Working Toward Great Finger Nails

Great finger nails, those that are long, lovely, and beautiful are what many women seek and often unsuccessfully. This can be for a whole variety of reasons and for many working toward great finger nails is a concept they have never thought of. However, it is something that can be done. No matter what condition your nails are in now, you can work toward great nails. Of course, it will take some time, some work, and determination. The reward is nails that are better then they are now and moving toward beautiful nails that others will envy.

Health and Fitness.
We know that eating well is important, however few people realize that what they eat has an effect on so much of their body. This includes your nails. If your diet doesn't contain enough nutrients your nails can be the one to show it. Because of this it is important that we eat three to six well balanced meals each day. The idea behind eating six meals is to choose to eat smaller meals and portions. Some studies have shown that this is better for digestion and has other benefits as well. Here, the important thing is that these meals are balanced and that you are getting enough fruits and vegetables.

Water is the next most important thing. If our bodies don't get enough water then the skin can become dry. Our nails are hardened skin cells and if the skin suffers then you can be certain that the nails will as well. Making sure you get 8-10 glasses of water a day will liven up the skin and make it easier to have great nails with the proper amount of moisture to them.

Exercise is important to maintaining health. While this is less connected to your nails then your diet and your water intake, it can have a positive effect on all of your body, which includes your nails as well.

Vitamins should be taken each day. A simple multi-vitamin will do. It will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals your diet is probably lacking giving your body and your nails a better chance at running how they should. This is important for great nails!

Clean and Dry.
Nails are not always the easiest thing to keep clean, but it is important for their health (and in many ways for your own health). You can keep a soft bristled nail brush near the sink and during the day use it to gently and quickly clean your nails out. If you have been gardening or handling meat then it is a very good idea to use anti-bacterial soap for killing off germs that may get under your nails. Another gardening trick is to take a shower and shampoo your hair with your dirty finger nails. This often gets stubborn dirt out by having the hair pull it out. It then gets rinsed away with the shampoo.

Dry is often harder to achieve and if you have ever spent a whole day mopping or washing dishes it is easy to see that water can have a negative effect on nails. Whenever possible keep submersion in water to a short period of time to protect your nails. When you are done washing the dishes or doing some other task which required you to have your hands in water make sure you dry your hands and nails for better results.

It is also a good idea to avoid chemicals whenever possible. Harsh chemicals, such as bleach and other cleaners can wreck havoc on our nails. The solution is to wear gloves when we are dealing with these types of products. This can protect your nails from getting dried out from these sources.

Lotion.
We all know and easily realize that adding lotion to our hands is good for them. Some of us need to do this very regularly and see immediate benefits from doing just that. What few of us realize is that lotion is good for our nails too. It adds moisture to the cuticles as well as to the nails themselves. While nails will be hard if they are healthy it is still important that they have a certain amount of moisture. Dry, cracked, and even peeling nails are often the results to drying out the nails. Using lotion can help to prevent these issues. Apply the lotion to your hands as you normally would only add a dab to each nail. Rub it in gently and push it up and into the cuticle. Let it soak in. You can buy a special nail lotion, but your everyday hand lotion will work just as well and provide your nails with that extra boost!

Nail Care.
Often we are faced with times when we have to care for our nails (even when we don't realize it). These are times when it is important to know how to care for our nails. Trimming, filing, cuticle care, and buffing are all important nail care situations which should be done with care and concern. Correct procedures for these processes can make your nails healthier, stronger, and more durable.

Trimming should be done with sharp clippers or scissors. To trim your nails properly you should carefully cut from one corner to the next. Never pull of a partially cut nail because this can cause ripping, uneven edges, tearing of the cuticle, and even pull the nail off of the skin. You should cut in a straight line to encourage finger nail strength. Once the entire nail has been trimmed in a straight line you can round the corners a bit for a more pleasant look.

Filing is something many of us do, and most of us do it wrong. Filing can be done with a finger nail file, an emery board, or even a multi-surface nail tool. It should be done with a slightly grainy textured tool. However, you should not saw back and forth as many of us do. Instead carefully file in one direction from the corner of the nail to the center of it. Then repeat the same process in the other direction to the center of the nail. This will keep the nail smoother, not tear it up, and will make it stronger. Your nails should be filed into a shape that is good for strength such as rounded or even squared (something that is currently very fashionable). You should avoid filing your nails into points or sharp edges because this will decrease the strength of the nail.

Cuticles are very important to our nails, but easily abused. You should never pull or cut your cuticles. This can cause a great deal of pain and even infection. Instead, gently push your cuticles back off of your nail with a cotton swab or an orange stick. This will keep them where they should be while treating them with care so as not to hurt or injure them.

Buffing isn't as important as part of your nail care, however many women desire to buff their nails because it gives them the look they want. Buffing will remove small imperfections and lines in your nails. To buff properly begin at the end of the nail and buff in one direction toward the cuticle. As with filing buffing should be done in one direction and not in a sawing motion.

Manicure Tips.
Manicures are something we all enjoy. Plus we love the look of nails in great colors. Whether you are getting salon manicures or do them yourself at home here are some very important things to know that could make a huge difference on your nails. Start the manicure by washing your nails well. You can then trim them if you need to and file them. It is important that you gently push your cuticles back because it will be easier to polish them and give them great coverage. Next buff them to remove any ridges or lines. Once you have done all this you should wash your nails again to clear them off any dust and residue from the nail care process.

At this point you should begin the painting process with a clear base coat. You can get them to aid with specific issues you have such as dry, brittle, or soft nails or go with a basic base coat. The types that can help with your specific problems is a good way to help your nails, but no matter what a base coat is a must. This is what protects your nails from the dangers of the nail enamel which can be horrible for your nails. Your base coat needs to dry thoroughly. Next top that with the nail polish color of your choice. You will want to brush the bottom half of one side against the edge of the bottle. Turn the brush so that the side with the most polish is facing your nail. Run the brush down the middle of the nail. Then do one side and finally the other. This gives your nails great color very quickly without a lot of brush strokes. If you use a lot of brush strokes then you will end up marking your nails. Your nails need to dry thoroughly here as well. If you need to add an additional coat of polish. Let that dry thoroughly as well. Remember that the more layers of polish you have on the longer it will take to dry. Finish with a clear top coat. This will keep your polish looking fresh longer and that can be important.

Now that your nails are painted there are few things you should keep in mind. First of all, you want to touch up your nails as rarely as possible. Nail polish is really not good for your nails and daily touch ups can be really bad for them. However, touch ups are better then removing your polish and stating over. You should keep your polish on for at least four days and aim for a week. When removing polish use a conditioning nail polish remover that doesn't contain acetone. This is better for your nails and not as harsh or as likely to dry your nails out. You should apply the nail polish remover to a cotton ball and remove the polish in circles. If you have some that is stubborn around the edges, gently use your nail above the cotton ball and rub the nail underneath with it. Once you go to replace your nail polish you should choose a different color. In fact, darker and brighter colors are worse for your nails then the pale ones so it is a good idea to mix lighter colors in your nail polish schedule. Another thing that is helpful for keeping good nails is to take four to seven days off each month. This gives your nails some time to relax.

Once your nails are painted it is a good idea to give them plenty of time to dry. Once they are completely dry you can go wash your hands. During this hand washing you can rub any mistakes that you got onto the skin around your nails. The more you practice though, the fewer problems you will have with mistakes. Correction pens or such are a bad idea. They are finger nail polish remover which is bad for the skin, but they are also often hard to control well enough to get it on the skin and not the finger nail. You could find yourself correcting your mistakes from your skin, fixing your polish on your nails, and then having to go back and get it off of your skin. Better to just wash your mistakes away.

One last helpful tip. If you want to change up your nail color with it still looking pretty good then top it with a color of a different type. You can add something that is really pale, pearly, or sparkely for a great new look that doesn't require you to replace your whole set of nails. The only colors this doesn't work well for is covering a pale polish with something dark or bright. Other then that you can choose a wide range of options and you can have endless color choices for mixing and matching. Plus this way you have colors that are unique to you!

Acrylic Nails.
Acrylic nails are very popular and have been for a long time. You can get them to glue on at home or you can have them cemented on by a professional. Either way, they are bad for your finger nails. They may look good and be easy to maintain, but it tears up the nail underneath and leaves them super soft, weak, discolored, and even the glue sticks to them. Often people choose not to take them off or to keep reapplying them to keep from having to look at or deal with the nails underneath, but this isn't a good solution. Instead, skip the acrylic nails and work on growing great nails of your own.

Green Tea.
Green tea is known for helping out a wide range of things in your body. You can drink it and receive many great benefits one of which is that your nails might look a whole lot nicer. You can also soak your nails in the green tea once or twice a week. Simply prepare it as if you were going to drink it. Pour it into a bowl (or make it there if you wish) and then soak your nails for ten to fifteen minutes. Another option is to add green tea essence oil to your nails. Simply rub one drop into each nail and cuticle for better nails.

Keep an Eye On Your Nails.
While most nail problems are from not taking care of your nails there are many situations that can be because of other problems within the body. If you have odd colors, or you are having trouble getting rid of an issue then you should talk to your doctor about it. He or she can look at your nails and get an idea of what is wrong. You could have a bacterial or fungal infection in the nail or nail bed or you could have another ailment that can be showing itself in your nails. Either way, if you are worried about how your nails look, talk to your doctor.

Nail care is important and you can do a wide range of things to work toward having great nails. Whether you want them to be shorter and rounded with pale pink polish, long and oval with bright red polish, or square with French tips you can have the nails of your dreams. Of course, once you have the nails of your dreams you will also have the nails of your friends, co-workers, and even neighbors dreams and you will get comments about them.