Facts on nails

--Nails are dead cells & made of protein called keratin (like hair). The surface of a nail is called the nail plate.
--The cuticle is the skin that grows from the finger onto the base of the nail (nail root).
--Nail moons are found at the base of the nails. Small or no moons may indicate low metabolism while large moons may indicate an active metabolism.
--The average growth rate a day is 0.1 mm. Weather, activity, hormonal changes & age all have an effect on the rate of nail growth.
--With age nails tend to thicken, harden, grow slower & ridges appear.

Tips on Nail Care

** Wear gloves when washing the dishes or scrubbing dirt because immersing hands in water & coming into contact with chemicals found in most cleaning agents can make nails brittle.
** Apply a good hand & nail lotion on your hands & nails to protect & moisturize them. Dry nails tend to crack & split.
** Give a shine to the nails by massaging coconut oil or warm castor oil on them.
** File your nails instead of clipping them (unless you need to shorten a big part) at a 45-degree angle. A good clipping moment would be after a shower or bath where nails are much softer or you can also soak your hands in a bowl of lukewarm water first before you clip. Avoid filing deep into the corners.
** Remove all nail polish every week and allow nails to breathe.
** Dip a cotton-tipped swab in hydrogen-peroxide or clean under the nails, to whiten them.
** Before a manicure dip your nails in a cup of warm water with one tablespoon of lemon juice added to it.
** Vitamin C and Vitamin D are important for nails. So, lemon, orange, cabbage, milk are good food in this regard. Iodine improves blood circulation in the nails. So, iodine in any form may be good for nails.

Nail painting:

-- Painting nails can protect them from being damaged, to a certain extent. You see, colored nail polish blocks light from the nails & to some people, this would prompt fungal growth on their nails.
-- Give every nail 3 strokes of polish, starting either from the center-left-right or from right-center-left, it's really about preference.
-- Add a top coat (clear nail polish) to protect the polish & keep nail under wraps away from the sun.
-- Use acetone-free nail varnish remover. Acetone (alcohol) dries nails & can make them brittle over time.
-- A bottle of nail polish should be kept in a cool & dry place, out of the sun.

An all-star manicure:

Add some razzle dazzle to your nails when you most need a manicure but can't get one. Just polish your nails with a chip-resistent nail color and slick over a top coat. Then stick on a rhinestone or a swarovski crystal onto each nail or every other one to retain these starry nails for a bit, just seal your creativity with another layer of top coat. Walk in to a party feeling proud of your new-look nails.

Mascara application: Applying Mascara How to apply mascara?

Well the most popular makeup item which every women wants to keep with her is mascara. If there is one item of makeup, most women would take to a desert island, its mascara. Its an invaluable way to create a fluttering fringe to your eyes particularly if your lashes are fair. Most mascara are applied with a spiral wend as this makes them quick and easy to use. Use a water proof variety to withstand tears, shower and swimming - but remember you'll need a suitable eye make-up remover to take it off as it clings more fiercely to your lashes than the other type.

The original block mascara is still quite popular with those who want to build up the thickness and length of their lashes gradually. Simply wet the brush with water before running the bristles over the mascara block and applying.

Applying Mascara - application tips for highlighting your beautiful eyes

Here are few simple steps to perfect lashes.

Start by applying mascara to your upper lashes first. Brush them downwards to start with, then brush the lashes upwards from underneath. Use a tiny zig-zag movement to prevent mascara from clogging on your lashes.

Next, use the tip of the mascara wand to brush your lower lashes, using a gentle side-to-side technique. Take care to keep your hand steady whilst you are applying the mascara, and not to blink whilst the mascara is still wet.

Comb through your lashes with an eye lash comb to remove any excess the wand has left behond, and to prevent your lashes from clumping together. For a more defined effect, repeat the previous steps once or twice more, allowing each layer of mascara to dry for a few minutes before applying the next.

Tips on applying mascara

Mascara is applied with a brush at the root of the eyelashes and is applied upto the end. Mascara is available in many shades, though black is more popular. It should be used for evening make-up. Apply mascara to all of the upper lashes from one corner of the eye to the other, but sometimes this method may look too strong. An alternative and the method that we prefer is to just coat the outer two-thirds of the upper lashes.