What my Nail Tech didn't tell me

I have been in the nail industry for 16yrs. I have chosen to devote myself to excellent nail care and educating my clients about their nail enhancement or manicures. Today, let focus on some fine art to a basic manicure.
1. Treat yourself to a professional manicure at a mini salon spa or Spa. Try to avoid mass production salons (mass production salon sometimes miss the major steps in natural nail care. Sometimes they focus on getting you in and out and servicing more people.)
2. While nails are soaking in warm soapy water, add a few drop of baby oil to hot water for softer hands and cuticles. Your manicurist should gently push cuticles back.

WARNING: If you are trying to do a manicure at home yourself. AVOID any metal manicure tools. NEVER, cut cuticles, this removes the nails protective layer, letting bacteria get underneath. NEVER, push cuticles back when your nails are dry. Injuries happen that way, and a blow to the nail bed means a ridge that can last for months.

3. Manicure Law: Never, file nails backwards and forwards, to avoid splitting. it is important to work in one direction. Coarse files are used to shorten your nails and a finer file is used for shaping and final finishing.
4. Strong, healthy nails need a diet containing protein, vitamins and mineral, including zinc and iodine. Brittle nails might mean a vitamin A deficiency, and hangnails could be hankering for folic acid (found in liver and green veggies) white spots in your nails is a sign that you need more zinc.

TIP: Nails grow less than 1/16 inch a week, so it can take up to four months for a nail to renew it self

5. Healthy nails need good blood circulation in the nail bed. To ensure delivery of oxygen and essential nutrients. Practice having a daily massage using your thumb to rub hand, nail or cuticle cream into the nail bed, or you can make your own moisturizer with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil this in a good nighttime nourisher. Practice this hand-a-cise for good blood flow.

Hand-A-Cise:
-Bend the finger of both hands in toward your palms so the nails of both hands are
touching. Then gentle rub the nails each other for one minute.

Well manicure hands are a sign of good grooming for males and females.

To learn more on techniques go to amazon and look for "Manicure, Pedicure and advance nail techniques" by Elaine Almond