Friday, August 1, 2014

Nail Down a Plan for Pretty Summer Hands

This summer has flown by so quickly, I can’t believe it’s already August. The bright, sunny days and warm breezy nights feel like they’re slipping through my hands. And speaking of my hands…yikes! I’ve been so busy this summer that I’ve completely neglected my fingernails, which are sorely in need of a little pampering. So I’m pulling out my favorite DIY tricks and giving myself a manicure.

Start by cleaning them…

And soften them at the same time. How? Just dip a moistened nailbrush into some baking soda, and scrub-a-dub!

Then condition cracked cuticles…

Try this trick: Mix 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil in a small bottle with a flip spout. Dampen your fingers, then apply a drop of the mixture to each cuticle, and massage the oil in thoroughly. Use a cuticle stick to gently push the cuticle back from the nail.

And give hangnails the heave-ho…

By soaking the offending finger for 10 minutes in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of olive oil added to it. Then cut the hangnail off at the base, using sharp, sterilized nail scissors (don’t pull the hangnail out!). Dab the base with alcohol, apply petroleum jelly to the site, and cover it loosely with a bandage to keep from staining your clothes or sheets.

Fortify weak nails…

And keep them from splitting or peeling with this remarkable remedy: Add a finely minced garlic clove to a bottle of nail polish. Let it sit for a few days, then paint it on your nails. Once the polish has dried completely, sink the garlicky stink by washing your hands with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

And make pretty polish linger longer…


Just adopt this simple prep routine: Soak your nails in vinegar (either white or apple cider) for about 60 seconds. Wait until they’ve dried thoroughly, and paint the surfaces as usual. The vinegar will remove the natural oils from the surface of your nails, so instead of quickly wearing off, your polish will hang on tight!

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