As with skin, the beauty of nails and hair begins with good nutrition, adequate rest, and good personal grooming habits. And, although a beautiful head of hair and well-manicured nails are not necessarily essential to good health, when they look good, we feel good.Sometimes, in our efforts to beautify our hair and nails, we may do more damage than good. Here, let us take a look at how we can make our tresses and tips look great, gently.
In an interview with Better Nutrition, Karen Hansen, a cosmetic-marketing consultant to the natural products industry, said that if you choose to paint your nails, it's especially important to keep your cuticles well moisturized. Both nail polishes and removers are very drying, so she recommends applying natural, penetrating types of oils which are thin in consistency to keep your cuticles moist.
As far as fake nails are concerned, Hansen's recommendation is to avoid them. "They're horrible. Not only do they weaken your own nail bed, but they can cause fungus infections to develop in many people, as well."
Basic nail care is the same for both men and women, according to Hansen. She advises investing in a few basic "tools" to keep nails looking good:
1) A good nail brush: First and foremost, nails should be kept clean.
2) Moisturize: Use a good hand cream and/or oil to keep your hands and cuticles moist.
3) File, emery board, scissors, clippers: Use one or a combination of these tools to trim and smooth nails. Just as the ends of hair need to be trimmed, overly long nails can look "scraggly," too.