How to give yourself a basic manicure

Well kept hands look nice, they are smooth, clean and attractive, but everybody needs some help getting nicer looking hands.

Below are the steps you should take to achieve nicer looking attractive hands.

You will need:

Handwash

Exfoliator or sugar/salt

Cuticle cream/oil or olive oil

Emery board

Cotton wool or an old towel

Nail brush

Nail polish remover

Clear nail polish/base coat

Nail pencil

Buffer

Nail brush

Hand cream

Cotton bud/q tips

Step 1:

Shape your nails with the emery board, file from one edge into the centre, and then from the other edge into the centre.

Try to hold the file so that you are filing the underside of your nail more than the top, this will prevent damage to the nails surface.

Do not file the nails using a side to side sawing motion, this will damage the nail surface. Also, do not use a metal file, this will do far more harm than god, they will split and crack the nail and allow water in, which in turn will weaken the nail.

Step 2: Moisten a cotton ball or an old towel with nail polish remover and gently stroke it over the nail. Even if you do not have any nail polish on, I would recommend this as it cleans the nail thoroughly.

Try to avoid getting nail polish remover on the surrounding skin or the cuticle.

Always choose a nail polish remover that is acetone free, try to find one with the least number of chemicals in it.

Step 3: Wet your hands and apply some gentle handwash, whilst your hands are still wet, pour a small amount of exfoliator into your hands. You can use a store bought exfoliator or you can use caster sugar, it will exfoliate your hands much more gently. Some people use salt, but I would not recommend this as it will dry the hands out.

Rub the exfoliator/sugar between your hands and over the backs, and rinse thoroughly

Step 4: Scrub gently underneath your nails with the nailbrush.

Step 5: Apply handcream to your hands whilst they are still warm and damp, wrap them in a towel for 5 minutes, and then pat off the excess handcream.

Step 6: Soak your fingers in a bowl of warm olive oil for about 10 minutes, gently push the cuticles back with a q tip/cotton buds.

Never cut the cuticles, this can lead to infection.

Step 7: moisturise your cuticles with handcream or cuticle moisturiser.

Step 8: Using a nail whitening pencil, apply it underneath your nails where they are naturally whiter. Make sure that the pencil is clean and sharp.

Step 9: Apply clear nail polish, I recommend using a strengthening base coat in place of a polish, you will still get a good shine, but your nails will be protected at the same time.

Step 10: Allow the nail polish to dry completely, then use the shine section of your nail buffer, stroke gently but quickly over the nails to create a brilliant shine.