Step-by-step manicure and pedicure at home<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It may be one of those simple things to do in your daily life,
\nbut spending some time on a nail treatment will certainly make
\nyou look better and it says something about personal hygiene.<\/p>\n
Let's start from here: We may not realize that our routines
\nhave a damaging effect on our hands and feet until we notice our
\nnails cracking or becoming brittle and our skin drying (hopefully
\nit's not during a cocktail party).<\/p>\n
If it happens, we need more than just the basic routine like
\ncutting our nails and rubbing hands with moisturizer to revive
\nthese particular body parts.<\/p>\n
The treatment manager at Dharmawangsa hotel in South Jakarta,
\nIda, shared her secrets on the proper way to perform manicure and
\npedicure at home. Ideally these treatments are repeated every two
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
The basic tools include nail clippers, nail file, gentle brush
\nor unused toothbrush, foot file to remove dead skin from the sole
\nof the foot and a pencil-like cuticle pusher. Optional: cuticle
\nclipper, credo (which can be substituted with foot file).<\/p>\n
Other stuff includes (ordinary) shampoo, alcohol, cotton, body
\nlotion (preferably those with vitamin E) and aromatherapy essence
\noil, such as relaxing lavender (or go with your favorite ones).
\nOptional: cuticle cream.<\/p>\n
Basic pedicure techniques:<\/p>\n
1. Use cotton soaked in acetone solution to thoroughly remove
\nnail polish. Clip toenails slightly above the flesh area and
\nleave the shape of the top square to avoid ingrown toenails. Then
\nsand the nails to smoothen the top (photo 1).
\n 2. Soak the foot in a small basin, filled with warm water, add a
\nlittle shampoo\/shower gel and a few drops of essence oil. Let it
\nsoak for five to ten minutes and sand the sole with food file to
\nremove dead skin and soak it again. Repeat the procedure on the
\nother foot (photo 2).
\n 3. Gently brush the toes of one foot with an unused toothbrush,
\nsoaked in a shampoo solution. Make sure that all dirt trapped
\nunder the toenails are thoroughly removed using the tip of the
\nnail file. Rinse and pat the foot dry. Repeat the procedure with
\nthe other foot (photo 3).
\n 4. Dab a little cuticle cream\/body lotion on each toe and gently
\npush the cuticle to the base of each nail to enable proper nail
\ngrowth. Carefully cut cuticles on each side of the nails with
\ncuticle clipper. Clean the toes and the nails using cotton soaked
\nin alcohol. Repeat this procedure with the other foot (photo 4).
\n 5. Apply body lotion up to the knee. Gently massage it to improve
\nblood circulation and soothe fatigue (photo 5).<\/p>\n
The same technique can be used for manicure.<\/p>\n
Start with clipping the nails, filing them, soaking the hand
\nin bubble bath, brushing the fingernails with shampoo, then
\napplying cuticle cream\/body lotion and push the cuticle toward
\nthe base of the nails, clipping the cuticle from each side of the
\nnails, removing the cream\/lotion residue with alcohol and
\napplying hand and body lotion. Then you're ready to polish your
\nnails.<\/p>\n
If you want to apply nail polish:
\n * Make sure the nail is clean and dry.
\n * Apply base coat first to protect the nails. Let dry.
\n * Gently and carefully apply the nail polish. Allow it to dry
\ncompletely before the second application. Let it dry again.
\nDouble applications will give a better result than single, which
\nis too thin, or triple, which is too thick.
\n * Once it is set, finish with the top coat to protect the nail
\npolish from scratches and other damage.<\/p>\n
Tips:
\n * Remove nail polish at least every week.
\n * While polishing your toenails, insert a cotton bud between each
\ntoe to protect them from possible damage due to touching.
\n * Change nail polish color periodically. Alter dark color with
\npale one for variation. It is also advisable to let the nails
\n"breathe" without any nail polish for a week.
\n * Use foot file instead of hard pumice stone to remove dead skin
\nwhich can lead to painful skin irritation.
\n * Start eating healthy food and stop smoking, which may lead to
\ndry skin and brittle nails. Lack of potassium can lead to layered
\ntoenails. When you have this problem, Ida advises you to eat
\npotassium-rich bananas.
\n * Instead of using expensive commercial buffing, try a dried
\nbanana leaf. Use it to polish the surface of the nails and you
\nwill see them glow.
\n * When doing household chores, protect your hands from strong
\ndetergent, dirt by wearing gloves.
\n * After showering, dab baby oil all over your legs and hands and
\npat them dry with a clean towel.
\n * To soothe very dry and often painful cracked skin, Ida advised
\nthe use of raw egg whites 15 minutes before rinsing it with warm
\nwater while showering or before sleeping. Use lotion to
\nmoisturize the skin.
\n * Brittle nails can be strengthened with garlic. Just polish the
\nnail with fresh garlic and let dry for five to ten minutes. Rinse
\nwith warm water. Do it twice a day.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/step-by-step-manicure-and-pedicure-at-home-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}