Let’s avoid the Coronavirus while keeping our nails looking beautiful and healthy. If you’re anything like me I’ve definitely doubled and tripled the amount I’m washing my hands lately. I live in Seattle so I’m feeling hyper vigilant about it these days. However, with the increase in hand washing I’ve noticed additional wear and tear on my nail polish, nails, and cuticles. So let’s take a look at how you can wash your hands, keep you nails clean, avoid the Coronavirus, and keep those nails classy and sassy.
How to Wash Your Hands
First thing’s first: Wash your hands often and thoroughly. Definitely follow the advice of the health administration in you respective country. I am in the United States of America and therefore I am following the advice of the CDC.- “Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.”
- “Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.”
- “Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.”
- “Rinse hands well under clean, running water.”
- “Dry hands using a clean towel or air dry them.”
When to Wash Your Hands
Second of all, wash your hands often and especially:- after using the restroom
- before, during, and after preparing food
- before eating
- before and after caring for someone who is ill
- after changing diapers
- after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- after touching an animal, animal’s food, or animal’s waste
- after touching garbage
How to Protect your Nails with all the Washing
Alright, so that’s a lot of hand washing. For some of us we think we have washed our hands plenty of times but when its in the forefront of our minds during times of a worldwide health scare it sure seems like we’ve increased our hand washing efforts. So, here’s a few tips for protecting your nails- Carry hand lotion with you. Give your hands a quick dab in-between washes and hand sanitizer rubs.
- Add a couple extra layers of top coat nail polish to protect the surface of your nail designs.
- Rub a moisturizing oil into your cuticles at night right before you go to bed.
- Be extra vigilant about making sure any nail art tools are clean and disinfected in between uses and especially clients. Isopropyl Alcohol is considered effective in killing the virus so any at home tools can be cleaned with this thoroughly and effectively.