Nail Care for the Holidays, from the Hand Model: Protect those 10 digits with these 5 tips!

The holidays can be rough on your hands…after wrapping dozens of presents, baking, cooking, and cleaning, your nails could probably use some T.L.C. before your friends and family arrive.

As a hand model, I am constantly asked how I keep my hands in terrific shape, even during the cold winter months. Honestly, it’s not always easy. There are a lot of things I just don’t do (like open a soda can without a can opener) because a snagged or broken nail could mean a loss of business for me.

Luckily, I have naturally soft skin, thick nails, and I am not prone to hang nails, so I’m not as obsessive about maintenance as other hand models; but I do take precautions. Whenever I am working, the crew, producer, photographer, always tell me about a diva hand model they’ve worked with who shows up in gloves up to her shoulder, refuses to touch anything, and won’t shut up about her hands. Yes, we hand models are amusing and odd at times. Not too many people (besides mimes and magicians) show up to work wearing gloves in August and expect to be taken seriously.

Everyone always talks about that famous Seinfeld episode when George Costanza (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxX3-rJoNI) becomes a hand model ("stress is very dangerous to the epidermis!"). And of course there’s Zoolander, where David Duchovny plays the hand model that keeps his hand in an air tight glass case to keep it from aging. Yes, I am cautious, I do carry hand and nail care supplies around with me, and I do wear gloves to work to protect my nail polish from chipping.

Whether you’re looking to get into the hand modeling business or you’re looking for some serious hand care advice for the holidays, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s my top 5 tricks of the trade (I can’t give away all my secrets!) that you can do at home to keep your nails in tip-top shape. Just as a disclaimer, any products listed are ones that I recommend and use myself. I’m not getting any kick-backs from these manufacturers…but hey, Sally Hansen, if you’re reading, I would never turn down sponsorship.

1.   Serious nail care 101: If you’re a bartender, a chef, or if you work in a profession where you’re constantly using your hands, your skin can get dry and your nails can become brittle very easily. When I first started modeling, I worked as a bartender to supplement my income. I did have a few hand modeling gigs at that time. When you’re constantly cleaning glasses in anti-bacterial soap, it can strip all the moister right out of your hands. One of the most serious nail and hand care techniques is a little strange to get used to, but hey, it works: when you’re ready for bed, lather up your hands with a dry skin therapy lotion – Eucerin is my favorite pick, it’s like dipping your hands in a vat of butter – and while their still soaking in lotion, put on a pair of plastic gloves, like the ones doctors, nurses, or tattoo artists use. The gloves and lotion will rejuvenate your hands overnight and you’ll have beautiful skin in the morning.

2.  If your nails are prone to breakages or snags, I’d recommend Sally Hansen’s Hard As Nails: Hard as Wraps nail polish. This is a nail polish that contains acrylic gel and nylon to add some additional strength to your nails. I always get the clear nail polish, the colored versions of this nail polish take forever to dry and I’m not a patient person when it comes to waiting for the nail polish to dry. The clear color is great for hand modeling jobs and auditions because most of the time, clients want natural nails with a sheer or clear nail polish. There are also other nail polishes out there that work similarly to this one, but I’ve never tried them. If this one doesn’t cut it, experiment with something else. Everyone’s nails are different.

3.  If you’re working a lot in the hand modeling industry, you know that your nails can take a beating – especially if you are booked for different jobs back to back and the two clients want different nail polish colors or nail lengths. When you’re constantly taking off nail polish and applying different colors, the chemicals in nail polish remover and nail polish itself can stain your nails yellow. My favorite solution: Nail Whitening Soak. These are small tablets made mainly out of sodium bicarbonate. When you immerse them in warm water, they create a soak for your nails. In a matter of minutes, these tablets will remove that yellow hue from your nails, problem solved!

4. Even when you have a perfect manicure, your cuticles can team up against you. Sally Hansen’s Instant Cuticle Remover is a gel that washes away calluses and dry or uneven cuticles. Just apply to the problem area and in a matter of seconds, it will loosen the skin for trimming.

5.  Even more valuable than moisturizing lotion, this is a product I bring with me on every audition and every job: Sally Hansen’s Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil. I use it to keep my nails fresh and my skin super smooth. It has a similar consistency to olive oil and it really works fast for any last minute touch ups. If you keep your nails in great shape every day, this is a great product to apply and work into your skin before you walk on set.

If you’re looking for the perfect nail color for this holiday season, here’s a list of the top 10 nail colors out there:

http://www.dailymakeover.com/blogs/beauty-trends-and-news/nail-polish-holiday-chanel-dior-sally-hansen-manicure.html?utm_source=StrongMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Party-Perfect-Nails&utm_content=Makeup-Slideshow&utm_campaign=Strong_9508

I am absolutely in love with Ginger+Liz Royal Flush ($12) http://www.gingerandliz.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=859173002188

But if you’re looking for something more budget friendly, ELF's Red Velvet (and all other colors) are only $1 each! http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/nails/elf_nail_polish/nail_polish

Happy Holidays from The Mighty Model - if you have any questions about nail care maintenance, feel free to post here!