NO hands, as one authority on female beauty has declared, "reveal every hidden secret of the
soul .... in their shape, texture and color" ? We doubt it. But they reveal themselves quickly enough as beautiful or the reverse. What is beauty of hand ? It is not so much the shape, just
as in hair it is not the color, which counts here. Texture, skin quality and skin tint, the manner in which the hands are used, the nails, these determine their beauty.
Care is what produces beautiful hands. If you are not your own manicurist then visit a professional one every week. Protect your hands against water by using gloves, rubber or canvas. Always have a cut of lemon handy to the sink. Whether you have a "psychic" or a merely plebeian hand, lemon juice removes stains, whitens the skin and cleans the nails. Vaseline, which keeps the nails from growing brittle, also makes up for the drying effect of hot dishwater. Dish washing should always be followed by a vaseline or cold cream application. Always wear gloves when gardening, and use vanishing cream on them before you expose them to the bright sunshine or cold. A cold cream application before retiring and cotton gloves should accompany chapped hands into bed.
Red Hands.—When red hands are not caused by some trouble which calls for a doctor's care, use
a good rich, cream massage, for it will help circulation if bad circulation is the reason. A mere
surface redness may be treated by rubbing in some standard skin food, after washing with hot water and soap, and leaving it overnight.
The Ideal Hand.—The ideal hand has smooth, tapering fingers. If you have square or knotty fingers give them treatment for pressing out the ends. A soft, white skin, a firm palm, firm and
supple wrists and well-kept nails and fingers are all possible of attainment by manicuring, massage and constant cleanliness. Hands should be neither too fat nor too thin. Regular diet in the first place, then massage and special exercises are correctives. This applies as well to fat wrists. Remember that, like the ideal face and figure, the ideal hand is only relatively so. There is a different style of hand for nearly every style of being, and there are as many different hands as there are face beauties.
Gloves.—Tight gloves will make your palms perspire, give your hands a pudgy look, and, if you
wear them right along, will turn the hands red and mottled. Red hands often result from continual wearing of tight-fitting gloves. And—if you do not chemically clean your gloves after each wearing—your hands will grow dirty as soon as you put them on. Gloves which are not perfectly clean chap and coarsen the skin texture of the hand, and at times cause infections
A narrow palm is supposed to be a sign of a feeble temperament, one lacking imagination. A
fairly generous palm shows imagination and a nature capable of greatly enjoying physical pleasures. Too large, broad and pronounced a palm denotes egoism and sensuality. Hard, thick palms, out of proportion to the rest of the hand, show an animal nature, void of intelligence. Knotty fingers mean originality, imagination and a scientific trend. Smooth, tapering fingers hint at aptitude in art and sentiment predominating over reason. Square fingers mean a sense of method and order. Spatulate fingers are a sign of ability, activity, tact and knowledge.
THE NAILS
A woman's nails should have home attention, but this should be supplemented by occasional visits
to the manicurist. Else it is impossible to keep them in perfect condition. You may use an orange
stick or an ivory pusher to push back the cuticle from the nails (after it has been softened by cold cream or vaseline), but do not cut the cuticle yourself. This had far better be left to the professional. If you use the professional cutting tools you may easily cut and scar the surface of the nail, and weeks may elapse before the scar disappears. If the cuticle be cut constantly the edges grow hard and thick.
Manicuring.—Always see to it that your orange stick is well covered with absorbent cotton or a
bit of silk. When you have shaped the external edge of the nails with a fine pair of scissors, finish with emery or a steel nail file. And always, before beginning to manicure your nails, soak them in hot soap water and cleanse with the nail brush. When you polish the nails, use paste first, and do not apply the powder till afterward. As a buffer you can use the palm of the other hand. A thorough "home" manicuring should be undertaken at least once a week.
There are many very satisfactory nail pastes and polishes on the market. A liquid polish is usually best for the nails, all the more if there is no paste foundation. Carmine, which gives a pleasing pink tint, should be the paste used. Never use the liquid varnishes which produce a sheen without the aid of the buffer. They have a deteriorating action on the nails themselves. You brush your teeth every night. It is just as easy to devote a few minutes to your nail cuticles as well.
The Nail Bleach.—A good and simple nail bleach for use beneath the free edges of the nails is made by mixing an ounce of hydrogen peroxide with a quarterounce, respectively, of ammonia and lemon juice. Before polishing the nails wash out the bleach with hot water. Keep your manicuring tools in good condition, and throw away your orange stick as soon as it roughens. For a buffer, if you do not care to use your palm, buy a buffer frame and renew the chamois skin.
Bruised Nails.—A hot water dip, with an overnight application of antiphlogiston, is good for
bruised nails. The white nail spots which often result from a bruise will fade out slowly of themselves as a rule. Their departure can be hastened, however, by application of refined pitch and myrrh in equal parts.
Nail-Bite.—The only real cure for nail biting is not to bite the nails. The application of tincture of myrrh is merely a reminder not to do so.
About the author:
Michael Fortomas is a teacher of Biology and his Free Guide "151 Beauty Tips" is a look at specific tips, old and new, to help women meet the current perception of our societal definition of beauty.
10 Great Hair Care Tips
by: Darla Di Grandi-Aguilera
If you watch the tabloids, you know that even the stars have bad hair
days. It just seems that when the professional stylists are out of the
picture, it is inherently human to have a less than glamorous mane. But
you can do your part to stay ahead of the battle by following these great
tips for hair care.
1. Use a professional conditioner that is formulated for your specific
hair type. While you can skimp a little on the shampoo, a good,
professional conditioner is a must have. Look for products in salons that
are customized for your hair type. For instance: If you have color or a
perm, choose a conditioner that is for chemically processed hair. And stay
away from those all-in-one shampoo and conditioner combos.
2. Choose a cut tailored to your face and body shape. The number one
mistake that people make when choosing a new hairstyle is to pick a style
based on popularity rather than how it will enhance their features. Always
choose a new cut based on how it will enhance or detract from your facial
features and build. If you have broad shoulders, choose a full-bodied cut
over a close cropped head hugging doo.
3. Don’t forget your UV protectants. Just as your skin gets damaged by
wind and sun, so does your hair. To combat this, look for finishing
products such as mousses, gels and sprays that block UV rays.
4. Keep your appointments. Did you know that your hair will split
faster than it will grow? You need to get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks, even
if it’s just a micro trim. A good hairdresser makes them good because they
know what to leave on the head, not take off.
5. Leave chemicals to the professionals. There is a reason why
beauticians need to go to school to learn how to handle chemicals and hair
processes. You can do irreparable damage with these products even if the
package says that it’s way easy. And even if you don’t make your hair fall
out, you could end up looking like a clown and paying a stylist big bucks
to fix your mess. (Note: Most stylists charge double the rate for
corrective color than they do for normal color processes)
6. Get color for interest and body. Every cut needs a little bit of
color to make it truly breathtaking. No matter whether your taste is
subtle or dramatic, you can add interest and volume to your tresses with a
color process. Highlights, lowlights, all over color, gray coverage, you
name it, it’s all good for your look.
7. Do weekly conditioning treatments. Even if your hair is extremely
healthy, it is constantly on the attack from wind, sun, cold and heat.
During the summer months, your hair is battered even more when it absorbs
chlorine and other chemicals from your pool.
8. Get an ionic ceramic flat iron. Instead of frying your hair with a
conventional metal plated flat iron. Straighten your tresses, add shine
and infuse moisture with one of the a negative ionic flat irons. We
personally use T3 irons for all our work.
9. Choose your styling products wisely. Avoid products that leave
build-up on your hair. If you see white gunk, that means that your product
is not water-soluble and may be coating your hair shaft. Build-up causes
limpness, breakage and inability to curl not to mention the white flakes.
10. Did you know that if you use a towel after your shower to dry your
hair you are causing split ends and adding static electricity to your
hair. Don’t rub the towel back and forth over your hair, scrunch the towel
around your hair like your would scrunch crackers in your soup.
While all of these tips won’t make you look like you’ve hired a
personal hairdresser, they will help you look the very best that you can
each and every day. When it comes to hair care, remember that you wear
your hair everyday. Now isn’t it worth the time, effort and money that it
takes to keep it looking spectacular?
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