All our plans, dreams, goals for 2020 have been marred, deferred and cancelled, no thanks to a devastating global pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic comes with catastrophic effects such as the retail apocalypse that has seen several businesses close shop and thousands of people losing their jobs. This is why we need to rally around those that are still standing by supporting and buying local.
If you can’t be with your mom on Mother’s Day because of the lockdown, you can share your love by giving her a Steenberg Spa voucher to enjoy once restrictions have been lifted.
With the current sanitising regulations under quarantine, your hands may be in dire need of extra care with constant washing. Treat yourself or your mom if you are under lockdown together to this rejuvenating hand treatment with these expert tips courtesy of the therapists at Steenberg Spa.
Steps to follow
- Begin by removing all the colour from the nails using the nail varnish remover. Gel polish removal needs extra care – see the instructions below.
- Clean the hands/feet with soap and water.
- Trim the nails, making sure you leave a little extra length for filing into shape, taking care to file in one direction only to avoid breakages. The toe nails are much stronger, however, and can be filed in both directions.
- Using a granular scrub and concentrating on the hard areas of skin and the nail and
- Using a towel or face cloth, while drying the hands and feet, apply pressure to the cuticles and push them back. Move over the cuticle area in circular movements with the towel to remove any dead skin cells. If you have a wooden manicure stick you may also use this to push back the cuticles.
- Massage the oil or moisturiser into the hands or feet, concentrating on the cuticles and areas prone to develop hard skin. Any remaining cream can be used on the elbows or knees.
- Remove any cream or oil from the nails using a cotton disc soaked in warm water. The nails need to be clean and dry before applying any varnish. Watch out for any leftover cotton wool ‘fluff’.
- Apply a base coat to protect the nail from the varnish and any colour stains. It also ensures longer lasting varnish.
- Apply the colour as two thin coats instead of one thick coat to avoid smudging and a longer drying time. Apply up to three thin coats if necessary.
- Finally, apply the top coat to seal in the colour for a lasting finish and for additional shine.
It may take up to 60 minutes for all the layers of the nail varnish to dry completely so sit back and relax with a good book or your favourite movie or series. If you are treating your mom, surprise her with a gentle neck and shoulder massage while you wait for the nails to dry.
The nails will be dry to the touch after 5 to 10 minutes, but the underlying layers will still be wet. For varnish that may have landed on the skin, don’t panic, wait two hours before washing with soap and water. Use a towel to gently rub away the excess varnish and reapply your moisturiser.
How to remove gel polish
To begin you will need the following: cotton wool, tin foil, a rough nail file and acetone (you can source this from your local pharmacy, off the shelf nail varnish removers will take much longer).
Preparation: Cut tin foil into shape, around 5cm x 10cm for each finger. Prepare cotton wool into individual pieces to place on the nails. If you have cotton discs cut them into quarters and split them in half (you will have 8 pieces), 2 cotton wool discs should be enough.
Step one: Remove any shine off the gel using your nail file. This is to break the top coat so that the acetone may reach the gel underneath. Take care not to file too hard and watch out for those cuticles.
Step two: Take one of your quartered cotton wool discs and drench it in acetone. Place this on the nail and wrap one of your tin foil pieces (shiny side inside) tightly around your nail and finger. Repeat until all the nails are covered.
Step three: Depending on the type of gel used, wait 20 to 30 minutes before doing a quick test to see if it may be removed. Remove the tin foil and cotton wool on the first finger that you wrapped. If the gel has started to peel away you may continue removing it all. If not, repeat the above procedure and reapply. Test after 15 minutes.
Step four: Remove excess gel by gently scraping it away with your nail file. If you really feel like spoiling those cuticles, this is the ideal time to use your cuticle pusher or wooden manicure stick.
Step five: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to neutralise the acetone.
Select your gift from a variety of treatments online for the special Mother’s Day offers for that post-lockdown pamper session on www.steenbergfarm.com
