THE BEAUTIFUL YOU: THINGS THAT COME IN HANDY (AND FOOTY)

Good morning, Mini-Women! I don't know about you, but I don't think I could talk if I didn't have hands. They wave all over the place the whole time I'm jacking my jaws, emphasizing a word here, making a point there, inserting punctuation marks everywhere! That's one of the biggest reasons why I take care of my nails. People see them almost as much as they see my face.

Some of you seem to like the whole nail thing, too. RACHEL likes to paint different colors on her fingernails and toenails --because then she doesn't have to decide between her favorite colors, hot pink and purple. I love that! ISABELLE loves painting hers cute fun colors and has even discovered how to have them professionally done for only five bucks!  ALLISON is into hot pink toenails, while ALISHA goes for normal pinks and reds, toenails only. Others of you are more like I was as a tween. VERONICA says hers are totally nail polish resistant. ISABELLE is a major fingernail picker, and Caitlin bites hers right along with her. Here's the good news: I got something for all of you.

No matter which of the four looks you chose yesterday, you can follow some basics for taking care of your hands:

(1)  WASH YOUR HANDS. Well, duh, right? You'd be surprised how many people don't even think about it, though. Really clean your hands with warm water and soap while you say the alphabet to yourself. That's how long it takes to really get them de-germed. At the very least, wash them just after you've gone to the bathroom, you're about to eat (whether it's sticking your hands in a bag of chips or sitting down to a big dinner); you're getting ready to fix something to eat; you've been touching an animal; you've been shopping; you have a cold (wash twice as often); you've been around somebody who's been sick; your hands feel sticky, greasy, grimy or a little icky. I know that makes it sound like you have to have your hands in the sink all the time, but once it becomes a habit, you won't feel that way. It can be hard to get to soap and water when you're in school all day, so keep some hand sanitizer or wipes in your backpack. If somebody calls you a clean freak, pass him a Wet Wipe.

(2)  GET THE DIRT OUT FROM UNDER YOUR FINGERNAILS. Once a day when you get out of the shower or tub, use a metal nail file (the kind that comes on nail clippers) to gently scrape any left-over stuff from under your nails. Do it even if they don't look dirty. You'll be amazed what hides in there. (You don't really want to know . . .)

(3) MOISTURIZE. When you're putting on lotion after your bath or shower, pay attention to your hands. This is epecially important in cold or dry climates.

    If yesterday you decided you just want hands "Cleaner than your brother's", you're done!

    If you chose any of the others, read on for what to do ONCE A WEEK:

    (1)  FILE YOUR NAILS.  Use what's called an emery board, which is a nail file that has really fine sandpaper on it. Don't file with a metal thing, even though it's called a nail file (Go figure!)

            *  Don't go back and forth like you're sawing a log. That makes your nails weak. Start at one side of your nail and file in one directon toward the center, and then do the same from the other side. Try doing it while you're watching a movie or something -- it's boring otherwise

            *  File until all your nails are the same length and shape, probably an oval or straight across. You might have one or two nails that are nice and long and you're proud of them, but if the rest are way short, it's going to look funny if you leave them there.  Say good-bye to the long ones and file away.

    (2)  TAKE CARE OF YOUR CUTICLES.  That's the skin around your nails that tends to creep onto them. It's healthier if they stay in place

            *  Soak your fingers in a little bowl of hot, soapy water for a few minutes to soften up your cuticles

            *  Using what's called an orange stick (a little wooden thing with a slanted end) or a cotton swab (Q-tip), gently push the cuticles off your nails. Think of it as persuading them to get back where they belong rather than forcing them to

            *  If any little pieces of cuticle stick up, you can clip them with tiny manicure scissors. Just to be on the safe side, have an experienced person show you how to do that. The broken cuticle is dead, but the skin that's still attached isn't. Nobody should bleed during a manicure!

    If you just chose "basically clean and neat," you're done. Nice hands!

Tomorrow, we'll talk about the fun part like polishing. For today, go back to your beauty chart and under EVERY DAY write in "wash hands often" and "clean under fingernails."  Under WEEKLY, write in "file nails," and "take care of cuticles." If you want to, under your new Hands and Feet section, copy down the above instructions or print out this post and paste it in. You are going to be SO set.

Want to post today?  Tell us your fave use of your hands. Are you a painter? Volleyball player? Pianist? Do you carry on conversations with your hands going, or do actual sign language? Tell us your favorite way your hands come in handy!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue  

   

Comments

[alisha]

first wow
ok my favorite use of my hands is holding a pen to write my stories
Alisha

[Caitlin]

I like to use my hands in sports. Any kind of sport when you need to use your hands!

[Olivia]

I just starting playing the mandolin and I love using my hands for that.

[Olivia]

I just starting playing the mandolin and I love using my hands for that.

[Katie]

I can do SOME sign language (my mom is a speech therapist)and I love to write. My dad does, too, so he's always typing on the computer, and therefore I don't have much time to. So I don't know what I would do if I couldn't write in a notebook! Also, I play a little piano and I love working with art, especially oil pastels! Whew! That's a lot...

[Abi]

I love using my hands to ride my bike,or write stories at this thing that you call a computer,or play sports.I also play my violin.

[Caitlin]

I forgot, I do play piano and I love to paint!
I like to write in my diary too.

[Abbie]

I just love to write. And draw. And paint. And I also love to tickle my baby brother. Biking is alot of fun. I play a little bit of piano.

[Veronica]

I am tactile, which means I learn by feeling, especially with my hands. As you have probably learned from seeing my comments, I love to type. I also play the piano and violin. One of my habits is just randomly starting to play something on the piano minus the piano, which certainly makes people notice my hands. Better go for the basically neat and clean look if I can't break that habit. I still don't want to do that to my cuticles, though...OW!

[~Prism~]

I play the piano and the violin, and on both instruments, the fingers are probably the most looked at thing of a musician of both instruments. So many times have I been told to keep my fingernails short because that can affect the performance.

[Kortnie]

I use my hands in ballet. I know it sounds kinda funny but actually one of the most important characteristics in a dancer is if she has good Port de bras... which means carraige of the arms. So I like to keep my hands nice and clean and polished and elegant looking.
But I'm practically mute without my hands, too!! = )

[isabelle]

I didn't get to post on this one... I love to write and dance Kortnie, port do brads, for arebesques I have to use my hand(fist arebesque).

[Anna Solomon]

i like to use my hands to type (haha i'm doing it now) on "Kickin' It"...here's a preview-

Thirteen-year-old Zoey Davis wasn’t sure what to expect when her Dad moved her family to Wilmington, South Carolina. It starts out okay—she makes friends with her next door neighbor, Brock, and two girls at school, Claire and Summer. She even meets her first crush! But two people seem to be holding her back in soccer…and in life: Victoria the Vicious and her overprotective Dad. He still wants her to be his little girl, and he isn’t ready to let her go. Hiding an abused German Shepherd from him puts what trust she does have in jeopardy, but Zoey still wants to prove she’s dependable. After she gets accused of graffiti-ing the locker room, he puts her on groundation from everything—even soccer tryouts. Is Victoria guilty of spray-painting the locker room? Will Zoey ever earn her Dad’s trust? And who can she trust through it all?