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Next to your face, the most expressive part of your body is your hands. After people have paid some attention to your face and facial expressions, they will either shake your hand or at least notice them. Keep your hands clean and well groomed; wash and manicure them regularly.

WASH with soap and water. For stubborn stains in calluses and around the nails, use "lava" soap or soak your hands in liquid bleach (Clorox is very good). Then, wash with soap and water after using the bleach or rinse in lemon juice.

MOISTURIZE your hands with a good hand cream or lotion to keep the skin from getting dry or chapped.

MANICURE

  1. Remove old polish.
  2. Trim nails with scissors--length and shape of finger tip.
  3. Smooth the trimmed edge with an emery board or a diamond chip file. To finish the nail, you may want to file at a 45 angle under the edge of the nail.
  4. Soak the fingertips and nails in a bowl of sudsy water for about two minutes. This will cleanse the nails and soften the cuticles. You may want to scrub the nails with a brush.
  5. Push back the cuticle after it is has softened--use an orange stick. Be GENTLE, you can damage the nail if you push too hard. If the cuticle is not sufficiently soft enough to push back, you may want to use a cuticle remover cream or petroleum jelly to dissolve or soften them first, then push back.
  6. Clip cuticles that are ragged or abused (this reduces hangnails) but don't cut away the entire cuticle.
  7. Remove dead skin and calluses with a pumice stone.
  8. Soak finger tips and nails again to wash away all debris.
  9. Dry hands and nails.
  10. Apply a lotion to the hands (you may want to use a cuticle conditioning cream to keep the cuticles softened); also rub the lotion onto the arms and elbows.
  11. Buff Nails: (optional) to give them a natural shine.
  12. Apply Polish base coat, two color coats and a topcoat.
    Hints: 

    * Whenever you are in a bath or shower, push the cuticles back off the nail and rub briskly with a terry cloth towel.
     

    * A light shade of polish will make nails look longer.

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