Follow this Nail Care Routine to Maintain Healthy Hands & Nails
You don’t need to go to the salon to keep your hands and nails looking beautiful. A solid nail care routine starts at home.
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By following these tips, you can promote nail growth, maintain hydration, and keep your hands and nails healthy. Plus, you’ll prevent your manicure from lifting while keeping it looking fresh.
Post-Manicure Hand & Nail Care Routine
If you do your nails at home, don’t skip the post-manicure routine! You don’t have to go to the salon to feel spoiled and treat those tired hands.
After every DIY manicure, I follow a simple nail care routine to finish off my “at-home salon experience”.
Apply Moisturizer
Doing a manicure at home often involves soaking your nails in acetone to remove, filing, and polishing. This can leave your nails and surrounding skin dehydrated. Applying moisturizer replenishes lost moisture while preventing dryness and brittleness that could lead to chipping or peeling of nail polish.
Plus, moisturized hands will give your fresh manicure a well-hydrated canvas. Showcasing the beautiful nails you’ve just done!
My go-to moisturizer is the Cerave Moisturizing Cream. I love the rich texture and velvety feeling after application. Plus, it contains three essential ceramides & hyaluronic acid to maintain and restore moisture in your skin.
Apply Cuticle Oil or Cream
When you’ve completed your manicure, the soaking and shaping can leave your cuticles dry and prone to cracking. Cuticle oil or cream will nourish the delicate skin around the nails. Keeping your cuticles soft and hydrated.
Plus, adding cuticle oil will reduce your risk of hangnails while maintaining a freshly manicured appearance.
DID YOU KNOW: Cuticle oil does not cause lifting? This myth has been well circulated and unfortunately, has misled us! Cuticle oil actually prevents lifting by maintaining the flexibility of the nail enhancement. This prevents the nail enhancement from pulling away from the nail and lifting. So go ahead and slather that cuticle oil on!
The CND Solar Oil is a fantastic cuticle oil that contains jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is a deep-penetrating natural oil that provides excellent moisturization. Plus, it comes in a convenient cuticle pen package for easy application. I love keeping these in my purse for when I need “on-the-go” moisture.
If you’re not a fan of the greasy cuticle oil, don’t worry!
My favorite cuticle cream is the Onsen Cuticle Cream – this stuff is amazing! Not only is it less messy than traditional cuticle oils, but it leaves your cuticles feeling refreshed. Plus, it’s also conveniently sized so you can bring it on the go as well.
Give Yourself a Hand Massage
A post-manicure hand massage is the perfect ending. It promotes relaxation while relieving stress and muscle tension. Considering all that time we spend on our computers and phones, this release is much needed!
Of course, the relaxation and “feel good” nature of a massage isn’t the only benefit. A hand massage can also enhance blood circulation. This promotes better nutrient delivery to the nail beds and skin. It also aids in the absorption of any moisturizers or oils applied during the manicure, further nourishing the skin and cuticles.
Now, if you don’t want to manually give yourself a massage, don’t worry.
The Snailax Hand Massager feels absolutely delightful – I love using this massager! It is such a relief after all the tension built up from working on the computer all day.
This Snailax hand massager combines heat, compression, and vibration functions to relieve tension and promote circulation.
I also love that it comes with 3 intensity levels so you can adjust based on your pressure preference. Plus, it has an open-ended design so you can adjust your hand position to hit all the right spots!
Did You Know: Practicing a Daily Hand & Nail Care Routine Will Help Your Manicure Last Longer
Daily Hand & Nail Care Routine
Your hand and nail care routine shouldn’t end after the manicure is over.
Maintaining moisture is so important for helping your manicure last while keeping your nails looking fresh.
Apply Cuticle Oil or Cream
So many people (falsely!) believe that cuticle oil and cream can cause their manicures to lift. This is a myth according to Doug Schoon, a leading science expert in the nail and beauty industry.
A penetrating cuticle oil, such as the CND Solar Oil or my less greasy favorite, the Onsen Cuticle Cream, can actually maintain the flexibility of your nail enhancement. This prevents it from becoming brittle and pulling away from the nail. So you’ll prevent lifting by applying your cuticle oil or cream every day!
Plus, you’ll enjoy all those amazing nourishing benefits to promote nail growth and prevent nasty hangnails.
Copy Your Face Skin Care Routine
Many of the skincare products you use for your morning and evening skincare routine can provide a ton of benefits for the delicate skin on your hands.
Plus, the skin on your hands is exposed to many environmental factors that can contribute to premature aging. Many of the products you use in a standard skincare routine can help combat signs of aging.
Here are the products I commonly use in my skincare routine that I apply on my hands as well:
Morning Skincare Products:
- Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
- Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster with 15% Vitamin C
- Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Evening Skincare Products:
- Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
- Paula’s Choice BHA Exfoliant
- Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol
- Cerave Night Cream
Please note: I follow a skin cycling evening routine. This means on Night 1, I use cleanser, BHA & Night Cream. On Night 2, I use cleanser and retinol moisturizer. On Night 3, I use cleanser and night cream. It’s important that you do not use an exfoliant and retinal product together as this can cause irritation.
Summary
Treating your hands and nails like this should always be a staple in your skincare routine. Not only to keep your hands and nails healthy but also to keep your manicure looking fresh and long-lasting. For more ideas to freshen up your nail care routine, I’ve shared ideas on Pinterest too.
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