Whitening Nails with a Baking Soda Soak

If you're like me and constantly paint your nails, then you probably have moments when your nails get stained with nail polish.  Today I'm having one of those days.  Instead of going to the store and spending money on a nail whitener, I have decided to do it the natural way with baking soda.  First you fill a bowl with warm water and baking soda.  Then you shake baking soda on your nails, soak them in the warm water, and scrub your nails with a nail scrub brush. 

*If you have any cuts on your skin, cover them with vaseline.  This will prevent the baking soda from irritating the cut.*

Make yourself a smoothie!

Want healthy nails and a healthy body? Make yourself a smoothie!! Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of vitamins together for a delicious drink.  I mixed a little bit of water with kale, spinach, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, frozen green grapes, and some flaxseed.  Remember you are what you eat, so treat your body right and it will do the same in return! 

*I try to freeze my own fruit.  If you are going to do this, make sure the fruit you buy is ripe before you freeze it. *

Rejuvenating Coffee Hand Scrub

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon ground coffee
• 1 tablespoon white cane sugar
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Do your hands feel dry and in need of pampering? Want to treat yourself to an affordable spa treatment? All you have to do is go to your pantry and grab some ground coffee, white cane sugar, and extra virgin olive oil.  That's right, these three ingredients will make your hands soft and youthful!  The sugar and coffee exfoliate the skin, while the olive oil conditions.  An added bonus is the caffeine in the coffee. Caffeine stimulates the skin and gives it a fabulous tight glow.  All you do is mix 1 tablespoon ground coffee, 1 tablespoon white cane sugar, and 3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.  If you want the scrub to have more of a conditioning effect, dilute it with the olive oil.  Take a handful of the coffee scrub and rub it through your hands for a minute or two.  While rinsing it off, make sure there's a basket strainer or thick paper towel over your drain so you can throw the used coffee grounds away.    *This scrub is also great for your whole body.*  Once your done using this stimulating coffee hand scrub, you can start prepping  your nails for a colorful manicure!

How to Prep Nails for a Manicure

Supplies 

• Nail clipper                                       
• Nail file
• Nail polish remover                            
• Cuticle cream
• Soap
• Manicure bowl                                                  
• Nail scrub brush
• Orange wood stick/ Cuticle Pusher                            
• Cotton swab

★Directions★

1. Take off any nail polish you have on.
2. Cut and file the nails.  File nails by starting from the corner and moving towards the middle. This will prevent cracks in the the nail plate. 
3. Fill your manicure bowl with warm soapy water.
4. Apply cuticle cream to your cuticles.
5. Soak one hand in the manicure bowl for about 5 minutes.
6. Take your hand out and push back the cuticles with an orange wood stick or a cuticle pusher. 
7. Put your hand back into the manicure bowl and scrub nails with a nail scrub brush.  
8. Repeat steps 5-7 with the other hand.
9. Once your hands are dry, dip a cotton swab in nail polish remover.  
10. Swipe the nail plate quickly with the cotton swab.  *Nail polish remover will take off any excess oil on your nails.  If your nails are too oily, your manicure won't last.*