“May I see your ring?” If you thought a lot of people asked this question during your engagement period, just wait until the wedding day. As friends and family celebrate with you, they’ll give your hands newfound attention.
To ensure you can confidently display your wedding band, take time to prepare your hands and fingernails for your wedding day. Whether you’re a no-fuss, natural bride or a glam girl, these bridal beauty tips will prepare your hands for your Baltimore wedding day and keep your fingernails looking fine throughout your engagement as well.
No more biting.
For many brides, nail-biting stems from nerves or stress, which are intensified with wedding planning deadlines and decisions. But it only takes 21 days to break a habit. Stay strong and persevere. When you feel the need to bite, try holding something to keep your hands occupied. If necessary, you can also try specific nail polishes that produce bitter tastes. After a few tastes of this nasty stuff, you’ll want to keep your fingers as far as possible from your mouth.
Start your hand care early to give you a beautiful, bridal-worthy appearance.
Buy a base coat.
Several months before your wedding, begin to wear a nail base coat. This clear-colored coat has nail nutrients and fortifiers. With routine use, once-brittle nails will grow strong and healthy. Also, always use a base coat when you wear polish to protect your nails from gaining an unhealthy yellow tinge.
Wear rubber gloves.
Avoid exposing your nails to harsh chemicals. Buy a pair of rubber gloves, and wear these every time you clean your home. When you do the dishes or scrub the bathroom, slip on your gloves to protect your hands’ skin and fingernails.
Use hand cream nightly.
Moisturize your hands every night. Rather than use your everyday lotion, purchase a hand cream. Its special ingredients will target cuticles, knuckles, and sensitive skin areas that are prone to dry and crack. If you feel like pampering yourself, consider cuticle balms, emollient creams, exfoliating scrubs, or therapeutic gloves to intensify the moisturizing experience
Begin routine manicures.
Begin a weekly manicure regimen. You can do it yourself or visit a salon. A typical, basic manicure includes these steps: use an exfoliating scrub; massage lotion into your hands; trim hangnails (do not wholly remove your cuticles); and cut, file buff, and shape your nails. This treatment will gradually improve your nails’ health.
Choose a polish color.
To complete your manicure, add a base coat and experiment with polishes to find your ideal wedding shade. Many brides have chosen these colors: clear, pale pink, red wine, soft gold, rich plum, or the classic French manicure. If you generally prefer bright polish colors, then go wild on your toes. But let your fingernails be matte and muted to avoid being the eye-drawing focal point of your wedding photographs.
Visit a salon one day before your wedding.
Go to a Baltimore beauty salon for nail care one day before your wedding. This will give your nail polish ample amount of time to dry before you need to move to the next wedding week task. Even better, you can enjoy the calm atmosphere and your nails will look beautiful for the rehearsal dinner.
Let your wedding guests look.
Just as you’ve prepared for so many additional wedding details, take time to prepare your hands. You’ll feel subtly sexy and confident as your hands fit softly into your groom’s grasp, especially throughout the vows. Let the cameras flash as your groom places the wedding band upon your ring finger, and let the guests gawk right along with you. Then with your beautifully manicured hand displaying a beautiful wedding band, you’ll never be shy when wedding guests gladly ask, “May I see your ring?”
Author: Allyson Siwajian © 2011
Photograph: Vanna Nguyen © 2010