Manicure Tips

Every woman appreciates beautifully manicured nails. I remember paying close attention to my own nails ever since I was small. As I became an adult, I realized I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed pretty nails. Manicured nails transitioned from the mark of the pampered to just another part of expected grooming. A nice manicure quickly became a part of daily business attire. Men and women began to spend more time and money on their hands than ever.

As a former licensed nail technician, I know that it can be difficult to maintain that perfect manicured look. Cleaning, gardening and doing other household chores can take quite a toll on your fingernails whether you have them professionally cared for or not. There are a few helpful tips and products that can help you maintain that nice manicured look everyone desires.

1. Shop for nail supplies at a beauty supply store like Sally’s. These stores offer the consumer a much larger variety of nail products including professional grade files, buffers, cuticle treatments and manicure tools.

2. You can’t live without a white buffing block. OK you can live without one, but you will not want to once you discover what a buffing block does for a manicure. A fine grain buffing block buffs away ridges and discoloration, dead skin from the cuticle and preps the nail surface for a smoother polish application.

3. One file can’t do it all. There are different types of fingernail files for different reasons. A course file is great for acrylic nails, hard natural nails and toe nails. Medium and fine files are better for finishing and shaping nails.

4. Nail polish thinner is the best kept secret. Nail polish evaporates every time it’s opened. A few drops of nail polish thinner can make almost any goopy polish as good as new again.

5. Know your limits. You must be realistic when choosing to maintain long nails. If you break nails often, then you are too active to have long nails. You must experiment until you find a length that seems to best suit your lifestyle.

6. Treat yourself to a professional manicure. You can learn a lot from a professional. If you don’t get your nails done professionally already, an occasional manicure can be a good refresher on the latest nail care trends and techniques.

The 5 S's to the Perfect Self-Tan

Go for the Gold…and the Bronze!  One of the greatest tricks in Hollywood to slimming sexy divas up for a night of awards can be found in a little bottle the night before! That’s right, we’re talking about self-tanning. You wouldn’t believe how many of the stars were a little ghostly just a couple of days before they hit the red carpet. Since I am the queen of self-tanning myself, I thought I would share my little secrets with you; I call them the “5 S’s to Self-Tanning” Shave, Smooth, Spread, Sleep, Shower.

First you have to SHAVE and exfoliate your skin so your tan will look smooth and last long. Next, it is important to SMOOTH out your skin with a good moisturizer, like Nivea, so that the dryer skin doesn’t grab too much color causing darker spots. The most important places to moisturize are hands, feet, ankles, knees, and elbows. Then SPREAD on your favorite self-tanner evenly and generously in a circular rubbing motion. If you use too little, you may miss a spot or streak. You’re body will only absorb so much and if you are unsure about an area, like your feet, just add a some moisturizer to help blend it evenly. Make sure knees and toes are bent so you get in between the creases of the skin. When you are all done with your body, wash your hands thoroughly to prepare for the final application to the tops of the hands. Mixing equal parts moisturizer and tanner will help make it easier to blend the tops together, making sure that your knuckles are slightly bent. Finish with more moisturizer in the palms to prevent start and stop marks. Now all you need to do is throw on a big dark T-Shirt (just in case your tanner stains) and go to SLEEP. It normally takes a few minutes to dry, but the tanner works best if left alone overnight to avoid prematurely showering off your results. After a good nights sleep, you can see your beautiful tan and SHOWER off the excess moisturizer and smell, which tends to occur from the chemical reaction between the cream and your skin.

            I know this seems like quite an ordeal, but it won’t take long before you’re a pro. Besides, this could be your time to pamper yourself and make it a real treat. For example, every Sunday and Thursday night I set aside enough time for me to take a relaxing bath and to treat myself to my favorite self-tanner. I always wake up feeling refreshed with my new glow.  Sunday gets me ready for the new work week and Thursday freshens me up for the weekend!

Bonnie’s Self-Tan Picks: The brand new Jergens Natural Glow Express in medium to tan, or the Sublime Bronze with instant bronzer which allows you to see where you put it, which is better for beginners. Go for dark tan if you have more natural color in your skin or are more experienced with tanning and go for the soft to medium color choice if you are fair or just a beginner. Happy Tanning!

Afraid to do it yourself?

Visit Vero Beach's PLANET BEACH for a spray tan and let them do the work for you!

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