If your hands can reveal your ‘real’ age, taking care of your hands and nails is important and should be part of your daily self-care routine. Should is often optional however, since our face gets most of our attention and we don’t give our hard-working hands a second thought! It’s time to give your hands the attention they deserve in a few simple steps, especially in the winter! The winter season is known to be extraordinarily harsh on our very important hands.
One hint is to avoid the 'antibacterial' hand wash as much as possible: those are the soaps that contain the harsh chemical triclosan (often marked "antibacterial") dry out your hands with repeated use. Good old hot water, (sing the birthday song or the alphabet) and soap- especially those that contain natural antibacterial ingredients such as tea tree oil or eucalyptus can help sanitize and not dry them out. If you must sanitize (and who are we kidding, we all take that step in cold and flu season!), then don't forget the next tip:
Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
Did I say moisturize?!? Your hands need moisturizer and sun protection as much, if not more- than your face! A lack of moisture and sun puts your paws at risk for sun damage leading to wrinkles and dark spots. Dried-out nails are more likely to break, split, and chip. A moisturizing cream or lotion featuring ingredients like Shea butter and Vitamin E is a good addition to your daily routine, both morning and night. The winter seasons are especially harsh on
Why it works: The lightly scented Indulgence Lotion is infused with Biotin and Aloe Vera. Biotin helps promote nail growth and relieves extremely dry cuticles, and aloe and Shea are effective in treating a variety of skin conditions, from flaky or dry skin; Aloe also moisturizes the skin without giving it a greasy feel.
If you have super thin nails, you may want to add a strengthening base coat to your routine as often as you can. Jamberry's is five-free (does not contain Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor or DBP) but does have Horsetail Plant extract- a herb rich in nutrients and high in silica- both promote strong healthy nails.
Cuticle CareYour nails need just as much moisture as your skin. The cuticle is constantly discarding old cells and producing new ones. Unless this tissue remains soft and pliable, it can grow onto the surface of the nail where it becomes unsightly, splits into hangnails and can even impede nail growth. While you don’t need a specialty product for your nails, one that targets your cuticles will also do the trick. Healthy nails and cuticles prevents cracking, tearing and hangnails- not only are they unsightly and uncomfortable but can get infected and cause a bigger problem. You can use cuticle oil while wearing nail products (such as Jamberry Wraps or even artificial nails) and still receive the benefit of the oil and moisturizer.
Try: Jamberry Nails Cuticle Oil- it contains Safflower Oil, Cottonseed Oil, and Vitamin E Acetate as deep moisturizers to help keep your cuticles and nails moisturized. The Quench Balm in the Indulgence set is heavenly for your nails as well.
Skip and Go Naked
While I love my nail art and beautiful nails, a 24-48 hour break is good for your paws! Your nails are made up of flattened dead cells containing keratin so they don’t need to ‘breathe,’ but the break gives you the opportunity to ensure you don’t have any health problems revealed by the state of your nail beds. (If it looks weird, consult with a health professional!) This is a good opportunity to add some additional moisturizing into your routine with a quick hot oil soak. Warm up a bowl of olive oil or coconut oil for about 30 seconds and dip your nails and massage in the oil. Nails often look like they are being damaged by nail products, when in fact they are just thirsty!
An Added Layer of Protection
Avoid dishpan hands and don’t do the dishes! If only! Seriously- don a pair of cute gloves when immersing them in hot water or using harsh chemicals. Hot water can strip your skin of its own natural oils, leaving skin and nails dry and chapped. Chemical exposure can cause contact dermatitis, a temporary reaction of redness. If you encounter contact dermatitis, a moisturizer is a great aide but if the problem persists, call your doctor.
No Chainsaw Massacre!
Do you madly file your nails in all directions??!!! It may be the swiftest way to short nails, but it’s the wrong way. Your nails will tear and become jagged and often split- exactly what we are trying to prevent! File your nails in a 180 degree angle in one direction only! Stop the sawing. Buffing them with a soft buffer is good as well, but it will bring up natural oils- that’s bad for proper Jamberry Wrap application. You want to make sure that you gently push back your cuticles too so that you don’t cause any damage.
It’s also important to use professional-grade tools in your nail care- most are stainless steel and can remain sharp to do their proper job. Make sure to sanitize your tools regularly- use boiling hot water or rubbing alcohol. The ManicureOrganizing Set by Jamberry Nails is a great one to try- it’s just $12.50 without the Cuticle Oil or $20 including. What a cute and handy set!
Your hands work hard, make sure that you take care of them!
