Healthy looking nails can seem hard to come by, especially in the winter when hands are typically dry and easily chapped. However with these four tips you should have beautiful cuticles and desirable digits in no time at all.
1. Go for the kid-glove treatment
Gloves are not merely a fashion accessory or to prevent you feeling the chill. They work as the perfect shield against the elements. It may feel sad to cover up your beautiful nails but they will thank you for it in the long run when they manage to maintain their beauty throughout the winter.
2. Dream of hand cream
This is the time of year to purchase some good, reliable hand moisturiser and apply it regularly. I use Dove Intensive Nourishment Hand Cream which makes my hands feel instantly replenished.
3. Dang those hangnails
Fingers are especially prone to hangnails at this time of year – those little snags in the skin close to your nails. It can be tempting to bite or tear them but this will only make them worse and more painful. Instead clip them carefully with nail clippers so you get a clean, close cut that you will be less likely to pick at. This will then allow them to heal faster. This is the only type of clipping of skin you should be doing. Please do not cut your cuticles. If you are in a nail salon where they are about to cut your cuticles, then I advise you walk out.
4. Oil of gladness
The way to improve the appearance of cuticles is to use cuticle oil. Hand moisturiser alone is not enough to see you through the winter, what you need is a natural oil that you can rub into your cuticles to replace any loss of moisture. Then with your cuticles suitably soft you can begin to push back the cuticles to increase the size of the nail canvas and make your nails seem longer and more even. I use The Body Shop’s Almond Nail and Cuticle Oil which quite literally works wonders. It comes with a built-in rubber cuticle pusher for added convenience. After just one use you will notice a huge difference.
Now for the moment of truth…here are my naked nails!
For more advice on enhancing the look and feel of your natural nails see Strong Nails – the Long and the Short of it.
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