A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands enjoyed by both sexes. A manicure can treat just the hands, just the nails, or both. A standard manicure would usually include filing and shaping of the nails and the application of polish. French manicure is the latest and popular method in the nail fashion. A similar treatment performed on the feet is a pedicure. A manicurist can also apply treatments to real nails, such as painting pictures or designs on the nails or applying imitation jewels.

French Manicure:

1. Begin by removing any old nail polish with a cotton ball or pad.

2. Next, exfoliate your hands with either a salt or sugar scrub and then rinse thoroughly.

3. Apply a cuticle cream or drop of sweet almond oil to your cuticles. Leave on for a few minutes and then using an orange wooden stick, carefully push back cuticles until they are all even with each other.

4. The best way to shape nails is to keep them straight across the tips and round on the edges. Never file nails back and forth across the nail.

5. Next, apply a clear base coat over each of your nails and allow a few minutes to dry. A base coat will help strengthen nails.

6. Finally, apply a clear topcoat for shine and added protection to your french manicure.

French Pedicure:

1. First, remove any old nail polish from your toes with a nail polish remover.

2. Next, soak your feet in a tub of warm water. You can add a sweet almond oil to soften feet, if you’d like.

3. Use a cuticle cream or oil to gently push back cuticles.

4. Place a toe foam separator between toes and apply one base coat of clear nail polish.

5. Apply a translucent pink or nude nail color over the entire toenail. Allow to dry before apply a second coat.

6. Finally, apply a top coat to give your new french manicure shine and protection.

Manicure purpose:

1. Its main purpose is to keep hands, arms clean and in good condition.

2. It prevents long nail formation.

3. It discourages the wrinkles on the skin on the hand which is the first sin of ageing.

4. It prevents nail damage like fragile tips, splits.

Purpose of pedicure:

1. To keep the feet clean, fair and in good condition.

2. To make the skin soft and smooth.

3. It improves blood circulation, nourishes the skin of leg and the foot muscles.

4. To keep the toe nails clean, well shaped and shiny.



By: Juliet Cohen

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Getting a manicure or a pedicure these days is easy considering the thousands of nail salons and beauty parlors that offer these services. But did you know that these procedures can be dangerous at the wrong hands?

Dr. Richard Scher of the American Academy of Dermatology said that you can contract a host of diseases from your friendly manicurist if you’re not careful. This usually comes from dirty instruments and overzealous cleaning.

“Millions of women visit manicurists to have their nails professionally manicured every year. Unfortunately, occasionally the result of having manicures is developing nail fungus or bacterial infections which can not only look bad but may also feel even worse. Although HIV or AIDS can be transmitted through broken skin that occurs during a visit to a nail salon, this is extremely rare,” explained Tracee Cornforth in “10 Tips for healthy manicures.”

Manicures have certainly gone a long way since they were first used in Egypt in 3,000 B.C. In those days, men and women of high social standing used henna to stain their nails red-orange. The darker the color of the nails, the more important the person was.

Today, it is estimated that American women (and men) spend over $6 billion yearly on nail care products and services. A big portion of that amount goes to manicurists who “treat” nails.

On the plus side, a weekly manicure can make your nails look better, cleaner, and prevent nail-biting which can be a sign of chronic tension or anxiety.

The risk from manicures comes mainly from dirty tools. Some manicurists simply “sanitize” their instruments with a nail polish remover or alcohol. Scher said this is not enough to protect the customer from various diseases.

“Only a heat-pressurized sterilizer offers complete protection. And although the hazards are hardly life-threatening (there are no known reported cases yet of blood-borne diseases like AIDS or hepatitis being transmitted), you can get warts and other infections if tools aren’t properly sterilized,” said Dana Sullivan in Health magazine.

One common nail problem you can get from a bad manicure is onychomycosis or ringworm of the nails, a stubborn nail infection that’s difficult to treat. This can discolor your nails and make them dull, brittle, and flaky. The cuticle becomes red, tender, and swollen, and pus may ooze from your infected nails.

To minimize your risk of acquiring onychomycosis and other nail problems, go to a reputable parlor or salon. Make sure the place is clean and well-lighted. Bring your own tools if possible and keep them clean. If you’re not using your own manicure kit, see to it that all instruments are cleaned and disinfected before and after they are used. Manicurists should wash their hands before and after each client.

If you develop an infection after the procedure, report the matter to your state cosmetology board. Prescription antifungal medications may ease your suffering but not all of them work and some have serious side effects. A better alternative is Somasin AFS. This natural fungus-fighter stops stubborn nail infections in just seven days. Check out http://www.somasin.com for details.



By: Janet Martin

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