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While many people may look at manicures as being indulgent, they can be a great way to revitalise your nails and restore their strength. If you work with your hands, whether on the job or at home, your hands and nails can take a beating and your nails can become dry and brittle and easily break. Along with helping to restore your nails’ vitality, having a manicure can also be relaxing.
What Is a Manicure?
A manicure is much more than having your nails cut and beautified. There are several different types of manicure treatments that will help strengthen your nails, soften your hands and even help reduce your stress as you get one. A manicurist may not only work on your nails to cut the cuticles, clean your nails, then shape and paint them, but they may also massage your hands and arms, which can offer many relaxing benefits.
Types of Manicures
While many people find regular manicures to be relaxing as they soak their fingers to make it easier for the manicurist to work on their nails, there are other types of manicures that involve massaging the hands and arms.
Regular Manicures
During a regular manicure, your fingers and hands are soaked in a solution of water, mild soap and a few drops of lemon juice. This helps to soften the skin and nails so they are easier to trim and shape. Afterwards, before the manicurist applies nail polish, she will use a cream to massage to the nails, hands and arms to help keep the nails and skin soft and restore their texture.
Hot Oil Manicures
People who have dry nails or very dry skin will usually benefit the most from this type of manicure. The manicurist will use a warmed oil to massage into the nails, hands and arms of their customers so it will penetrate the skin. The oil will help soften the skin, nails and cuticles so the nails are easier to trim and shape. This type of treatment will help to reduce premature wrinkling around the hands and arms as well.
Spa Manicures
This is a very indulgent type of manicure designed to not only beautify the nails, but provide you with a relaxing experience. During a spa manicure, different oils and salts are massaged into the skin of the hands, fingernails and arms. Then a hydrating mask is applied to these areas to help soothe and relax you as it helps to provide moisture to your nails and skin.
Luxury Manicures
Some salons may offer luxury manicures to make their customers’ nails and hands look their best, but they also provide a relaxing experience. Part of the process includes a thorough hand massage, a heat treatment, and then the application of paraffin wax. This is followed by massaging hand cream to help soften and moisturise the skin.
Hot Stone Manicures
After the manicurist has prepared the fingernails to be trimmed and shaped, hot stones are applied between the fingers during the hand and arm massage and they wrap the hands and arms in hot steam towels afterwards. Using hot stones promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress and also helps relieve chronic pain because they allow the blood vessels in the fingers and hands to expand. This allows the blood to flow better through your fingers and hands.
Relaxing Hand Massage Techniques
When you book an appointment at London salons offering a manicure, the manicurist may use hand massage techniques like reflexology to help you relax. Reflexology uses reflex points in the hands, feet or head to help relieve tension or treat illness. There are various points in the hands that represent other parts of the body.
For instance, massaging the pinkie fingers is believed to help relieve the shoulders of their stress and working the area between the fingernails and the first thumb knuckle can help with sinus pain and pressure. Depending on the type of manicure you have, the manicurist may be trained in reflexology to help provide an all-around relaxing experience.
A manicurist may use a simple hand massage to help your body to relax before they get started on your nails. A hand massage only takes a few minutes, but it can help your body to achieve better balance because it allows your entire body to destress and relax. Regular hand massages can also reduce chronic pain in many areas of the body and help improve any health conditions you may have.
A Simple Hand Massage
This simple hand massage can be done by a manicurist and you can do it at home to help provide continuing relaxation and other benefits. The massage begins on the right hand by pinching each finger and thumb tip and applying the pressure for a few moments. Then, squeeze the sides of each finger and thumb tip tightly for five to 10 seconds.
The massage should continue by rubbing your fingers and thumbs vigorously from top to bottom and across each digit. You can use the fingertips or palm of your opposite hand to apply the pressure. Next, spread out your fingers and place your palms against each other.
Using the right thumb, massage the left one starting at the top and moving down to the wrist. End the massage of the right hand by pressing the left thumb into the centre of the palm and breathe deeply for a few moments. Then, repeat these steps on the left hand.
Even if your manicurist is not formally trained in reflexology or acupressure, which is a similar discipline, you will get the benefit of a relaxing hand massage before the final touches on your fingernails are made. The simple act of massaging cream or oil into your hands and arms can produce a relaxing effect, and it can also release endorphins that reduce stress and help you feel better overall. When you book a manicure, ask which techniques the salon offers and select one that will help you relax and unwind after a stressful work week.
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