How your manicure and pedicure are performed as well as the color nail polish you choose all play a part in keeping your nails looking good as long as possible. Even if you know how to do a manicure and pedicure at home that just costs a few dollars but looks just like you spent a bundle at the salon there is the time spent to consider.
LONG LASTING POLISH
There are times when nothing less than long, dramatic fingernails will do. But for everyday, you will get more mileage out of a light color than dark red. Every little nick and chip that is oh so visible on a darkly painted nail hardly shows on a shade that is as close to the color of the natural nail bed as you can be happy with.
PUSH DON’T CUT!
Cuticles that are snipped rather than gently pushed back tend to look ragged quickly. So, tell your technician to limit the clippers to major shape changes for your nails and to use the orange wood stick for your cuticles. Then it’s up to you to regularly apply cuticle minimizer cream to eliminate the dead cuticle cells.
Some cuticle creams that have gotten positive reviews are:
- Butter London Melt Away Cuticle Eliminator
- Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream
- L'OCCITANE SHEA BUTTER CUTICLE & Nail Cream
TOP IT OFF
Any chips that become visible can be camouflaged with a touchup from a neutral color polish pen. Again, light shades are easier to manage as a perfect match isn’t going to be as crucial as it might be with dark colors. Add a layer of clear topcoat and your manicure and pedicure will last a bit longer.
MOISTURIZE
Even the most meticulously maintained manicure and pedicure can’t make rough, dry skin look good. The key is to moisturize those hands and feet. Exfoliate your rosy toes in the shower with a foot file and follow up with a cream immediately upon leaving the tub. Scrubs are not recommended because they wreak havoc on the shine of your topcoat.
Anything worth having is worth the extra effort to maintain and when it comes to personal appearance, the benefits of a neat
manicure and pedicure are endless.
