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.