Beauty Culture (Woodbury)/Chapter 4

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Filing Tile Nails.—It is very rarely necessary to use the scissors or the clipper for cutting a nail down to near its desired length. The shock of cutting or clipping tends to thicken the nail itself and render it less beautiful. In extreme cases, where the nails have not been attended to for some time, the clipper may be used, but if the patron is to continue treatment do not use it thereafter.

The nail file is the only proper instrument for trimming the nail. It should be lightly held between the fingers of the right hand on the upper surface of its handle, supported by the thumb beneath.

Before using the file on the nail have the patron place both hands within the bowl of warm water long enough to have the skin and nail soften slightly.

Remove the right hand from the water, and dry it gently with the extra towel placed close by for this purpose. In doing this, do not rub the skin of the hand, but rather press the towel upon the fingers, removing the moisture. Do this, working from the wrist down to the finger tips.

Have the patron rest her arm upon the cushion, then take the index or first finger between your thumb and ​second finger of your left hand, placing your index beneath the patron's to support it, and trim the nail down by filing from the outer sides toward the centre, never from the centre to the corners, because the file is liable to scratch and roughen the delicate skin.

File the nail down to its proper shape and length, remembering the law pertaining to styles peculiar to individual hands.

Do not file the nail too short. It should extend about one thirty-second of an inch beyond the finger tip.

Repeat the filing of each finger in the same manner and then the thumb.

This done, remove the left hand from the water, putting the one just worked on back into it.

File the nails of the left hand in the same manner and rotation as the right, using your best care to make the nails of both hands as near alike and perfect in the shape you have decided on as you can.

This hand finished, the right hand is taken from the water. Move the bowl to the other side of the table, so that the patron can keep her left hand—the one just finished—in the water.

The right hand should now be dried as before described. You will find that the nails and skin have now become quite softened from the second immersion of the hand. The next step is to clean and bleach the nail.

Cleansing the Nails. The hand having been well dried, a small amount of absorbent cotton is wrapped around the sharp end of the orangewood stick and dipped into the water in the bowl, or, better, the bleach.

The swab is then gently rubbed under the free edge of the nail to remove what foreign matter, dirt or stain, it may have retained after the immersion, beginning as before with the index and finishing with the thumb.

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​The manner of holding the stick and the position of the hands of both operator and patron are shown in Figure 19.

In performing this step the operator must be careful not to injure in any way the delicate cuticle or scarf skin below the free end of the nail.

It is good practice also to swab over the entire surface of the nail with the bleach to remove any discoloration there or in the adjacent skin.

Having assured yourself that the nail and underlying tissues are perfectly clean, wipe the finger tips dry with a pledget of absorbent cotton and proceed to smooth the edges of the nails with the emery board.

Use of the Emery Board. Look upon the emery board as a file. It is practically the same thing, but finer and more delicate. It is really a delicate sandpaper process.

Procced as with the file to remove all roughness with the emery board, working from the outer edge toward the centre at all times.

Look carefully to all hangnails, or agnails, as they are called, and if present remove them with the emery board, leaving the entire free edge of the nail regular and smooth.

Before leaving the finger draw the emery board lightly over the upper surface of the edge of the nail, working toward you or in a line with the nail. This smooths or thins down the edge of the nail, thickened somewhat by the filing process.

One or two of such strokes are sufficient to accomplish the desired result.

Take up each finger and the thumb in the order heretofore mentioned.

​Reducing the Cuticle. The next step is to reduce the cuticle at the base of the nail, so as to expose as much as possible the halfmoons.

For this purpose use the flat end of the orange stick and, holding the finger as in filing, gently crowd back upon the finger the cuticle that has grown upward on the lower section of the nail.

Do not use force for this method, as it is easy to injure the delicate skin and to cause pain to the patron, also to make the parts bleed.

If bleeding should result, the mere touch of a styptic pencil of alum or a crystal of alum applied for a moment will stop it.

Repeat the process of loosening the skin of each finger and thumb, then take up the cuticle knife, as shown in Figure 20, and scrape away the loosened skin.

If you find the skin does not come away readily, use the cuticle scissors and cut it away carefully, leaving it free of all rough edges. In doing this do not injure the nail in any way, as it is likely to leave scars and ridges that will take weeks to grow out, and may even cause permanent disfigurement of the nail.

If the cuticle is so plentiful and thick that it cannot be removed satisfactorily at the first sitting, leave it for the next, when a happy result may be obtained.

Treat each finger in like manner; then, taking the left hand out of the water, dry it and repeat the same operation. Then rub a little cold cream upon the nail and upper surface of the finger end.

The right hand should not be placed in the water during this time. The patron may lay it upon the table or rest it in any position desired.

Having finished the left hand in like manner, again take up the right, look over each finger, and with the scis​sors remove all ragged edges of skin, callouses or overgrown scarf skin at the sides of each nail. Repeat this with the left hand.

This motion leaves the fingers about the nails smooth and neat, giving great satisfaction to the patron. Assure yourself of the neatness of your work by rubbing your own index finger tip downward toward the finger of the patron, so that if any free edges of skin have been overlooked they will be roughened up and show. If any, remove them with the scissors.

Having satisfied yourself that nothing thus far has been overlooked, again take up the right hand, rub off the cold cream from the finger tips and nails with the towel, always rubbing toward you or from the base of the nail toward the free edge.

Bleaching the Nails. The next step is again to bleach the nails preparatory to polishing.

While this is not always necessary, since it is the second application of the bleach, it is often found necessary to resort to it in bad cases. It is done simply with a piece of cotton wound upon the flat end of the orange stick dipped into the bleach and wiping thoroughly over the body of each nail of both hands.

It is well to bleach the under side of the free edge of each nail at the same time, as most of the stains will be found there.

The nails of both hands finished, place the right in the bowl of water and, with the nail brush, scrub the finger ends, freeing them of the bleach and other matter. Take the hand out of the water, letting the left take its place.

Dry the right hand thoroughly and proceed as follows:

Polishing the Nails. Having dried the hand with ​ ​firm pressure, as described before, dip the small buffer into the nail powder and, holding the index finger as shown in Figure 21, rub the buffer briskly over the body of the nail in a lateral or side to side direction, never from base to tip.

This operation will usually make the nail matrix tingle and bring the blood forward and color the nail deeply. This is to be desired, since it gives vitality to the parts and improves the nail growth.

Repeat this operation with each finger.

The right hand finished, dry the left and proceed to polish the nails as with the right preparatory to the second polish.

Having buffed the nails of both hands, again place the hands in the bowl of water, and, with the nail brush and a little soap. scrub the finger tip well, working from the base of the nail toward the free edge. This removes the powder from the nail and crevices.

Again dry the hands and, beginning with the right hand, wipe a little nail cream over each nail with the tip of your right index.

Dip the large buffer in the nail powder and again buff or polish each nail from side to side, using a lighter touch, however, than used in the first buffing.

Treat each nail separately and thoroughly until the lustre of the nail is satisfactory.

Having polished all the nails as described, again dip both hands into the water and dry them well.

Then, rubbing a little of the nail powder into the upper part of the palm of your hand, burnish or buff each nail again from side to side, as shown in Figure 22.

Wiping off gently each finger nail with a piece of absorbent cotton concludes the operation.

The manicurist will often be called on to treat abused ​and abnormal nails. The following directions will be of value:

Nail-biting. This very bad habit is due to nervousness. Mothers should look to their children and use every means to prevent this deplorable affliction by painting the finger tips daily with tincture of aloes or wrapping them up with bandages or strips of red flannel.

If the habit has remained to maturity nothing will correct it as much as careful manicuring. If the nails are kept even and somewhat shorter than the usual nail, the patron will not be inclined to bite them.

Bruised Nails. A bruised nail may be prevented from turning black with clotted blood by immersing the finger tip into as hot water as can be borne for at least half an hour.

The finger tip may then be covered with a layer of hot antiphlogistin or a pledget of cotton dipped into hot witch hazel wrapped around the member, allowing to remain on over night.

Either of these applications is removed the next morning, leaving the patron to rest the finger for a day or two to allow it to get back to its normal state.

White Spots. White Spots or Gift Marks may be removed from the nails with the following:

Refined Pitch	½	oz.
Myrrh	½	oz.

Under heat melt the two ingredients and when thoroughly mixed by stirring pour into a jar. Apply to the nails at night and remove each morning with a little olive oil on absorbent cotton.

Fragile Nails. Fragile and brittle nails are due to a lack of lime in the system. Medical treatment should ​be advised; at the same time the following method will help.

Table Salt	30	gr.
Almond Oil	½	oz.
Powdered Resin	30	gr.
Powdered Alum	30	gr.
White Wax	80	gr.

Melt the wax and resin together over a gentle fire, stirring constantly; then add the oil, salt and alum in succession. When thoroughly mixed pour into a porcelain jar and apply to each nail with a piece of cotton and allow to remain on as long as possible. Use at least three times a week, or daily if possible.

Ridged Nails. If the nails are ridged or fluted they should be dipped daily into the same mixture given for the care of fragile nails, and held therein as long as convenient, once each day for a week or two, or until the nails have taken on a normal appearance. Polishing powders should not be used during the time the nails are under treatment.