Treat Yourself To A Sassy Short Square Manicure At Home

If you want a short, square nailed manicure, there is no need to run to the nail salon or pick up a pack of do-it-yourself stick on square nails from the store. This style of nail is perfect for everyone from the busy working girl to the celebrity on the red carpet.

It is easy to create the nail shape (see the tips below), and if you are going to apply a nail polish to your nails, it is likely to last many more days than if your nails are longer in length, so you can see why many celebrities prefer to keep their nails short. Not only that, a short, square manicure looks great and suits most hand shapes, whilst longer nails can make hands look older - the days of pointy red talons have long gone.

How To File Your Nails Into A Natural Square Shape

• First of all choose how long you want your nails, I would say that no more than 3mm from the natural top of your nail is the longest for this style, but it is personal preference.
• Using good nail scissors or a nail trimmer cut your nails straight across at your chosen length.
• Then using an emery board, start with your thumb nail, and hold your thumb up straight in front of you. File up each side of the nail bed until smooth. Try to file only in one direction as this causes less stress to the nail.
• Then file across the top of the nail horizontally, again only filing in one direction, ensuring each side is equal in length.
• Lastly, gently round each corner of the nail, to smooth away any snags and to make a gently rounded corner.
• Repeat this until all your nails have been shaped the same way. A good tip to check the nail is even is to look at the nail from the palm side of your hand and the nail tip should look equal on each side of the nail.

Painting And Buffing Your Short Square Nails

• This look is perfect for just buffing your nails and applying a light protective clear coat of polish.
• I do love short square nails finished in a dark shade of nail polish, such as purples, dark reds, or a dark polish with a glitter top-coat.
• To paint your nails, first apply a clear base coat to prevent your nails from staining, then apply your chosen colour. Use three quick strokes to apply your polish, one in the middle of your nail and then one at each side, not touching the cuticle. Don't go over the polish to try and smooth it out - it will spread out naturally as it dries. Let one coat dry and then apply a second thin coat, and a top coat.
• Your manicure should last for between five to seven days, depending on what you do with your hands!

If you try this manicure let us know - what colours worked out best for you and how long did your manicure last?

Elle Macpherson's Tips On How She Keeps "The Body" In Shape

Who can believe that Elle Macpherson is 47 years old? She looks so amazing, for someone who has two children and a busy lifestyle running an international lingerie empire. Yep, we guess she can afford to pay for all the latest beauty treatments going, but it is said that Elle doesn't buy any beauty product which costs more than the equivalent of US $40 - we're not sure this is strictly true, but she does say that she uses all the products from her own Elle Macpherson, The Body bath and beauty range, which generally all retail for less than £10 each.

So what is the truth behind Elle's look - well, here are some tips from the lady herself on how she keeps herself glowing and beautiful.

Keep Your Beauty Routine Simple

Elle keeps her beauty routine simple, she quotes "look after your skin and it will look after you". Keep your regime down to 10 minutes a day - which is all that it takes and you are more likely to stick with it. Elle is a great believer in exfoliating her skin for a natural glow. When she does wear foundation make up she will use Revlon Age-Defying make up which is a great moisturiser.

Protect That Face

Many of you might have noticed that Elle loves to wear cowboy hats on the beach, and the reason behind this is that it protects her hair from the sun, as she herself says - it is coloured and tinted and it needs the added protection from the UV rays. But just as importantly, it protects her face from premature aging.

And Protect That Body

Elle loves the outdoor lifestyle, including the beach life, surfing and spending time with her boys - but she never forgets the danger of premature aging of her skin in the sun and she uses an invisible zinc sun cream to protect her from burning and uses a spray tan and compact bronzer to enhance her golden glow.

Get Scrubbing

Elle says that scrubbing (i.e. using a body scrub) is a "great way to rid yourself of dead skin cells which can dull the surface of your skin and also promote circulation, weight loss and an great inner glow". Using a body scrub will cleanse and smooth your skin in one.

Moisturise

Elle advises moisturising with a rich body moisturiser after using a body scrub - this is when the moisturiser will be best absorbed by your skin. Look for rich moisturisers such as body butters which contain ingredients such as Vitamin E and honey.

Keep Those Nails Neat

Elle's supermodel background has taught her that it's not all about the face and body, and that everyone notices a woman's hands, so manicured nails and well moisturised hands are very important.

Beauty Comes From Within

Elle's philosophy on life is that "beauty comes from within and nothing gives you more of a natural glow than love, laughter and water". So don't forget to smile, who looks beautiful with a sad or angry face?

How To Avoid Making Mistakes With Your Nails And Keep Them Looking Fantastic

Yes, we seem to write a lot about nails, but that's because looking after them and making the most of our nails, long or short, is so important. They can make or break the look you want, and there is nothing so annoying as tatty, uneven, broken nails or cuticles .... it makes you just want to hide your hands away. If you are unhappy with your home manicure, it is unlikely to be the products you are using, such as your nail polish, which is at fault - it's more likely to be your nail care techniques which are not quite up to scratch - so here are some helpful hints to look after your pinkies.

File Your Nails In One Direction

Don't use your nail file like a see-saw on your nails as this causes the nail ends to split and flake. File gently from each corner towards the centre with smooth strokes.

Never Cut Your Cuticles

Your cuticle is there for a purpose - it seals your skin against bacteria. Cutting cuticles is not a good idea, they will normally end up ragged and sore. Instead soak your hands in warm water (you can add a few drops of almond oil to the water to moisturise as well), and then using a cotton bud or orange stick gently push your cuticles back from your nail.

If You Have Dry and Cracking Cuticles - Moisturise Them

If you have had your hands in water a lot or it is wintery weather you may experience dry and cracked cuticles. Use either a specially formulated cuticle cream or oil to moisturise them each night before going to bed to soothe them.

Change Your Nail Polish At Least Once A Week

Nail polish remover should not be used too often on your nails as it is very drying and you should avoid the ones containing acetone if possible. But make sure you remove any polish from your nails at least once a week as leaving on chipped nail polish does not only look horrible, it can also start peeling off the top layer of your nail as it comes away.

Always Use A Base Coat Before Applying Polish

Never use nail polish - particularly dark or vibrant shades - without a base coat first as your nails are likely to become stained a nasty yellow colour, which does not look good on anyone. Also some base coats contain Vitamin E and other nutrients which are good for your nails and help them remain strong.

Tips On The Best Way To File Your Nails Into A Perfect Short Manicured Style

More and more of my friends seem to be having false nails applied lately which looks great but which does cost quite a lot of money even if you have a convenient friend who will fix them for you. In these days, when we are all looking to be stylish but maybe hold back a few pennies, it's probably worth looking at some of our favourite celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston or Gwyneth Paltrow and noting that they look super cool with natural and also quite short, neat nails.

Currently darker shades such as navy blue and black are also on trend, and these colours certainly look the job when applied to neat, short nails. Really, black or blue long talons don't really do it for me.

How To File Your Nails Into A Short Well Shaped Glossy Manicure

• Firstly, if you are suffering from broken, or even worse chewed, nails - leave them until there is at least 3mm of white nail showing from the pink part of the nail. If you file them any shorter than this then they can be weakened.
• Do not file your nails from side to side - this is the way you always see people filing their nails on TV - it is wrong! File your nail only from the corner of the nail to the centre in one direction only. Filing from side to side will cause splitting and peeling.
• Ideally for the style we are creating start with a 3 to 4mm white nail tip. Working from the corner of your nail, file to the centre in one direction, creating an almost level tip, with only a slight curve towards the centre.
• When you are happy with this, work on the corners of the nails, rounding them off slightly. Yes, false square cut nails generally have pretty sharp corners, but in real life with real nails a totally square cornered nail is likely to catch, split and break, so a rounded corner is preferable.

What Sort Of Nail File Is Best To Care For Your Nails?

• Don't use the nice shiny metal nail file that you were given in that manicure set at Christmas. They are much too harsh and stiff and can cause splitting and damage, especially in inexperienced hands.
• Choose a nice wide and soft emery board, which is much easier to handle, and gentler on your nails.

What Colour Should You Paint Your New Short Manicure?

• Here I think the world is your oyster as with short nails you can use the most vibrant colours that would look pretty tarty on long talons, but which just look funky and young on a short square manicure.
• Alternatively, a natural look is beautiful and if you fancy applying a french polish, you should be able to apply yourself a neat, well manicured style to rival those from a nail bar. Read here on how to apply a french polish at home.
• If you are on trend, look for black, dark purples and navy polishes which are super cool this season.

Baby Pink Nails - How To Create The Perfect Pink Polish

Just the thing for Spring - perfect baby pink nails. Ideally nails should be finished with a short square or slightly rounded manicure.

How To Choose The Correct Shade Of Pink Polish For You

• English rose complexions suit baby pink polishes.
• Olive toned complexions look lovely with pink based nude colours.
• Darker complexions are lucky and look beautiful in any shade of pink.
• A quick way to check whether you are wearing the wrong shade for you is to look at your cuticles - if they look yellow then the shade is the wrong tone for you.

The Benefits Of Wearing Pale Pink and Nude Coloured Polish

• Light colours minimise any flaws in your nails.
• Pinks are pretty rather than dramatic and are perfect for both day wear and evenings or special occasions.
• Light coloured polishes are less likely to show last minute dramas when you are on your way out such as a chip or a smudge.

How To Get Naturally Pink Nails

• Use a nail buffer which will give your nails a natural shine, increase the blood flow to the nail which will make them grow faster and also stop them from splitting and breaking.

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