On my first post about how to do your manicure at home, there were some videos and references in Portuguese. But today I found on Youtube, 2 very helpful videos in English, with actual new tips on different tools to do the same job explained in the Brazilian videos. I really enjoy them and will be trying those tools myself soon.
The first video is how to clean up your cuticles while applying nail polish.
The second video, is about all steps for a manicure at home that looks professionally done. Based on my own experience, it is more down to a steady hand than about techniques. I know what to do, I know how to do, but it never looks good when I do it, simply because my hand is not steady enough for anything that needs precision. Does it make sense? My manicure will look good enough, but not as perfect as I want them to look.
I enjoyed all videos I watched from aLoveTart, and highly recommend them to anyone interested in hand care.
One of my beauty obsessions is how to keep my hands moisturized. Not only for beauty purposes, but health too: Working in an office, dealing with paper, typing all day, using antibacterial gels, can ruin the delicate skin of your hands. I can tell you I've used tons of different products and followed all sorts of moisturizing routines to keep my hands in shape. Today I found this Birchbox video, which show a few tricks I do and can be handy to someone looking to improve its beautifying routine.
Moisturizing Hands
On my side, I very much like Eucerin products overnight, specially the Intensive Repair Extra-Enriched Hand Cream, with Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), which will help gently exfoliate your skin. Then I slip on white cotton gloves to sleep with. I don't know why white cotton gloves are so difficult to find, mine are from The Body Shop, in London, bought some 15 years ago, and they do not carry them anymore. I recently bought some Bamboo fiber gloves, from EcoTools, but I didn't like them, funny thin texture, too short, and if they don't fit my extra-small hands, I can't see it fitting anybody else but a child. Just finally found some at Walgreens, will have to try them now - Walgreens 100% Cotton Gloves.
During the day, I try to use hand creams with SPF, but again, they are difficult to find. The one I love the most is from AVON Renew line, SPF 25, but they are not reliable, as AVON is continually discontinuing good products. (Go figure their marketing plans!) Now they have a new version of it, but I can't comment on that as I haven't tried it yet, although I found a review at Beauty Reflexions blog. If you are curious, here is the link from AVON website.
If I'm travelling, or somehow my hands get neglected for a long time, I use a heavy Eucerin cream from the round jar, with some Argan Oil added to it, and double it on my feet too. Put on cotton socks and gloves, then have a good night of sleep. Everything wakes up restored and almost brand new.
Of course I add some extras to my hands routine, lots of products specifically targeting nails and cuticles, as they all work together. So I have a number of Julep products on my bedside and a Cetaphil bottle at the bathroom sink. All I can say is, I have a lot of fun with all that, lots of compliments from my husband, and soft hands that don't crack or itch anymore, either summer or winter. Anything on my quest for moisturizing hands as effectively as possible.
