Holistic nail care

As the hardest working part of your body, your hands – and your nails – take a lot of daily punishment. Keeping your nails beautiful really involves taking good care of your hands and your health.

Protect

Wear gloves to wash the dishes, do the housework, garden. Over time, household cleaning chemicals can dry out and damage your skin. And, though it’s good for your soul, gardening poses risks of scratches, insect bites, sunburn and plant allergens.

Clean and moisturise

Keep your hands and nails clean to prevent bacterial infections. At the same time, keep them well moisturised. It’s fun to try out all sorts of hand and nail creams to see which you like, but surprisingly, some of the cheapest do a fabulous job.

Massage

Give yourself – or talk someone else into giving you – a regular hand massage. It stimulates blood flow and loosens up all those hardworking muscles. (Guaranteed to put a smile on your face too!)

Trim and file

Keep your nails trimmed to a length that suits your lifestyle to help prevent breakage and clip rather than pull off hangnails. File your nails one way rather than sawing backwards and forwards. Want to indulge a little? Try a beautiful glass or crystal file as a change from emery boards.

Eat well

Your skin, hair and nails reflect the general state of your health, so beautiful nails start with eating well. Ditch the junk food. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegies, whole grains, lean proteins.