HANDS, NAIL AND FOOT CARE!
Nail care:
Remove any nail varnish before filing your nails. Using nail varnish remover after filing can cause your nails to split.
When filing your nails, always remember to file in one direction, this will stop them from splitting.
Using a little blob of cuticle cream will soften your skin so you can push back your cuticles. Use a protective base coat, this will stop your nails from soaking in the nail varnish colour and to stop your nails from staining, it also stops your nails from drying out.
If you have dry nails and torn cuticles, a good way to nourish and hydrate the nail bed is with a hot wax treatment. The heat flow and the warm wax conditions the cuticles. The treatment makes nails feel pampered, smooth and gives them a pink healthy glow.
If you have ridged or split nails it could be a sign of a deficiency in hydrochloric acid, a substance naturally produced by the stomach when digesting bitter foods, which are often lacking in the diet.
Peeling nails can indicate a toxic build up in the liver, or an allergic reaction to detergent or hand cream. Try taking nutritional supplements to improve their condition.
Moisturise your hands everyday to keep the skin supple and soft.
The best time to moisturise your hands is after an evening bath or shower. Massage the moisturiser in, this will stimulate circulation.
Your hands will be a lot drier in the winter, this is caused by cold wind and central heating. Always wear gloves in the winter, because the cold wind will crack your skin.
Tips:
If you don't already wear rubber gloves for house hold chores, then start today.
Cleanse very grimy hands with a paste of oatmeal and cold water and use the cut of half a lemon to remove stains.
Soften your hands by rubbing them with equal proportions of cooking oil and granulated sugar. This treatment also works for rough patches on the feet.
You can strengthen your nails by soaking your fingertips in warm water and bicarbonate of soda for 10 minutes once a week.
Soak cuticles in a small bowl of olive oil and gently push them back with a cotton bud.
Wipe your nails with vinegar just before you apply your nail varnish, place your fingertips in a bowl of iced water between applications to help each layer dry more quickly.
Foot care:
Having a foot massage is great for relieving tension in the muscles of the legs and feet, it reduces swollen ankles and improves circulation. It is also an excellent way to smooth in a moisturising lotion to soften the skin on the feet.
Step one, you need to apply foot lotion to your hands and work well into the right foot. Use both hands to massage with long, soothing strokes, working from toes to ankles.
Place both thumbs on the small indentation in the centre of the bottom of the foot. Apply pressure as you inhale, release and exhale. Do this three times.
Supporting the foot with one hand, make a loose fist with the other hand and roll your knuckles up and down the bottom of your foot.
Using your thumb, work up and down the whole of the sole, using small circular movements. Start at the heel and move upward towards the toes.
Now massage the top of the foot, gently making circular movements over the base of your toes.
Now work down the tendons on the top of the foot. Slowly press the thumb along the channels that run from the ankles to the toes, ending at the toes. Now do this with the other foot.
Step by step guide for lovely feet:
You will need:
A tub
Foot soak, if you haven't got any just use bubble bath
Clippers
Nail varnish remover
Cotton wall
Nail varnish
Moisturising lotion
Foot scrub
Pumice stone
Toe separators
Fill the tub with warm water and your foot soak or bubble bath.
When you have filled your tub up, remove any old nail varnish with you remover and if needed clip your nails.
Now you are ready to dunk you feet, you should watch telly or grab a magazine while you are relaxing. Soak your feet for about half an hour or as long as you like.
Now that the skin is soft, it is a good time to use your pumice stone, gently rub your pumice stone on your dry areas i.e. your heels, this will remove dead skin and soften your feet.
Now use your foot scrub, rub your foot scrub all over your foot.
Remove your feet from the tub and dry your feet with a towel. Massage you moisturising lotion all over your foot.
Now use toe separators or cotton wool between your toes to stop the nail varnish from smudging. Apply your chosen shade of nail varnish, allow the first coat to dry before you apply the second coat.
There you go all finished, now you can relax and show off your soft lovely feet.
Tips for better feet:
If you suffer hard feet try walking barefoot in the sand. Sand acts as a natural exfoliator and will leave your feet feeling smooth and soft.
If you suffer from smelly feet you should wipe your feet with surgical spirit, this will help kill bacteria and get rid of the smell.
If you suffer from scrubbed heels, you should moisturise your feet with a cream containing AHA (alpha hydroxy acids). These mild fruit acids take away ugly dead skin cells that remain on the skin making it look dull.
They work like an exfoliator.
If you get sweaty feet, try taking a dip in the sea or fill a bowl of warm water and add some sea salt. Sea salt dries the skin out and will cool your feet down.
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