Manicure

A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon.

Manicure consists of the following simple steps: removal of nail polish, filing of nails, cleansing of hands with liquid soap, cleansing of cuticles, application of cream, pushing of cuticle with orange stick, massage of hands and finally application of nail polish for a natural look. Easy process of manicure makes it ideal to be done at home.

Manicures differ from one another in their usage of various creams, oils and treatments. Some are extremely pampering, which can be great for tired, overworked hands, while others are simple yet effective enough to give you the glamorous nails you desire. Here are the various types of manicures to choose from:
French manicure

Manicures differ from one another in their usage of various creams, oils and treatments. Some are extremely pampering, which can be great for tired, overworked hands, while others are simple yet effective enough to give you the glamorous nails you desire. Here are the various types of manicures to choose from:

French manicure

The ever classic French manicure is destined to give you the clean, gorgeous look you want. A French manicure features a clear, pale pink or beige polish over the entire nail, and white polish along the tip. The end result is healthy, vibrant and perfect for all occasions - you definitely can't go wrong.

A paraffin manicure

A paraffin manicure is a must for anyone with dry or overworked hands. Paraffin, or heated wax, infuses the skin with instantaneous moisture and leaves it smooth and supple. The manicure also includes a stimulating hand massage and finishes with a chic basic manicure. Some paraffin treatments include the addition of various oils, like grape seed, for extra moisturizing benefits.

A European manicure

A European manicure is quite simple, but pampering nonetheless. The hands are typically soaked in a soothing blend of herbs and water, shaped to perfection and polished with the color of your choice.

A hot stone manicure

If you're dreaming of something ultra pampering or want to give a great gift to an overworked pal, consider a hot stone manicure. This indulgent treatment includes all of the delights of a basic manicure, plus the addition of heated stones, which are placed over the hands to provide relief and comfort.

Manicure for men

Most of the men take manicure as something which is meant for women. They think that manicure is done to beautify hands, and thus is obviously for women. Such men are surely not aware of the health benefits of manicure.

Men should consider doing manicure as they may derive a number of health and beauty benefits from it. Manicure, when done on regular basis, keep the nails clean healthy, and free from micro-organisms like bacteria and fungus. Thus, it protects the nails from several diseases. Some of them are fungal infections, pale nails, ingrown nails and hard or brittle nails. Secondly, manicure promotes growth and strength of nails. Thirdly, it helps keeping the nails and hands shiny and healthy. In this manner, manicure completely foreclose the necessity of using artificial nails, which can damage your fingernails over time. Fourthly, manicure makes hands aesthetically pleasing. Lastly, it is an amazing way of relaxing and unwinding. The hand massage done during manicure eases stress and produces a long lasting positive effect.

Manicure for Men: Procedure

Here are some basic instructions on how to manicure for men. For performing self manicure for men, you will need cotton pads, orange wood stick, soft nail brush, metal nail filer, nail cutter and warm water in a bowl. Cut the overgrown nails with the nail cutter. File the nails in shape with the metal filer. Ideally, a man's nail should be in a round shape with the white nail ¼ inch beyond the finger tip. Apply a small amount of olive oil or cuticle serum to each nail. Fill a bowl with warm water. Add a dollop of a mild shampoo and 5 - 6 drops of rose water. Mix all the ingredients well. Lather will be formed in the process. Soak your hands into this mixture. Do make sure that the water temperature is tolerable to you. Keep the hands soaked for 10 - 15 minutes.

The warm water will soften the cuticles. During the soaking period, gently massage your hands. Brush the nails and the skin around it with the nail brush. This will get the blood flow through your fingers. Take a pumice stone and rub it on the fingers, both on the inner and upper side. A pumice stone gently removes the dead skin from the fingers. When the cuticles have become soft, dab some amount of cuticle remover on the nail base. This will ease the pushing back of the cuticles. Hold the orange stick at some angle and push the dry skin of the cuticles towards the nail base. Also, push back the cuticles along the sides of your nails. Perform pushing of the cuticle steps as gently as possible.

If dead skin chips are present, wipe them away with a cotton pad. Do not use a cotton ball as it may leave streaks behind. Buff the nails in one direction. Do not rub them as rubbing may heat up the nails. The purpose is to improve blood circulation through the nails. With this step, the basic manicure for men procedure is complete. Now, you know all the basic steps to how to manicure fingernails. If you wish, you may apply a transparent nail polish on your nails. It will give your nails a healthy shine. In some beauty salons, after the application of transparent nail polish, a white colored pain is applied on the nail tip. Such a manicure is called french manicure. French manicure for men is generally available in male salons.

Last Updated on Monday, 02 April 2012 12:41 Friday, 19 August 2011 10:02