reading time: 6 min
Confession time. I've never had my nails professionally done, and to be honest, I neglect my finger nails and toe nails way too often! Not only is looking after our nails an important part of physical self care, but also – our hands are one of the most important features, our business card, so to speak.
I don't have picture-perfect hands and nails (my nails are rather short and wide and they break easily), but it makes a huge difference when I take care of my nails, making them looked "polished" even without polish. During the winter months especially when our skin is exposed to cold temperatures and wind, or when we are frequently washing our hands and using sanitizer, our hands tend to look a bit cracked and dry.
But the good news is that you can easily do a manicure at home! My 7-step at-home manicure that I am about to share with you is great to soothe the skin, clean up your nails, and make you feel more groomed overall.
Here's a quick before-and-after of my nails, from ragged and uneven to clean and tidy:
You Will Need:
nail clippers
nail file (I recommend a glass file)
small bowl
small towel
cuticle pusher
cuticle oil or body oil (e. g. jojoba oil, almond oil, olive oil)
hand lotion
body scrub
optional: nail polish remover and cotton pads
optional: nail buffer
1. Remove Old Nail Polish
If your nails aren't clean already, start by taking off any previously applied nail polish. Even if you don't have polish on, you'll still want to wash your hands with soap and water to get rid of any oils or dirt.
Speaking of soap, I recommend using a gentle natural hand soap such as the Dr. Bronner's castile soap, or an organic soap bar to prevent your skin from drying and itching.
2. Trim Nails and Remove Hangnails
Cut back your nails using nail clippers, leaving them just a tad longer than you want them to be. (If your nails are not super long, you can actually skip this step, and just file them instead!)
Next remove any hangnails around the sides of the nail, being careful not to cut into the nail itself or to cut into the skin too deeply. Some people recommend cutting away the thickened skin around the nail as well, but I personally find it leaves my fingers looking frayed rather than tidy.
3. File and Shape Nails
Now that your nails are trimmed to about your desired length, use a nail file to shape them and also round out the sharp edges from clipping your nails – otherwise they might break or split. I recommend using a glass or crystal file as it minimizes splintering and leaves the edges of your nails incredibly smooth. The best way to file your nails is by filing in one direction, instead of going back and forth – this helps to stop nails from breaking as quickly. For example, I always file counter-clockwise, and never the other way around.
Personally I find that a slightly rounded nail shape looks clean, and it also prevents my nails from breaking, as the hard corners of a square edge often do.
This step is optional, but you can also polish your nails in a back and forth motion using a buffing block or buffing file. This will remove any ridges and gives your nails a nice smooth shine that can act as a natural nail polish replacement. Skip this step if you have thin nails.
4. Soften Cuticles
To soften your cuticles and replenish dry skin, place your hands in a small bowl with warm water (not too hot) and 1 to 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar. Allow to soak for 2 to 3 minutes, then pat dry with a small towel. If you have sensitive skin, omit the ACV. If your skin or nails are especially dry or rough, add a bit of almond oil or raw honey, or about 1/4 cup of coconut milk or almond milk to the warm water. This will help to further soften your nails.You may even want to add about 5 drops of essential oils to the bowl, for example calming and cleansing lavender EO, anti-bacterial tea tree EO, or antioxidant lemon EO.
5. Push Back Cuticles
Using the rough surface of your towel, a q-tip or an actual cuticle stick, gently push the cuticle back away from the nail to lift from the nail plate. Be careful not to damage your cuticle. Don't forget to clean underneath your nails as well to remove any debris and dirt.
Again, some people recommend nipping off the free edge of the cuticle, but I personally stay away from that as I don't want to damage my skin and risk an infection.
Read more on that here: The Danger of Cutting your Cuticles.
6. Exfoliate Your Hands
If you don't have a body scrub at home, mix 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 tbsp of oil (such as olive oil or melted coconut oil) to make an easy and natural DIY sugar scrub. Add up to 1 tbsp of lemon juice to brighten and strengthen your nails – this also acts as a natural antibacterial and cleanser. You can also add a few drops of essential oil, such as lavender or lemon.
Apply the mixture to your hands and gently rub into your hands and nails to remove any dead skin from filing and pushing back the cuticles. Rinse well with warm water after several minutes.
For an even easier scrub, take a fresh lemon wedge and dip the flesh side into some caster sugar (or baking soda if your hands are super chapped). Rub all over your nails and hands in circular motions, then rinse off.
This will make your hands wonderfully smooth and soft, and any products you apply afterwards are absorbed better.
7. Moisturise Your Hands and Cuticles To finish off your at-home manicure, moisturise your newly-softened hands. Massage a few drops of oil into your cuticles and nail beds in circular motions. I recommend using organic jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or shea butter for this. To further intensify the moisturizing effect of the oil, I have these funny little "gloves" for my fingertips that are lined with rubber so that the oil stays on your nails and is basically sealed in. They are definitely not mandatory, though, and I'm not even sure what they're called and if they still exist nowadays, lol!
It's worth oiling your nails every night before going to bed. Not only will this keep your cuticles soft and hydrated, it also prevents them from drying and splitting, and improves overall health and appearance of your nails.
If you want to nourish your hands even more, slather on a rich hand cream or body lotion all over your hands to hydrate and replenish the skin. I really love my organic hand lotion by Sante that is made with almond oil and white kaolin clay and that absorbs extra quickly.
While you're at it, take this opportunity to give yourself a nice loving hand massage! Perhaps you might even like to look into the pressure points of hand reflexology. I find this stuff fascinating :)
While massaging your hands, you may want to send them some gratitude – yes, you heard me right! Show your hands some appreciation. Your hands to so much for you. Honestly, think of all the things that your hands help you do each and every day. They really do deserve to be taken care of 🙏🏼
And there you have it! You just gave yourself a great manicure!
featuring *happy nails*
Now if you like, you can proceed to either apply new nail polish, or – what I would recommend – give your nails a break. Allow them to be in their natural state and regenerate. This also helps to prevent and lighten discoloured nails as a result from using nail polish all the time.
Personally, I keep my nails polish-free 99 % of the time, and if I do paint my nails, I stick to a clear, pale pink or nude nail polish.
If you are someone who loves wearing nail polish all the time though, perhaps use your vacation – or stay-cation – to abstain from any nail polish, and let your finger nails and toe nails enjoy the sandy beach and the water, and just breathe. If you aren't going on vacation, but still want to give your nails a break, you can just pretend you're in the ocean by soaking your nails in warm water mixed with epsom salt or sea salt for 10-15 minutes 😁
I hope you enjoyed my easy at-home manicure!
Looking for some more body & self care content? Here are some of my favourites:
♥
Maisy
reading time: 4 min
Episode 13.
Today's blog post is all about my favourite of all the various daily self-care practices in Ayurveda, ever since doing my Ayurvedic cleanse last spring: Abhyanga!
Abhyanga is a full body Ayurvedic self-massage using warm oil. Not only is it said to balance the doshas (the Ayurvedic elements in our bodies) by pacifying vata and pitta and stimulating kapha, but also to enhance well-being and longevity, providing a feeling of stability and warmth. To me, it is a powerful expression of self-love.
This practice is also great for glowing skin, and it's just the most luxurious way to start your day – or to end your night. It's best to do this before showering, either on an empty stomach in the morning, or in the evening shortly before bedtime.
So if you've got some time on the weekend and really want to pamper yourself, then treat yourself to this deeply soothing self-massage with warm oil!
This massage can last as short as 10 minutes and as long as 60 minutes. Although
it is quite time-consuming I really love doing this once or twice a
month, or even once a week, especially during the autumn and winter months when the
ungrounded vata energy is particularly high.
It is no coincidence that the word sneha in
Sanskrit translates to both "oil" and "love", which teaches us that through the act of oiling our bodies, we are also practising self-love through loving touch and care. So enjoy this time of
self-love and nourishing! Plus, the oil will provide your dry skin with
extra nutrition, and protect it against the harsh winds.
DISCLAIMER:I
am not a physician, and the information provided on this blog is for
informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a
substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care
provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition
or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never
disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of
something you have read on this website.
reading time: 7 min
Episode 11.
Why are breasts still a taboo topic when it comes to self love and body care even though they are one of the most sensitive and important parts of the female body?
If you have read my article on going braless, you may know that breast are an important topic on my personal self love journey. They are what I've struggled most with growing up (and becoming sexually attractive to men), as they are a major part of my female identity. They symbolize softness and nurturing/giving, and most importantly: they are what protects our heart space. Female breasts are very sensitive, but have been objectified as a sex symbol by both men and women. For that reason many women struggle with a loving relationship with their breasts, criticising their size, shape or firmness. Even breastfeeding has become taboo and totally sexualized – it's insane!!
Our breasts are mostly fat tissue, connective tissue, milk ducts, nerves, and lymph glands, which enable the lymphatic system to drain toxins and waste out of the body and that can get restricted by tight bras.
However, our breast are so much more than that.
Did you know there is a strong connection between our yoni / vagina / libido and our breasts / heart? Although they are not located near each other, the breasts and are considered to be an extension of our heart – housing our deepest emotional wounds as well as our ability to love. They are the gates to the heart chakra and therefore the key to truly opening up and accessing the power of the yoni. So if the only contact during intercourse is between the genitals, the energy of the woman will not flow into the higher heart centre, and so it remains pure sex, not lovemaking.
So get in touch with your breasts – literally!
Given
that October is known to be the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
I thought this was the perfect opportunity to share my step-by-step
tutorial for a healing self massage – for healthy and happy breasts.
I have also done my best to demonstrate the individual steps with my mediocre drawing skills combined with my mediocre photoshopping skills, haha!
reading time: 4 min
"Yoni"
is the Sanskrit term for vagina, translating to something like "sacred temple" or "divine passage", and refers to the female reproductive area and center of energy, i.e. vulva, vagina & womb. Personally, I also like the image of a lotus flower. "Yoni" is also a Hebrew name deriving from "Yonatan" and means "gift of God".
Hello loves, today we are making homemade yoni oil 🌺
Yoni oil is an amazing tool to add to your feminine self care routine that helps
detox and regulate your menstrual cycle, strengthens and moisturises vaginal
tissues, helps with dryness in the intimate area, increases libido, lubrication and blood flow, and rejuvenates the skin. The anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial
and anti-inflammatory properties from the oils and herbs help to prevent bacterial and yeast infections and bad odours. It is also said to have an overall healing effect on your physical and emotional womb, potentially aiding in overcoming traumatising experiences, and also fostering feelings of love, passion and desire. It helps with the healing process after child birth or even after painful intercourse.
Additionally this oil can double as a body oil, aphrodisiac massage oil, or as a soothing lotion after shaving or waxing that helps with cuts, ingrown hairs,
razor bumps, and itching. The oil can
be added to bath water for a luxurious bath, and yoni steams as well.
Although made with all natural ingredients, it is not recommended to use this oil internally. Yoni oil is designed for use on the mons pubis and vulva (including your labia majora and clitoris), so avoid inserting it into your vagina. Otherwise, you risk upsetting your yoni's delicate pH balance and risking infection. External use only!
In case of fear of allergies, please test the oils on another part of your body before you venture in to complete use of yoni oil.
