Gentlemen's Essentials: Manicure and Pedicure

[TstebinsB]

Manicure and Pedicure

Manicures and pedicures among men have gained a surge in popularity over the last decade. However, their histories can be traced as far back as ancient civilizations of Egypt, India, Babylonia, and Rome. More recently, it was commonplace for French nobility of the 18th century to get manicures as a sign of their high place within society. Hence, the designation French manicure. Today's man need not be aristocratic to maintain the level of cleanliness and refinement that manicures and pedicures can provide.

There are many connotations associated with caring of the nails that give some men pause. There are even women who disapprove of their men getting manicures and pedicures at salons or spas. This guide is not meant to persuade you to visit your local day spa, though you are certainly free to do so. This guide is meant to provide you with some structure in how you maintain your fingernails and toenails in the comfort of your own home.

Please Note: If you bite your nails, stop it. Just.. just stop it. OK. Thank you.

Importance

The hand is one of the first places on your body to show signs of aging. There is little that can be done to show immediate improvement on the natural aging process. Fortunately, that doesn't hold true for your nails - the returns are immediate. Your nails are subtle clues as to your attention to detail and selectivity. You cannot practice good hygiene but have dirty, unkempt nails. People do notice. For those of us whose appearance directly affects our ability to do business, it cannot be overlooked. Depending on your line of work and lifestyle, this may not be important. Nevertheless, if you were to attend a formal event, you would have to adjust your appearance accordingly.

The Kit

Tools

Before you can start, you must first have the proper tools. A basic kit will include:

• Nail clippers
• Nail scissors
• Nail file or Emory board

Larger kits can include:

• Cuticle trimmer
• Nail buffer
• Nail brush
• Cuticle pusher or orange stick (Orange stick is a soft tool used for pushing the cuticles back and cleaning under the nails.)

Prices

Prices can be as low as $19.99 to as high as $219.99. A quality stainless steel kit runs for about $50. I wouldn't venture too far below that. The biggest issue that may arise with cheaper kits are that the edges don't stay sharp. Imagine shaving with a dull blade. The same premise follows with a low quality nail kit. If you so desire, you can just buy separate pieces and build a kit one by one.

Brands

Some brands include DOVO, Rubis, Zwilling/J.A. Henckels. I mismatched Seki Edge pieces, a Japanese brand, because their set is lacking but their individual pieces are stellar. One set, however constituted, should last you at least 10 years. These kits aren't shaving soaps - you don't need 20 of them. You probably don't need 20 shaving soaps either but that's for another guide...

Directions

Manicure

1. You have two options to start. If your nails aren't that long, you can use a steel nail file or Emory board to file the nail down. If your nails have been neglected, you may need to use nail clippers or nail scissors to trim them. After which, you will file them down.
   - Slightly round the corners for a basic look.
   - In either case above, the ideal result is a small, white semicircle at the edge of the nail.
2. Soak your fingertips in warm water for a few minutes and dry your hands thoroughly. You may add mild soap to the water.
   - Some people rub cuticle oil/serum into the cuticles and for a few minutes to soften them even further. It's not necessary.
3. Most men like to use a cuticle remover, a chemical, because it's quick. Once it's applied, you use the orange stick to push the cuticle back and simply remove any dead cuticles.
   - Depending on your preferences, you may not like a harsh chemical exposed on your skin.
4. If you pass on the cuticle remover, then use the cuticle trimmer to trim the dead layers off.
5. Some men choose to apply clear polish or enamel to their nails out of preference. Most men do not. There also those that do it for business purposes: dealers at casinos, hand models, and waiters at fine restaurants.
6. Moisturize your hands with whatever lotion or cream you prefer.
7. Use the nail buffer to buff away any scratches or uneveness on the nail's surface.
8. Approx. completion time: 15 min.

Pedicure

Everything from the Manicure section is transferred to the Pedicure section. There is one addendum, however.

• Between #4 and #5, use a foot scrub or pumice stone to remove any dead, callous layers of skin. Continue as directed.
• Approx. completion time: 20 min.

Final Word

The first time is usually the hardest and longest. Once properly manicured and pedicured, most of your time will be spent doing simple maintenance. It takes me 10 minutes at most for each because I skip some steps. I like the basics - cut and clean. As for polish, massage, foot soak, and all the other pampering potentially involved, I'll let you decide.



Sources:
- Linda Rose (http://www.lindarose.com/art-manicure-men.asp)
- Zamberg (http://www.zamberg.com/zb/static/man...ssentials.aspx)
- Ezine (http://ezinearticles.com/?Mens-Manicure-Sets&id=698782)
- Man.Style.com (http://men.style.com/gq/fashion/styleguy/grooming/204)
- Beauty.About.com (http://beauty.about.com/od/perfectna...icure101_5.htm)

[castlecraver]

Please Note: If you bite your nails, stop it. Just.. just stop it. OK. Thank you.

Thanks for the great primer on manicures. I hope to be able to put it to use someday.

I just wanted to point out that your statement above is a bit like telling a smoker to "just stop" smoking or a hardened alcoholic to "just stop" drinking. Although not nearly as harmful to one's health (although thought to be harmful nonetheless), nailbiting involves a powerful psychological addiction/compulsion and can be every bit as difficult to break free from.

I think adding a link to this thread would be appropriate here. I've unfortunately fallen back to my old ways after a couple months of success.

[TstebinsB]

Thanks for the great primer on manicures. I hope to be able to put it to use someday.

I just wanted to point out that your statement above is a bit like telling a smoker to "just stop" smoking or a hardened alcoholic to "just stop" drinking. Although not nearly as harmful to one's health (although thought to be harmful nonetheless), nailbiting involves a powerful psychological addiction/compulsion and can be every bit as difficult to break free from.

I think adding a link to this thread would be appropriate here. I've unfortunately fallen back to my old ways after a couple months of success.

I didn't mean to be taken seriously. It's my reference to this funny skit:

[YOUTUBE]BYLMTvxOaeE[/YOUTUBE]

[toucanlamp]

Cuticle remover? I've never heard of that. So is just pushing them back every once in a while like they say not good?

[TstebinsB]

Cuticle remover? I've never heard of that. So is just pushing them back every once in a while like they say not good?

There's no problem with just pushing them back. The cuticle remover is a chemical option for the impatient.

[TimmyBoston]

What are some good (and reasonable priced) kits for those us who have nothing more than a pair of nail clippers?

Thanks!

[TstebinsB]

What are some good (and reasonable priced) kits for those us who have nothing more than a pair of nail clippers?

Thanks!

I'll try to make a list and let you know.

[SRock]

I've gotten manicures on a few special occasions. The results were good. Not necessarily a bad thing. It's not something I need to do on a regular basis, but for those special occasions its not a bad idea.

[TstebinsB]

I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't found any sets that are reasonably priced. Everything is $80+ and most of them were priced highly because of the case - not the actual equipment. It may be best to go to a beauty supply store or even a large chain (Wal-Mart, Target) and cheaply buy the pieces you want. That way you can decide what kit would suit you best if you were to decide to purchase something more expensive later.

[TstebinsB]

Bath & Body Works is having a sale on some items, including mani/pedi sets. At $6, it's a good buy.

[kongjie]

Speaking of pedicures, one of the things I like to do every now and then is soak my feet in some Johnson's Foot Soap, nice and hot, scrub away with a pumice stone on callouses and dead skin, and after a good long soak trim my nice, soft toenails.

But I've run into the dumbest thing--I used my last (Tupperware?) basin to clean my bike chain and of course it is ruined with grease. And I can't seem to find, in Target, BB & B or other stores, a basin of appropriate size and depth for a foot soak!

I don't want one of those foot spa things with bubbles. Just a nice plastic tub.

[kongjie]

Here I am replying to myself. I've searched on the interwebz for "foot spa" and it brings up precisely the kind of thing I'm not looking for.

Then I realized what the thing is called--it's a "foot basin." You want something that is the right size for your feet and is easy to carry when it has water in it. Unfortunately it doesn't look like there is an online retail source for these. A search turns up lots of Asian wholesale suppliers.

The funny thing is that I figured out what it's called because I remembered it is called a 盆 in Chinese (not my native language). Then I had to look up the Chinese in a dictionary to remember the English. Doh!

[mankini]

I am using a cheap nail clipper but want to step up my game.

Any body use nail scissors to trim their nails?

Do they do a better/worse job than a good clipper?

[TstebinsB]

I am using a cheap nail clipper but want to step up my game.

Any body use nail scissors to trim their nails?

Do they do a better/worse job than a good clipper?

I use them for my cuticles. The skin beyond the nail is sensitive and you can cut yourself badly. I had some trouble with them initially. I've never heard of them being used for the nails though.

[MCsommerreid]

I personally prefer nail scissors of a high quality because they can be sharpened by those (like I) crazy enough to do so. There is a learning curve, but a good sharp tool that cuts instead of snapping provides a much better job without ending up with rough and blunt/flat nails. Flip side to that, however, is that you're more likely to give yourself a slight cut, and the nail region of the fingers are prone to a devilishly painful, but very minor, infection.

The pedicure segment needs a slight addendum: you don't want to round the corners on toe nails, nor cut them for the semi-circle like you might your fingernails. You want to cut toenails much more square to prevent them ingrowing.

[TimmyBoston]

A friend of mine has the best nail file I've ever seen. It is a thin round stone about 2" in diameter by 1/8" thick. He was given it as a gift years ago, has anyone ever seen a file like this? I'm looking for one or one that would perform equally as well.

[SRock]

A friend of mine has the best nail file I've ever seen. It is a thin round stone about 2" in diameter by 1/8" thick. He was given it as a gift years ago, has anyone ever seen a file like this? I'm looking for one or one that would perform equally as well.

Interesting. Something I'll have to be on the look out for. I've never seen a round one before.