Manicure

For girls, to have nice hands is important, so is the manicure !

As well as writing this blog, I also work as a model, especially as a hand model. It makes up about 70% of my work, so I know one or two things about hands. Regarding my work, people always ask me the same questions: “How does one become a hand model?”, “Are your hands insured?”, “Do you have to be very careful?”, but most of all “Do you take great care of your hands?”

I have to admit that I never really understood this last question. How does one take “a lot” of care of ones hands? Yes, I’m a bit careful, but no, it’s not an obsession. I don’t spend my time watching them or handling them with glove, like my idol Ellen Sirot. I don’t avoid any manual labour. On the contrary, I actually do a lot of hand work. I do the dishes without wearing gloves, etc. I live a simple life. Like most girls, I always keep a nail file nearby to limit the damage in case of an accident, as I tend to be a bit clumsy at times.

Of course there is a professional manicurist present at most of my photo shoots who will take care of my hands, so I tend to receive a manicure at least once a week.

That being said, there have been occasions when a client asks me to get my nails done before a job, in which case I often ended up at nail salons. Unfortunately, a simple manicure seem to be outside their area of expertise. More often than not, it turns into a massacre. I had one done just recently at one of the trendy new salons in Paris and left with bleeding cuticles. When I mentioned to the aestheticians that it’s not normal to cut so deep, leaving the cuticles red and in pain, she replied: “But they will be more beautiful this way ». Erm… I’ve heard of the saying “beauty knows no pain”, but in this case it most certainly not applies. So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, find a new nail salon, for I can assure you that getting a manicure is not synonymous with pain.

 

To keep things more simple, I learned how to do my manicure by myself, and this is how I do it:

• If I’m wearing nail polish, I take it off with nail polish remover.
• I file my nails exclusively with wooden or flexible files. Never use metal files, as these will split the nails. The same counts for using nail clippers to cut your nails.
• I apply an emollient at the base of each nail to remove the superfluous skin in the contour of the nail.
• I use a wood stick to gently push the cuticles (the skin growing at the base of the nail). If necessary, I use a cuticle trimmer to fully remove them.
• If I find some irregularities on my nails, I gently use a nail buffer on the surface. Be aware that this process removes the top layer of your nail and weakens it as a result, so this procedure should only be used when necessary. Avoid this step if your nails are too fragile.
• I wash my hands to remove dirt and dust, and I use an old tooth brush with soft bristles to thoroughly clean under and around my nails.
• I apply oil to the base of the nails, no matter from which brand. I gently massage it around and along the nails to allow the oil to penetrate. If your nails are very damaged I would advise you to use the nail balm with quinoa extract from Peggy Sage. It works wonders. If your nails are naturally very fragile, try castor oil. This will help strengthen your nails.
• I moisturize my hands with cream. This should be done as soon as they start feeling a little dry. Double the frequency during winter.
• Voilà, that’s all!

 

One more thing: the day before a photo shoot and after the job is done, I apply oil to nourish them properly, especially after several coatings. As the nail polish remover (no matter which brand) is a very toxic product that damages the top layer of the nails.

Finally, I try to avoid wearing nail polish whenever possible. Letting your nails breathe is the best way to strengthen them!

Some girls tell me that without nail polish, their nails are too fragile and brittle, so they wear it all the time, but this makes it impossible to strengthen the base of your nails. In this case I would recommend alternating between using special strengthening nail polish for one week, and one week without any nail polish, during which you apply oil to your nails every morning and evening. The results should be visible after about 1 or 2 months. As a last resort, spend your holidays in warm, humid climates. The results will be radical!

And you, what is your secret for your manicure ?

The tutorial is here :