Nobody likes dirt-filled nails! Nor pulling out a hangnail till you see blood is a good sight. Manicure for men makes sure that you at least pamper your hands once in a while.
Manicure for men is all the rage now. Gone are the days of looking like a caveman to seem masculine. Pamper your skin, hair and nails and if it annoys those who have a toxic mindset, consider it a win-win situation. Whether you are a hand model, weightlifter, or just want to maintain nail hygiene, keep your hands soft and soothe those calluses with a manicure.
Your guide to manicure for men
Ladies love a guy with soft hands and clean nails. So, if you are one of those partners whose girl always pushes their hands out of an aesthetic photo, get a manicure for them if not for yourself. But trust us, the relaxation during a manicure and the results of clean and soft hands will make you wonder why you were against it in the first place.
And if you are freaking out over those long and pointy nails with glitter that women sport, manicure for men is more low-key. All you need to do is trim, clean and buff your nails after washing and moisturising your hands. But if you do love a rhinestone or colourful nails (thanks to Harry Styles), you can also go ahead and experiment with some nail art.
Why get a manicure?
Now that everyone has established that manicure for men does not make you any less tough or masculine, let’s take a deeper look at why it is important.
They help keep your hands and nails healthy.
According to studies, the very act of getting a manicure is linked with reducing stress and anxiety.
Now, while this is obvious, it can also reduce physical signs of ageing of your hands.
Another physical benefit is clean hands equal to an impressed date. You also don’t want to scare off a potential client during a handshake all because of your dirty nails.
There are several health benefits of a manicure as well. They help reduce hangnails which in turn can cause infections.
Massaging your hands encourages blood circulation and reduces soreness. This is especially important in this day and age as most of us work with computers and mobiles.
The skin on a man’s hand is also thicker than a woman’s so this means more moisturisation is needed. If you do not have a skincare routine in place, a manicure can help your hands get the moisturisation it needs.
The basic steps
Step 1 - Wash your hands
A manicure may sound daunting but you can even do it at home. The first and easiest step is to start by washing your hands. Soap up your hands and scrub them and your nails thoroughly. Make sure to rub your hands and rinse off the soap properly. Just imagine that you had the oiliest pav bhaji and need to get your hands properly cleaned. That should do the trick!
Step 2 - Cut your nails
This is again another step that you probably do frequently. But there is also an art to trimming your nails. Take the nail cutter and try to cut as much of the excess white part of the nail as you can in the first few clips. If you take short and several clips to cut your nail, it will leave you with a jagged edge and possibly hangnails.
Step 3 - File your nails
Now we get to the fun part. You must have seen the stereotype of valley girls and soccer moms filing their nails in movies. Well, now it's your turn to remove those sharp and jagged nails. While the usual sandpaper file will do, you can invest in a steel nail file to reduce the trauma your nails may face if you file rashly.
Start by slowly filing the jagged edges of the nail. Don’t rush and keep filing till you’re happy with the smoothness and length of the nail. If you get annoyed with the file constantly rubbing against your fingertip, there is an easy trick to avoid it. Instead of filing back and forth, move the nail file again and again in one direction. This will also reduce the irritation that you may feel if you are not used to filing your nail.
Step 4 - Use a cuticle clipper
Next, use a cuticle clipper to remove excess skin. While it must be tempting to simply pull the hangnail, resist! Not only could it tear your skin blooding up your fingers, but it can also cause an infection and pus. Gently cut off the excess cuticle that you may find in the corners of your nails. This cutter also has a stick that you can use to shape your cuticle.
You know that transparent skin that helps you differentiate between what you should cut and the nail that is stuck to your skin? And the edge that separates the bottom part of your nail and your finger? You can shape them by gently pushing them in the shape you want with the cuticle stick.
Step 5 - Massage your hands
And the hard part is done! Get to the relaxing feeling by massaging your hands and nails with a hand lotion. If you still have any jagged edges that the nail file missed, the cream will soften them. It will also soothe dry skin and heal any accidental cuts if you are not used to a nail and cuticle clipper.
We’d suggest the Vaseline Deep Restore Cream that intensively works on softening and smoothening calluses. Or do you have dry or cracked hands? This cream contains oat extracts to get rid of dead skin cells while hydrating dry skin and is made of a fast absorbing formula so that you don’t have to worry about stickiness or greasiness.
Step 6 - Nail oil
While this step is optional, if you like, you can also apply a transparent basecoat of nourishing nail oil and nail hardener. The Lakme Absolute Nourishing Nail Oil contains six essential oils from sweet almond oil to vitamin E and smoothens dry and brittle nails. Follow it up with a basecoat of the Lakme Absolute Nail Hardener which treats weak and curved nails. It also provides a strong base if you are up for some nail polish or nail art.
FAQs on manicure for men
Is it okay for guys to get a manicure?
It is completely fine for a guy to get a manicure. Just like any body part, your hands and nails need to be cleaned regularly. And an additional pampering step won’t harm anybody!
How long will a men’s manicure last?
A manicure should last you for two weeks. It will also depend on the growth rate of your nails and how much physical activity you do with your hands.
What do I need for a men’s manicure?
The most basic of basic items that you will require is soap, a nail file, a nail cutter and hand cream. A cuticle clipper is optional and is only required if you tend to end up with hangnails while cutting them.
Looking at those easy and quick steps, you may be doing half of them out of habit! So, why not just take that extra step and get a proper manicure for men by also buffing your nails and moisturising your hands?
Written by Lopa K on Aug 19, 2022