Hand Care 

DIY Manicure 

You'll Need:

A cuticle pusher or an orange wood stick wrapped in cotton 

A nail file 

A 3-way nail buffer

A small bowl or manicure dish 

A small amount of manicure soak.  I really like OPI's and Cuccio

Cuticle oil 

Base coat, nail polish, top coat 

Hand lotion 

Nail scrub brush 

Step 1

Take off any old polish, wash hands.  File nails right away.  Straight across is best because it deters ingrown nails. Try to file on one direction to avoid brittle nails.

Step 2

Put some warm water in the bowl with manicure soak, or even a drop of an essential oil such as lavender.

Soak nails for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Push back cuticles.  (You should always leave cuticle clipping to an experienced Esthetician or Nail Technician).

Step 4

Buff nails lightly, using buffer. Start with the roughest side and work your way to the softest side.  Do not over buff, this will thin the nails making them vulnerable to breakage.  The softest side adds a natural looking sheen to the nails.

Step 5

Go to the sink and scrub with the brush to clean under the nails.  This also helps remove extra bits of nails that go underneath when we file.

Step 6

Dry hands thoroughly, and apply some cuticle oil.  Massage the oil into the cuticles and nails for a few minutes.  If you have hang nails, you can trim them off carefully with cuticle scissors, and focus the oil massage to these parts.

Next apply a good amount of hand cream and thoroughly rub it into your hands and nails.  Massage gets circulation going and moisturizing aids in anti-aging and is great for your skin over all.

Step 7

You can use some warm water or a small amount of nail polish remover to remove the residue of lotion and oil from only the nails.  If you leave them greasy, your nail polish can peel off.

Apply basecoat, 2-3 coats of nail polish, and top coat.  Allow nails to dry in between coats.

If you slop polish around your cuticles and fingers, use an orange wood stick or a Q-tip dipped in polish remover to clean them up.

To keep your manicure looking fresh, you can apply another thin coat of top coat every few days.

Exfoliating your hands every now and again is a sure way to avoid age spots.  

Keeping hands clean and well groomed is a good way to avoid infections and illnesses and always look pulled together and chic.

I recommend that you follow these steps about every two weeks.  You don't need to buff each time though. Buffing once a month is sufficient.

There are some nail disorders that you should watch for, and if you have any of the following I strongly suggest seeing your Doctor.

Nail Disorders 

Corrugations: these are wavy ridges caused  by uneven growth of the nails, usually the result of illness or injury.  You should see your doctor at the time of the injury, and understand that this disorder might be the outcome.  This is not in itself serious, and you can make them look more normal using a buffer.

White Spots: these appear frequently in  the nails, but do not indicate disease.  They are caused by injury to the base of the nail (where your cuticle meats your finger) and they will grow out on their own.  (Leuconychia)

Over Growth: usually a thickness in the nail rather than length.  This is usually caused by an infection but sometimes it is hereditary.  You should see your doctor to determine which cause, and if necessary, treat the infection.  Do not touch the nail until the infection has passed, or follow your doctor's instructions. (Onychauxis or Hypertrophy)

Wasting Away of Nails: the nails lose luster, become smaller, and sometimes shed entirely.  Injury or disease accounts for this and medical attention is highly suggested.  (Onychatrophia)

Pterygium: is a forward growth of the cuticle that adheres to the base of the nail.  It can be caused by circulatory problems.  Medical attention is necessary.

Pterygium Inversum Unguis: is an acquired condition characterized by a forward growth of the hyponychium characterized by live tissue firmly attached to the underside of the nail plate, which contains a blood supply and nerves.

I have this disorder from many years of having acrylic nails.  I still wear acrylic nails and am very careful when filing them.

Bitten Nails (Onychophagy): is a result of an acquired nervous habit that prompts  the individual to chew nails or hardened cuticle.

Split or Brittle Nails: (Onychorrhexis) Among the causes of split nails are injury to the finger, careless filing of the nails, vitamin deficiencies, illness, frequent exposure to strong soap and water, and excessive use of cuticle solvents and polish removers.

Bruised Nail: will have a dark, purplish almost black spot.  Usually due to injury and bleeding in the nail bed. The dried blood attaches itself to the nail and grows out with it.

Fungus: there are many different types of fungus and many ways to catch them.  Unclean tools at a spa, bad grooming habits, and many other things can lead to fungal infection.  Since it is highly contagious and can easily spread to your other nails, you should avoid using any non-disposable tools on your nails until the infection is cleared up.  Usually a prescription from your physician is needed to cure the fungus.  You doctor is the only person who can clearly diagnose which type of infection you have and how to treat it.

There are other disorders that are not here yet, but I strongly suggest that if you think you may have a nail disorder or infection, you should seek medical advice immediately.

These disorders and their descriptions are from one of my manuals from College.  (I attended Art and Technique Academy of Esthetics in Ontario)

To see tools and their descriptions visit the miscellaneous section.