
With nail clippers, beauty scissors or a nail file, shape your nails evenly.
With a steady hand, carefully paint only the tip of each nail with a white hue. A second coat may be desirable, depending on the thickness and opaqueness of the polish. Allow polish to dry between coats.
Using a slightly transparent pink or nude color, paint the entire nail once the tips have dried. A second coat may be necessary. Allow nails to dry thoroughly.
Once all the coats have dried, apply a clear topcoat to protect your new French manicure. To lengthen the manicure?s lifespan, make an effort to paint a clear coat on each night. Be sure it has ample time to dry completely.
If you are feeling especially creative and ambitious, kick off your shoes and match your tootsies to your fingertips!
This procedure is best performed on a lazy morning or evening when no other pressing errands or tasks will get in the way. After painting your nails, avoid doing things with your hands while they dry.
For an easier painting technique, check the beauty section of a drug store or superstore for a French manicure kit. The set should contain, at the very least, nail polish in white and pink or beige and a clear topcoat. Some manicure sets - like COVERGIRL?s French Manicure Kit ? will contain tiny, sticky nail guides. These make the manicure process 100 times easier by allowing you to place the guides on each nail individually, leaving a small margin where the polish can spill outside the tip without tainting the rest of the nail.
As the holidays approach, let your crazy side out by concocting a wildly modified French manicure - green and white for St. Patrick?s Day, pastel shades for Easter, black and orange for Halloween and red and green for Christmas. Have fun and remember, even if you find the do-it-yourself French manicure difficult at first, practice will provide you with the skills you need to create beautiful and perfect manicures all
When you write down your shoping list, as you punch a phone number into your cell, while you wash dishes, do the ironing, clean the windows, or do one hundred other things that women do on any given day ? do you take notice of the condition of your nails?
Our hands are such an integral part of our daily lives, and constantly, we risk their health and strength, often without even noticing, because of the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities. Take a few moments each day, or at least a few times a week, to monitor the condition of your nails ? the color, the texture, the appearance of ridges or white marks.
Make a greater effort to take good care of your nails, and you will be thrilled with the way they complement your wardrobe and your own personal style. Consider the following tips as a way to enhance the health and quality of your nails.
Great, Healthy Nails
Apply speed-dry nail polish when time is of the essence.
Drink lots of water. Keep your body hydrated everyday to maintain healthy nails.
Fortify your diet with FDA approved vitamins or supplements. Your fingernails count on you to be responsible with your health and your diet. Unless instructed otherwise by your physician, increase your daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, protein, Vitamin B12, and zinc.
Touch up your manicure on a daily basis to prevent chips and cracks.
Your nails depend on you to maintain a healthy diet. Take in lots.
Nail polish tips:
Finish with a clear topcoat to add gloss and sheen.
Start with a base coat to strengthen and protect the nails.
Store nail polish in the refrigerator to maintain a smooth consistency.
Try not to store nail polish in a room that becomes cold. The nail polish bottles may break without warning, leaving you with a big mess.
To avoid breaking nails or brittle nails:
Avoid using your nails as tools. This means no picking, scratching, digging, pinching, etc. You know who you are!
Increase the amount of calcium in your diet.
Use products containing alcohol, especially perfumed lotions, sparingly. These items can make nails prone to breaking.
Wear rubber gloves when you do chores that involve continual submersion in water or contact with harsh detergents or chemicals.
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 Factty 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.
Our hands have very few oil glands and therefore we must take special care of our hands. Our hands come in contact with chemicals, detergents, and garden dirt etc. that further damages the skin on the hands. Your hands must be well cared for. You should exfoliate your hands and moisturize them regularly. Given below are a few hand care recipes that you can make at home to take special care of your hands.
Hand Sugar Exfoliant: Mix two tablespoons of oil (vegetable, olive, baby or safflower) with three tablespoons of sugar, it is better if you use the coarse variety. Make a paste and gently rub them on to your hands. Wash off with warm water and dry thoroughly.
To soften coarse and dry hands use this mixture. Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of sugar and a little water. Apply this mixture on hand and wash off in about a minute.
Nourishing Hand Cream: Mix 1/3 cup of glycerin and 2/3 cups of rose water. Combine the two by putting them in a bottle and shaking it well. Massage into your hands as often as possible. Store in cool dry place. Glycerin is a humectant that is it attracts moisture to your skin. Therefore it is important to use it to rehydrate your skin.
Recipe Cuticle Softener: Warm a teaspoon of Olive Oil and after your bath push your cuticles back and massage this oil into them. Use the tips of the fingers to massage the oil.
Use these simple home recipes for your hand and you will notice the difference in a few weeks. These products do not have preservatives so their shelf life is about a week.
We often forget to take care of our hands. Through we use our hands to do all the work in and outside the house we seem to pay very little attention to taking care of them. Our hands come in contact with water, chemicals, is subject to heat and cold, we work with our hands in the garden etc. all this puts stress on the skin of our hands. The first signs of aging are visible on our hands. Here are a few ways in which you can take care of the skin of your hand.
Moisturize your hands as many times as you can in a day.
Dry skin looks wrinkled and can easily be damaged.
Wear gloves while washing dishes, dealing with chemicals and while gardening.
Protect the skin on your hands from the sun.
Ensure that your hands are dry. If you have water on your hands it will evaporate drying your skin.
Take special care of your hands once a week. Give your hands a herbal oil massage once a week.
Here are a few hand treatment ideas:
Herbal Hand Bath: Boil one quarter of water and add one tablespoon of herbs (use one or all of these: chamomile, nettle, sage, coltsfoot, calendula). Let this mixture cool and soak your hands in it for 15-20 minutes. Dry your hands thoroughly and apply nourishing moisturizer.
Homemade Nourishing Hand Cream: Mix one teaspoon of honey with 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add one tablespoon of strong herbal mixture. This will make a very rich cream, that will take a while to absorb, but will make your hands soft and smooth.
For dry skin: Mix one tablespoon glycerin, one egg yolk, two tablespoons of vegetable oil, juice of one lemon, 3 to 4 ounces of herbal infusion or rose water. Apply this once or twice a week.
Mashed potatoes with milk make a great hand mask.
After cooking with eggs, before you throw the eggshells away, scrape out the remaining egg white and massage it into your hands.
Rub a piece of lemon on your hands to give your skin a more even tone.
After washing dishes with detergents wash your hands with sour milk or with a vinegar and water solution (1 tablespoon of vinegar per 2quaters of water). This will restore the pH balance of the skin.
Keep your hands warm as colds often start as a result of cold hands.
Your hands are precious they are the best tools that you have. They undergo a lot of wear and tear as a result of day-to-day work. Washing dishes, gardening, exposure to heat and cold are some of the things that have an adverse effect on the skin of your hands. Here are few tips on hand care.
Make time for regular manicures.
·Eat a diet rich in Vitamins A, B Complex and C (to nourish the skin) and calcium, iodine, magnesium and zinc to make your nails long and strong.
·Massage rich nourishing cream for five minutes every night to keep your hands soft and supple.
·Use a cream that helps to reduce age spots and fine wrinkles.
·If you have dry and brittle nails, soak them in almond oil.
STEP 1 It's essential to prepare your hands and nails before applying nail polish. First, exfoliate your hands by massaging them using a small amount of body scrub. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly. One of the main causes of chapped hands is not drying them properly after washing.
STEP 2 File your nails. If they are brittle or tend to split, keep them flat across the top with smooth, rounded edges. When filing, move in one direction, from outer corner to centre-sawing movements can damage the nail plate. Choose a nail file with a fine surface that glides over the nail.
STEP 3 Coat hands in a layer of sweet almond oil, to norish and soften, then wrap in a warm towel and relax for 15 minutes. Unwrap, and gently push back cuticles using a rubber hoof stick (available from most chemists). Never use cuticle clippers, as they can nick the skin. Rinse hands with warm water and dry thoroughly to remove any oil residue.
STEP 4 Apply one coat of base coat over your entire nail and allow a couple of minutes to dry. This will help strengthen the nail. Some products also level fine ridges and imperfections, leaving a smooth surface to apply polish. There's a wide range of base coats to choose from.
STEP 5 For a square look, paint a straight line across the tips; for a rounded appearance, follow the curve of the nail; and to get a pointed style, paint in from each side to the centre. Some manicure kits include sticky strips to use as a guide. when applying, lay your hand on a flat surface and keep the ball of your painting hand steady and keep the ball of your painting hand steady by resting it on the same surface. Leave to dry.
STEP 6 Finally, apply a coat of translucent shell-pink nail polish over the entire nail to seal the whitened tip and complete the look. Allow 10 minutes for it to dry. For extra shine and protection, apply a clear, glossy top coat.
Hands are the most visible parts of you, but they also take a lot of abuse. You use them in everyday activity, and yet, they are the ultimate accessory. You must give them the same attention you give your face.
* Soften your hands even while you do the dishes. Add a little almond oil (about a teaspoon) to dishwater. The water will soften rought skin while the oil seals the moisture.
* Slough off dead skin cells with a solution made of sea salt lemon. Brush it into hands with an old toothbrush. Do this twice a week to soften hands and remove discoloration.
* Wash hands thoroughly with warm water, then, using a coarse washcloth, rub briskly. While skin is slightly damp, apply a mixture of one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon olive oil. Place hands in small plastic bags, then in a pair of cotton gloves for thirty minutes. The heat helps the treatment penetrate.
* Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for thirty seconds (or until warm, but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin. Not only is milk loaded with lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin, but its high calcium content will strengthen fragile nails.
In the market, bananas are available with varying degree of ripeness. While some are completely green, others have specks of yellow in them and there are still some that have blackish patches all over (meaning that they are over ripe). Still, at times, getting a banana with the exact ripeness you want can become a difficult task. It is at such times that the method of ripening raw bananas at home comes into the picture. You can buy a green banana from the market and ripen it as per your wish. In the following lines, we have provided instructions on how to ripen bananas.
Ripening Raw Bananas Quickly
Items Needed
Paper bag
Bananas
Apple or Tomato
Instructions
While buying raw bananas, keep the desired ripeness and the time available with you, in mind. Remember, it takes at least one day to ripen a banana well.
After buying the bananas, it is the time to purchase an apple or a tomato, either of the two. Both, apple and tomato emit ethylene gases, which help speed up the ripening process of bananas.
Place the raw bananas in the paper bag and add an apple or tomato to it. A plastic bag will not work in this case, since it doesn't allow gases to circulate.
Now, leave the paper bag in a dry place, where there are no chances of it being disturbed. The ripening process will take 24 to 36 hours, depending on the greenness of your bananas and the desired ripeness.
After you have achieved the desires degree of ripeness, place the bananas in the refrigerator. It will slow down the ripening process and keep your bananas fresh for a long duration of time.
Fresh vegatables and fruits are the rich sources of energy on this earth. When one consumes appropriate quantity of fruits and vegatables, these sources are very beneficial to improve beauty.
The raw food is specific about beauty such as beauty of health, beauty of mind, soul and body and beauty of nature.
Foods that are found in the wild contain stronger life energy and more minerals.
Most of vegetables and fruits are hybrids and to be high in sugar and low in nutrition.
The following fruits and vegetables are helpful in enhancing beauty:
Fresh fruits in summer like plums, peaches or nectarines are rich sources of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Researchers have shown that fruits from the sources of antioxidants are helpful to protect the skin from Ultraviolet rays. Antioxidants are very beneficial in case of presence of more than one such as in plums, nectarines and California peaches.
Fresh plums, nectarines and peaches are useful for skin as they has low glycerin as compared to juices and other fruits.
Take coconut as sprinkle over the dish and extending the pieces of fruits on the plate.
Antioxidants and natural acids in yogurt and fruit will lightly and nourish the skin during oil removed from walnuts will lend sheen and softness.
Take fresh fruits for making salads sensational and the dressing.
Berries are also the source of antioxidant and elements of natural anti-inflammatory are used to prevent and repair the damaged skin.
Water is the best method for making the skin soft and smooth. Cantaloupe and olive essential oil are used to maintain a healthy skin. People should take one full tablespoon of olive oil each week and it can keep healthy skin. For vanquish dry skin, one should take a ½ cup of cantaloupe cubes.
A study has shown that person who takes a Mediterranean food rich in fats from beans. Soy is very beneficial for containing estrogen, it is found to promote healthy skin and stimulate connective tissue.
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach are the main source of antioxidants; people should take these vegetables for reducing blackheads, inflammation and pimples from the surface of the skin. One should take fresh fruits and vegetables that are the sour of Vitamin A, C and E.
Therefore people should eat fresh fruits and vegetables regularly to get healthy skin. Keep in mind; do not take more spicy, oily or greasy foods, as they are not giving the best results for skin.
Do you know that your hands age first? They can even make you look ten years older than you are! Do I have your attention now? There's good news though - you can still make them look wonderful. Turn back the hands of time! Here's how:
In your 20s and 30s: Your hands look great now but take care of them like you do your face. You need to use a moisturiser, some sunscreen and a scrub. Use a moisturiser twice a day once before you go to bed and once right after your shower. Keep a small tube in your purse for emergencies. Use a scrub to remove dead cells at least once a week.
When you are 40 or older: Dry hands could be on your agenda. So fight this with some heavy-duty hand cream, sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection and some emollient night treatment. Every morning, apply a moisturiser to keep dead cells from accumulating on the surface of your skin. After moisturising, layer on sunscreen- again, with an SPF of at least 15. To prevent night time moisture loss, rub an emollient cream or a strong moisturising cream into the back of your hands half an hour before bedtime.
Your skin naturally becomes thinner as you age and veins and wrinkles will become more noticeable. You could use moisturisers and sunblocks to keep your hands looking good, but for heavy-duty relief, you might think of chemical peels these strip away the top layer of skin to reveal a newer, less-lined layer. Doctors can also inject fat from your butt or belly into the backs of your hands to fill them out. A pigment-targeting laser (many experts recommend the ruby laser) is the safest and most effective way to eradicate stubborn brown spots.
So here it is 'handed' to you now it's up to you to keep your hands looking young and smooth and soft and simply beautiful.
