10 Aug 7 Tips: Caring For Your Hands and Nails

Your hands not only play a Vital Role in your everyday life, but their appearance and the state they’re in says a lot more about you than you think. Subsequent to your eyes, hands, and nails are the second most observed part of your physique; thus, treating them with care is imperative for making a good first impression.

Consider this: What’s your initial thought when you see someone biting and eating his fingernails? Do you think, “Wow, this guy is so relaxed and laid back, what’s his secret?” Or do you say, “Jesus, this DUDE is nervous as shit-so much so, he’s actually making me uncomfortable.” Whenever I meet with people (men or women), I always look at the state of his or her fingernails-immediately, I can tell if the person is clean, unhappy, under stress…or someone I feel like speaking to further.

I was lucky enough to learn the importance of caring for My Nails as young as 4 years of age. After bathing me, my father would pick me up, put me on the edge of the sink so that my hands and feet were next to the drain, and he’d cut my nails for me-it was a weekly ritual. He would always say, a man should have groomed hands.

Do yourself a favor and survey the state of your hands right now-are they Clean and well Groomed? Or are your nails caked with dirt and so jagged you could carve a Flank Steak? (Hopefully, you don’t have that long cocaine fingernail that some musicians claim to grow out for playing guitar-mysteriously. Here are 7 tips and tricks for properly caring for your MAN hands:

1. First and most importantly, keep your hands clean. Your hands are dirtier than you think-when washing them, use a block of quality hand soap and take your time, scrubbing in between your fingers, around your cuticles, and all-around your nails. Bacteria growing under your nails can cause all sorts of problems, from fungus to split fingernails. So get in the habit of washing your hands often especially if you are one those people who touch your face, which is the easiest way to get sick. If you are not in a place where soap and water are accessible, it is always best to carry around a small bottle of hand-sanitizer so you can clean your hands on the go. This is just an alternative option. Clean hands will limit the spread of bacteria amongst others, so be sure to keep this in mind.

2. Your job and favorite hobbies play a crucial role in determining how often you should cut your nails. If you use your hands to build objects or Reconstruct Engines, you’ll want to keep your nails short and cut them often. If your hands are in food, do you think people want your long nails in their hamburger patties? If you have such active hands, get in the ritual of exfoliating, to eliminate any dead skin. It’s also for you to moisturize your hands as often as possible.

3. Invest in a quality fingernail trimmer- don’t use the piece of crap nail clipper your parents bought you in the 7th grade. “Quality” clippers have sharp, properly aligned blades that clip the nail with no effort or tension. Additionally, make sure you buy one that catches the nails clippings because the last thing you want to do is to decorate your space with nasty half crescents.

4. Nails all grow at different speeds. Did you know that Fingernails Grow Faster than Toenails? (If you haven’t noticed this yet, grab a clipper now, because I can’t imagine how fucked up and un-kept your hands look.) Research also suggests that nails grow faster on your dominant hand, for some of you who use that hand in your extra-circular activities, you might want to switch up from time to time, another words, don’t forget to even things out when you’re grooming and clipping.

5. Designate one day a week to be your “Man”-icure day. Make sure it’s a time when you’re not in a rush-there’s nothing worse than having an “oh shit” moment, which results in you running to the medicine cabinet and haphazardly clipping your nails 5 minutes before picking up your date. I recommend using the weekends as your intensive and detailed grooming day, this way you know you can put in a little extra time and effort.

6. When bathing, clean underneath your fingernails with a nailbrush. Dirt is not only unsanitary, but it’s disgusting to look at and will have people wondering when your last shower was.

7. Look out for jagged nails and sharp edges-they look bad, can scratch someone (including yourself, or your woman in bed), or even rip a hole in your clothing. Lightly trim or file these areas down with an emery board.

Just as my father taught me, it’s important to take the time to take care of your nails. When you do it on a regular basis, it becomes second nature, and every first impression you give-whether you’re meeting the CEO or that next prospect at the bar-you will be effortlessly groomed.