DIY: Manicure

Posted on Jun 02 in Featured, Featured Article, Hands, Latest News, QV Body, QV Intensive, Skincareby QV SkincarePrint

There is no excuse to head out in the cold without some colour on your fingers (and toes too if you so desire) with a DIY manicure! Here’s how.

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HARD-working hands say a lot about our grooming habits and age, so a bit of TLC goes a long way. As the skin on the back of our hands is very thin and so exposed, they need as much care as your face, if not more! Keep them looking good – and young – with these top tips.

• Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes to prevent dryness.
• Keep a hand cream next to your sink and use after you wash your hands to put back some moisture.
• Apply one-and-a-half-base coats of nail polish. ‘Base coats act as an anchor to grip the nail colour on to the nail plate,’ says Sally Hansen’s celebrity manicurist Dana Caruso. To strengthen the tip and help polish last longer, apply the first base coat to the tip of the nail and just under and let dry, then add a second layer over the entire nail.
• Don’t skip the top coat. ‘It acts as a shield and protector of nail colour. It will prevent chipping and peeling and seals the manicure,’ Dana says.
• Don’t forget to exfoliate your hands when you do your body to reveal smoother, softer skin.
• Apply a sunscreen with SPF – hands on a steering wheel are constantly exposed to rays through the windscreen, which can lead to sun spots and freckles.
• Don’t cut your cuticles. ‘It is only necessary to groom a cuticle when it is cracked and torn,’
  Dana says.

How to do a home manicure

STEP 1 Take off old colour and cut and file nails to your length of choice. Square looks more modern than rounded.

STEP 2 Rest hands in a bowl of warm soapy water for five minutes. Apply a cuticle oil or cream on dry hands to soften.

STEP 3 Gently push back cuticles with a stick and exfoliate, wash and dry. Remove any residue with nail polish remover.

STEP 4 Apply a base coat to prevent staining, then two thin coats of polish. Finish with a top coat for added shine.

Top tip: Nail shape
The squoval – slightly square and semi-oval corners – is still on-trend.

The nail files
‘There are no rules this season,’ says Glitter Gal’s Kerry Howell. ‘Any colour from nudes, pale pinks and classic reds right through to holographic, metallic and matte shades are all current. Don’t be afraid to team your polish to suit your mood or personality, not just your outfit. Be bright and bold and have fun with colour this season!’

What you can use
1. Fab Nail Files, $4.95.
2. Zoya in Summer, $17.
3. Sally Hansen Healthy Cuticles Now!, $14.95.
4. Sally Hansen Cuticle Treatment, $16.95.
5. Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail and Cuticle Oil, $17.45.
6. Avon NailWear Pro in Golden Twilight, $14.99.

Article source: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/new-idea/fashion/beauty/article/-/8430050/diy-manicure-how-to-nail-it/

Image source: © Dianadivina | Dreamstime.com
www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-french-manicure-rimagefree2149920-resi3354033