Do-It-Yourself Manicure
By Sheila Dicks 

1. Remove old polish with a cotton ball dampened with nail polish remover. Press the cotton ball firmly to the nail and hold until for a few seconds. Pull the cotton ball down the centre so the polish doesn’t smear on the skin around the nail. Use a clean cotton ball to remove any stubborn polish.

2. Holding it on a slant, use an emery board to shape nails. Use long strokes in one direction toward the centre of the nail (don’t go back and forth). Don’t file the nails away at the corners because it weakens the nails. Make the curve blunt and don’t file your nails into sharp points.

3. In a rotating motion use your thumb to massage cuticle cream into the rough skin at the sides and base of the nails.

4. Soak your nails in warm water for a few minutes to soften the cuticle. Clean your nails thoroughly using a nailbrush.

5. Wrap the end of the orangewood stick in cotton and apply cuticle remover to the blunt end. Use it to loosen dead skin from around the nails.

6. Use scissors on hangnails only. Never cut cuticles.

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