The Do's and Don'ts of Skin and Nail Care

When it comes to looking young and healthy, you don't necessarily need a Fountain of Youth (though if you find one, let us know): what you need to do is take care of two of your greatest assets, your skin and nails. Both are delicate parts of your personal inventory that can be easily damaged, especially if ignored, but they can also be of enormous benefit in your battle against aging. There are many, many secrets to skin and nail care, with which we could happily fill a book, but the basics we can cover in one article. Just as important as the "do's" are the "don'ts," and that's what this article is all about. Let's start with nail care, shall we?

Nail Care Don'ts to avoid, if you want your nails to stay young, strong, and healthy.

Don't bite your nails. This is an obvious one, but it's easy to fall into bad habits when you're nervous or worried. Not only is biting your nails bad on the nails themselves, you could cause cuticle damage, which could result in nail bed infections.

Don't cut off your cuticles, for the same reason listed above.

Don't use your nails to crack eggs, open letters, or thump your boyfriend on the head. Your nails are there to be looked at and admired, not used as tools.

Don't change your nail polish more than about once a week. Nail polish remover is made of harsh chemicals, and can dry out your nails and hands both.

Don't overuse three-dimensional nail enhancements, because they can weaken and soften your nails.

Don't use a professional manicurist who isn't licensed and doesn't maintain an obvious level of hygiene and cleanliness.

On to the Do's:

Do maintain a weekly nail care routine in which you change out your nail polish, reshape your nails, and otherwise lavish care on your nails and hands.

Do see a licensed, professional manicurist occasionally.

Do try biotin to strengthen your nails, if necessary; this vitamin can be found in health food stores.

Do treat your toenails the same as your fingernails.

Your skin is a more complex subject than your nails, if only because they're so much of it in comparison. Skin Care Don'ts could easily stretch a mile or more, but we'll just scratch the surface here. If you want your skin to retain that healthy glow you love, then:

Don't smoke. If you smoke, not only will your lungs shrivel up into little black balls, the smoke will damage your skin (especially your face), making it rough and dry. Worse, it can make the skin around your mouth yellowish.

Don't use commercial soaps too often. Most soaps contain harsh detergents which, while very effective again grime, also dry out your skin.

Don't be a sun worshipper. Both suntans and sunburns result in dead layers of skin, which can go deeper than you might believe. Overdo it, and you'll end up being one of those leathery old ladies who looks eighty when she's fifty. Not only that, there could be skin cancer to deal with.

Don't swim in saltwater too often. The natural salts in seawater are very drying and irritating to the skin. When you get out of the ocean, wash off the salt immediately if you can.

Don't eat unhealthy foods, especially ones that are too greasy. These can endanger your complexion by clogging skin pores.

Don't get a chemical peel if you can avoid one. Although a chemical peel might be a last resort for skin that's environmentally damaged, it can ultimately cause more damage than it's worth if not done properly.

If you do want healthy, radiant skin that you can be proud of, we've got a few suggestions:

Do know your skin type. How you treat your skin will depend upon whether it's dry, normal, or oily.

Do bathe or shower every day. The skin of your entire body needs to be maintained, not just your face, and this is the best way to do it.

Do use a natural non-commercial soap to keep from drying out your skin.

Do wash your face regularly with soap and water. It's recommended that you do this once a day at least, but don't overdo it; again, the detergents in soap can be drying.

Do maintain a daily program of skin care, involving the use of a cleansing scrub, skin toner, and moisturizer. Adjust all these ingredients to account for your skin type and the season.

Do use an exfoliating cleanser occasionally, and a beauty mask weekly to remove old skin cells, deep-down grime, and excess oils.

As you can see, the "do's" for nail and skin care can require a lot of work -- but the truth is, it'll be easier than reclaiming your beauty after overindulging in the "don'ts." We won't say you'll look like Carol Alt if you do follow all the "do's," but you surely won't if you keep the "don'ts" on your agenda.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you are a business owner get listed at Best Personal Care Site, part of Localwin Network.