Fingernails: Do's and don'ts for healthy nails

Are you taking good care of your nails? Here's what you need to know to keep your fingernails in tiptop shape.

Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others indicate an underlying condition that requires attention.

Fingernails: What's normal, what's not

Your fingernails — composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin — grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted and are eventually pushed out toward your fingertips.
Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails can also develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.
Not all nail conditions are normal, however. Consult your doctor or dermatologist if you notice:

• Changes in nail color, such as discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under the nail
• Changes in nail shape, such as curled nails
• Thinning or thickening of the nails
• Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin
• Bleeding around the nails
• Redness, swelling or pain around the nails

Fingernail care: Do's and don'ts

To keep your fingernails looking their best, follow these simple guidelines.
Do:

• Keep your fingernails dry and clean. This prevents bacteria, fungi and other organisms from growing under your fingernails. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning or using harsh chemicals, and avoid long soaks in the tub.
• Trim and file your fingernails regularly. Use a sharp manicure scissors or clippers. Trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve. It might be easiest to trim and file your fingernails when they're soft, such as after bathing.
• Use moisturizer. When you use hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles, too.

Don't:

• Abuse your fingernails. To prevent nail damage, don't use your fingernails as tools to pick, poke or pry things.
• Bite your fingernails or pick at your cuticles. These habits can damage the nail bed. Even a minor cut alongside your fingernail can allow bacteria or fungi to enter and cause an infection.
• Pull off hangnails. You might rip live tissue along with the hangnail. Instead, carefully clip off hangnails.
• Ignore problems. If you have a nail problem that doesn't seem to go away on its own or is associated with other signs and symptoms, consult your doctor or dermatologist for an evaluation.

There is nothing like cute nail designs to brighten up your day and mood. If you wear a simple outfit then going for cute nail design may add the splash of color to your look. Before you start getting lovely nail design, check if you have all the tools ready to get the perfect look.

There are several nail kits which are available in the market or you could simply use a toothpick or an old toothbrush to get the desired effects. There are several fashionable designs which are available and make sure that you choose the design that will go to your personality. Let your creativity flow and you will be able to create some wonderful designs for yourself.

Pac Man

Colorful nail design inspired from old school favorite Pac Man.

Butterfly Nail

Pretty butterfly design on a lovely yellow base with green swirls.

Hello Kitty

 Hello Kitty design on the tips of nails.

Blue Spots

Snow leopard on your claws with classy white base and blue spots.

Floral Prom Nails

Ravishing bright floral design painted on lower half of nails starting from cuticle.

Cute Blocks

Cute colorful blocks with bold black outlines in zigzag pattern.

Chic Roses

Very professional rose-inspired swirls on a beautiful and very elegant shade.

Glitter Stripes

Soft, tender and sophisticated little swirls along the cuticles.

                                                                     cute owl nails

Two tone nails

How to Paint Your Nails

Nobody wants to have boring nails. If you are into fashion, you will want fashionable nails. What could be a better way to express your personality than with a fun nail polish color? You can go for any effect you like with your nails, such as classic red, happy yellow, creative green or you can go plain and paint your nails black!. You can even make your polish match your outfit! With all this excitement, it's easy to skip over the fact that painting your nails yourself is sometimes quite difficult and time consuming. Though it is time consuming, it can add flair to any outfit! Read on if you'd like to learn some useful tips on painting your nails that you can use now or in the future!

1. Choose a nail polish in the color of your choice. Bring it to your manicure area/table. If you would like, you can choose a sticker (nail art) to put on your nails. There are hundreds to choose from.

2. Gather some cotton balls, then use an orange wood stick. nail polish remover, towel, newspaper, and clear nail polish. Paint your nails in a well-ventilated room. The fumes can be extremely dangerous to your health.

3. Take off any old polish. If you have any that is, especially if it's chipped. If you don't have any nail polish on, then swipe some nail polish remover over your nails before you begin painting, to get rid of any natural oils on your nails. This will keep the color smooth and help the color last longer.

 

4. Rub the bottle between your hands to warm the nail polish for about 25-30 seconds. Open it, and scrape some of the excess polish off on the side of the bottle. Don't shake it. Rolling the bottle keeps bubbles out of the polish and keep your nails smooth.

 

5. Apply one coat of clear nail polish (base polish works best!). Allow it to fully dry to the touch before proceeding. It's okay if some of the color gets on your skin. Nobody will be able to tell since there's no color!

 

6. Paint one stripe of color in the middle of your thumb or pinky nail. Then, paint a stripe on the left, continuing to the right. This subtly focuses the color in the middle of the nail. Remember to keep your hand steady. Don't worry if it looks too thin -- it's supposed to. Re-dip your brush into the bottle before starting the nail so the color is evenly distributed throughout your nails. Let it dry completely before adding your last coat. You may have to wait 10-20 minutes, so you may want to turn on your television or some music.

 

7. Add another coat of color if desired, depending on the shade of color you want. Bear in mind that if you want a color very similar to the bottle you should paint two coats, but if you want a lighter shade then skip to the next step. Let this dry. Remember that the top coat is the one everyone will see, and the one that you'll feel. Keep that coat smooth!

8. Paint a last coat of clear polish to keep the color lasting for at least one more week. This seals and protects the color.

 

9. Place a sticker on your nails gently. It's recommended that if you are going to do them on your thumbs to put it on the side of your thumb nail that you can see when you put your hand down flat.

 

10. Get fabulous! If you want textured and fashionable nails to suit the glamours style for 2013, then put on a base coat and sprinkle some sugar on, this makes them look like you have had a REALLY expensive job done on them because the sugar turns into little crystals all over the nail and leaves a shimmering finish. And it comes off just like normal nail polish!

 

 

 

6 Easy Tips to Keep Your Nails Healthy and Strong

Our fingernails are always so exposed. They can harbor bacteria, become brittle and just plain unattractive when you don't take care of them. Here are some tips to keep your nails in tip top shape from keeping them clean to primped and pretty. 

1. Keep your nails hydrated. Rub a bit of Vaseline or moisturizer with Vitamin E on your cuticles before you go to bed (so it doesn't rub off during your daily activities). It will keep your cuticles from looking dry and rough.

2. Don't file your nails right after you shower. They're weaker and more likely to break. Also, file in one direction instead of back and forth. This can weaken your nails, too. Make sure to clean under your nails daily. 

3. Apply a fresh layer of topcoat every 1 to 2 days to prolong the length of your manicure and keep your fingers looking pretty and chip-free.

4. Wear gloves when washing dishes or using cleaners. These can be very harsh on your nails and cuticles, causing them to become dry, brittle and discolored.

5. If you have a favorite pair of boots or close-toed shoes, let them air out or rest a day between wearing them. Sweat and humidity can cause fungal infections.

6. Avoid biting your nails and cuticles - this can cause infection!

Water Marble Nail Art Tutorial

Water marble nail art creates a fantastic look but it's a tricky technique to master. I get so many compliments when I marble my nails, but it can be a little messy and time consuming. One bonus is that you don't need any brushes, dotting tools, rhinestones or anything.
All you need is a shallow bowl of room temperature water and some vaseline (or lip chap) or tape. You can either rub vaseline onto the skin around your nail bed or tape it, so when you dip your finger into the water you can remove the polish from your skin.

Tips & Tricks

• If your first drop doesn't spread out as much as you want, you can gently pull the sides out.
• Leave the lids of your polish unscrewed so you can get the drops in quickly.
• The vaseline is really good for your cuticles, and it helps with polish removal! If you would prefer to tape.
• If the water from your tap is too hard the polish won't spread out, try filtered water.
• Make sure your white (or whatever color you want!) base coat is smooth, if it's streaky or lumpy it will show through after you dip your finger.
• I use toothpicks when I marble, but you could use a bobby pin in a pinch.
• Wipe the polish off your toothpick in between each "swirl" when you're marbling to ensure clean lines.
• Glitter polish works too, although you'll find through experimenting some polishes work better than others.
• Pull your finger straight out of the water, angles can sometimes cause water bubbles. If you do get some bubbles, try to blow them off, or do what I do and hide them with rhinestones.
• A thin angle brush dipped in acetone or polish remover works really well for clean up.
• If you drop the polish too high it will fall to the bottom of the bowl.