A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands. A manicure can treat just the hands, just the nails, or both. A standard manicure usually includes filing and shaping of the nails and the application of polish.
As part of the manicure, treatments for hands usually include soaking in a softening substance and application of hand lotion. The word “manicure” comes from the Latin manus, meaning “hand,” and cura meaning “care”.
The process for a manicure begins with ensuring that the working area and tools are sanitized and conveniently located. This might include sanitizing the working surface, such as a table top, placing clean metal implements into a jar with sanitizing liquid, and having sanitized towels and such near the working area.
Normally a manicure starts with sanitizing of the subject’s hands. Old nail polish or artificial nails are removed. The hands are then cleaned with soap and hot water and rinsing with hot water.
During the next phase of a manicure, the fingernails are then trimmed and filed to the desired length and shape using a fingernail file. Metal nail files can be used for rapid removal of nail material, however, fine glass files are preferred. Disposable two-sided emery boards can also be used.
Proper filing technique starts with the file at the outer edge of the nail, moving towards the center. This is repeated from the other side of the nail to the center. The file should not be moved back and forth in a saw-like motion.
The cuticles are then pushed back with a cuticle pusher. A cuticle pusher is simply a wooden stick with a flat end, sometimes wrapped in cotton. Metal cuticle pushers should be used with great care, as they can damage the fingernail matrix. Orangewood is the preferred material because of its softness.
In this phase of the manicure, the fingernails are polished with a polishing board made of hard foam, paper, or plastic. A softer foam layer is added to each side, and fine polishing surfaces are placed on the foam.
To conclude the manicure, in most cases, the manicurist applies at least one layer of either clear polish meant to strengthen weak nails or several layers of color polish and top coat. A manicure is usually finished with a hand massage using hand lotion or oils.
When you need to do manicure or pedicure at home, it is very important to have knowledge of it in general, and the requirements in particular. If you feel the need of a system of manicure / pedicure and wandering, then the following mentioned system would be of great help to you. So for creating a perfect manicure / pedicure system at home, you will need the followings:
* 1 pack of cotton balls
* 1 polish remover
* 1 emery board
* 1 nail trimmer
* 1 cuticle remover
* 1 bottle fingernail polish
* 2 toe separators
* A couple of paper towels
Now you definitely would be interested to know, how the abovementioned items will help you in doing manicure / pedicure.
Nail polish removing:
Take cotton balls as many as you need them, soak each finger well with nail polish remover, so that your fingernails true color start appearing. Use a very less quantity of nail polish remover to remove the nail polish. Since nail polish is extremely drying, never soak the nail in it, especially the cuticle. Keep the good contacts of your nails with the nail polish.
Soaking and removing cuticles:
Your cuticle is like a fore skin. It is found at the bottom of your nail, where finger nail cartilage and skin meets. To remove cuticle, soak your nail in warm water for 3 minutes or less. Now use cartilage remover to push the cuticle down.
Trimming your fingernails:
To trim out toenails, use nail clippers. To reshape or shorten nails, simply use nail clippers. If your nails are hard, soak them in water before trimming. If you have soft nails, do not trim after bathing or washing, because in doing so you may cause damage, which sometime may lead to infection. Do not cut too short toenails, because doing so increase the chances of developing ingrown toenails.
Filling Nails:
Use emery board to make your fingernails smooth and good looking. You can use emery board to smoothen the ends of your fingernails. Do not use emery board to scrap your natural nail surface at all. This will make the nails surface rough.
Exfoliating & Moisturizing Hands and Feet:
Now use sugar wash to massage your feet, legs, arms and feet. Rinse your hands first and then use pumice stone to rub away callus and other rough surfaces on the bottom of your feet. Now, rinse the scrub of your feet and legs. Now, use moisturizer or some other soothing cream for your hands and feet that may heal a cracked and roughdry skin.
Polishing Nails:
Remove excess moisturizer using polish remover. Polish your nails and dry them between coats, preferably minimum of four coats. If you have weak or brittle nails, place one or two coats of ridge filling nail polish on the nail as base coat to shore up the nail. Two coats of a colored nail polish are next, followed by a topcoat to add luster. Use foam toe separators to fingers, while polishing. Allow drying the polish.