ance lies in in our hands. Do you know what it is? If you

art of keeping up a beautiful appearance lies in in our hands. Do you know what it is? If you guessed correctly, then you probably said nails! Keeping neatly maintained nails, whether manicured by a pro or done by you at home, lets others know that you pay attention to details and like to take care of yourself, from head to toe. So today, I bring you the Do’s & Don’ts of nail care. Simple, basic, but very necessary. Take note and enjoy!

DO: Take care of your nails. Whether you get them done professionally or do them yourself, it’s important to make time for some nail TLC. Aside from keeping them pretty and neat, properly caring for your nails will also keep them strong and healthy.

DON’T: Substitute your nails as tools. Although they can come in handy, nails are not letter openers, toothpicks or scrapers. Using them to dig, pick or pry things open can cause them to chip and peel.

DO: Clip your nails straight across. Keeping nails neatly trimmed in a straight manner strengthens their structure and prevents them from splitting and breaking, as opposed to cutting them at a curved or sharp angle.

DON’T: Bite your nails. Biting nails causes jagged edges that can scratch you and others, as well as get caught on fabrics. Not to mention that when you bite your nails, you are also eating the dirt and bacteria that notoriously lives under your nails. Gross.

DO: Care for your cuticles. An important factor for having beautiful, healthy nails is having well maintained cuticles. Cutting the cuticle causes it to grow back unevenly and raggedly so, instead, soak cuticles in warm water and then push them back with a cuticle pusher or towel.

DON’T: Peel or scratch off nail polish. When you peel of nail polish, you weaken and damage your nails as you are also peeling off the surface layer of your nails. When your nails start to chip and look messy, just remove the polish all at once with a non-acetone nail polish remover.

DO: Wear gloves when needed. If you are doing chores around the house or gardening in your backyard, always wear gloves to protect nails (and hands). Exposure to chemicals and cleaning solutions causes nails to become dry and brittle, as well as wetting and drying them excessively, which can cause breakage.

DON’T: Buff your nails too often. Buffing more than once a week will thin your nails and make them too fragile to protect your fingers. Use a two-way buffer (textured side first, followed by the smooth side) and stick to one direction, avoiding the back and forth motion.

DO: Keep nails and cuticles moisturized. Normal lotions which contain alcohol and can dry out the skin and nails, so use cuticle creams and oils to keep nails and the surrounding skin hydrated. Keeping nails hydrated can also give your hands an overall better appearance