Tips for Beautiful Nails and Hands
- To soften hands or feet, rub liberally with petroleum jelly, put on a pair of gloves or socks and wear overnight.
- Use a nail buffer to shine nails between manicures.
- Cut a slit into the center of a sponge. Place the sponge into a small container and fill with nail polish remover. Dip fingernail in slit and slide around to remove polish.
- Use an old toothbrush as a nail brush.
- Go to the local beauty school to have manicures, pedicures and facials. You can feel pampered without spending a fortune. Five bucks is a great deal for a facial!
- Wash dry hands with a small amount of cornmeal or sugar mixed with water. It will remove the dry skin. Thanks to Cyndi in California
- When finished eating a grapefruit or lemon, place your elbows in the halves for 10-30 minutes to soften them. (Thanks to Erin in Washington for this tip.)
- Purchase nail care kits after Christmas at half price. You can get several polishes and tools for $2-$4.
- An easy way to remove cuticles is to rub them with oil. Then gently push back the cuticles.
- Save the cotton from aspirin bottles. Use for your face or for manicures.
- Thin thickened nail polish using nail polish thinner (not remover!). It’s found by the nail polish remover.
- Soak nails in lemon juice to remove stains.
-Jill
For lots of easy tips and recipes for elegant all-natural homemade bath and beauty products, take a look at our Pretty for Pennies Frugal Bath and Beauty Guide!
Instead of using makeup remover cotton pads, I cut up a few baby washcloths and use them. I dump them in a meshbag before throwing them in the wash. It was a great way to reuse something I already had rather than throwing out disposable cotton pads.
I’ve read that using a paste of baking soda and peroxide will remove nail polish stains from your nails too. Haven’t tried it but hate that leftover color that darker colors tend to leave!
Sometimes Emilie if you put a coat of clear base coat or clear polish on first that may help a little with the staining.
If you make a paste with olive oil and cornstarch on buff on nails it will bring a natural shine to your nails almost as good as clear nail polish. It’s a French beauty secret.