Shahnaz Husain
It is that time of the year again when there is a nonstop downpour. breezy winds and splashy water everywhere. It is a common perception that monsoon has a gloomy face.
Nails take the most hit during the rainy season. The season of monsoon calls for special care of nails to avoid damage due to red, swollen and itchy skin around them. The skin becomes sweaty or infected due to overexposure to water as a result of it both fingernails and toenails get affected by the rains.
Painting your nails is like therapy. Trying out new nail colours and designs are something that just makes you feel groomed and uplifted. When your nails are groomed in invigorating hues, you automatically get a dose of colour therapy that is just great for your mood.
The season of monsoon calls for special care of nails to avoid infection and chipping. The monsoon can lead to rough, brittle and discoloured nails.
Well-kept nails are a part of our presentation and look. Be it any occasion, we all know how essential it is to maintain them.
Try to keep your nails dry with extra care, especially your toes. You may opt for open shoes / sandals/chappal as if you are wearing closed footwear all the days long then fungs/bacteria may thrive in your feet due to moist and damp environment which can result in dead skin cells and bacteria. ultimately affecting your toes.
Avoid wearing leather, plastic or canvas shoes. Do not wear the same shoes every day. It is better to have an alternate pair of shoes. Wash your footwear regularly. Desist from sitting in wet footwear and socks all through the day. Try to bear waterproof footwear to allow air circulation. Your nail health is important during the rainy season. Refrain from growing your toenails long. Wash and clean dirt from under the nails as also the edges.
Cut your toenails short to avoid any chances of accumulating dirt and other infections. Try to spray deodorants / talcum /anti-fungal powder in between toe nails regularly at least once in a day to prevent infection .
During the hot and humid season, we go for light, serene, pastel colours for our clothes. The same goes for the nails too. We can select colours that are icy, “cool” and trendy. The way to protect the nails and keep them looking good is to give them regular care. There is no point wearing a glamorous outfit if the feet and toe nails show neglect and lack of care. Chipped nails and chipped nail polish can really spoil the entire effect.
You need to be very careful while picking a nail polish. While wearing nail polish does not harm your healthy nails.
Typical nail polish is filled with toxic chemicals such as Paraben , diethyl phthalates, dibutyl phthalate which cause nail brittleness, dryness, thinning and are bad for the skin surrounding it. Always prefer water-based polishes, which don’t last as long but are the safest option out there.
Try your level best to choose natural and chemical-free nail paints that are eco-friendly and cruelty-free. Avoid eating with hands that have paint on its nails as bits of the nail paint can chip and fall into the food, which will eventually go inside your body and cause harm.
Pick a nail colour remover that contains vitamin A,C and E to treats conditions that adversely affect nails and cuticles.
The cuticle (skin surrounding the nail) should be kept soft and smooth. Otherwise, it sticks to the nail and gets dragged as the nail grows.
Protection of nails is so important, especially during the Monsoons, when fungal infection can set in. Detergents can also lead to itchy and rashy conditions. Wear rubber gloves for your washing chores like cleaning with harsh chemicals, gardening, or doing anything that involves hot, soapy water dirtying your hand, always wear rubber, vinyl, nitrile or plastic gloves — some of which have a cotton liner. It not only protects your polish but keeps anything harsh or drying in your cleaning solutions off your hand.
Massage a cream after your washing tasks, working it into the skin. This takes only a few minutes. Massage cream on the nails and the skin around the nails.
Choose from a range of hand creams, cuticle oil/creams /oils to moisturize them regularly to make them strong, shiny and healthy. I will recommend putting coconut oil around the cuticles daily to moisturize your nails for strong, long, healthy nails.
Regular handwashing or use of hand sanitizer can dry out the skin and nail bed quickly, so try to moisturize after every wash, if possible. Coconut oil is excellent for rubbing into your nails and cuticles.
It is advised to wash the hands with lukewarm water to help keep the hands and nails soft and smooth.
Keep a travel-size hand cream enriched with fruit extracts or cuticle oil bottle at every sink in your home.
Apply warm almond oil, soften cuticles and push them back gently with a cotton bud. Use a cotton bud to clean beneath the nails too. Avoid cutting cuticles and using metal instruments. Apply almond oil or olive oil on the nails and hands. Apply nail varnish, using smooth strokes, from the base of the nails to the tip. First, apply one coat of colour on all the nails. Wait for it to dry and then apply the second coat of colour.
Soak your feet in luke warm water for 10 minutes. The water should contain a few drops of a liquid hand wash and some fresh lemon juice. Next, cleanse your nails and scrub your feet with a foot scraper. Complete this routine by applying a nail cream. Avoid pushing the cuticles, as toe nail fungal infections are very common in monsoon.
As far as nail colours are concerned, pink is ideal for hot and humid weather. Shimmer is very much in, so go for silver shimmer for the day and gold for the night. Lately, dark colours have been in, like bright blue or green, but I feel that subtle colours are more suitable for monsoon hot weather. You can also go for icy colours like pink or mauve. Or, go for shades of brown, like coffee, bronze, copper, or sea shell and then add on glitter.
For a gala evening, go for gold or silver varnish, or try one of those colours with glittering stars. These come in many different colours, with gold or silver stars. As part of nail design, nail varnish can be applied in unusual colours like green, blue or purple. Or, use different colours for each nail.
Nail art has become a specialized field now a days. In the past, simple ways of nail art were followed, but now it is a highly creative field.
(The author is an international fame beauty expert and is called herbal queen of India.)
