It is Good to Have Large Breasts – Here’s Why

In today’s busy world, women still find time to analyze and criticize their bodies at every chance they get. The shape of one’s nose, the condition of their skin, and the size of their breasts are all things that women seem to obsess over, and for good reason – appearance, in many ways, truly IS everything.
As nice a thought as liking people for “who they are” may sound, fact of the matter is that no one is giving that dowdy, poorly dressed fellow on the corner who is emitting an unpleasant smell a second look (apart from perhaps a look of disgust or shock). A well dressed, well put together man or woman, however, will certainly cause heads to turn and take notice. Large breasts on a woman have that very same affect.
A woman’s breasts have become one of the most, if not THE most, obsessed about body part that exists today. Looking at the amount of women in the United States who undergo breast augmentation and enhancement surgery today is also an indication of how important it is to have full, shapely breasts. Many women have reported that if they have any size of breast that is not at least a C cup, they feel insecure. Insecurity is something that almost anyone can feel radiating from you, just as you can tell when a person is feeling confident and happy. Larger breasts often offer women that very confidence with little effort on their part.
Confidence goes a long way in getting you to where you want to be in life. Confidence allows you to plan and follow through with goals, impress others, and most importantly impress yourself! Without confidence, you could very well spend the rest of your days hiding out in a corner because you feel trapped and caged by some unknown force (for smaller chested women, this may be their breasts). Knowing that you look good and are “attractive” to both people of the same and opposite sex goes a long way in exuding this confidence and helping you get ahead to where you want to be in life.
Women who have smaller breasts may also become preoccupied with the “problem”. Smaller breasted women often feel inferior and go to great lengths plotting out ways to enhance the size of their breasts either through padding, specialty bras, or even creams and lotions that are available on the market. Large breasted women are free of this problem and can focus on other issues instead.
The fortunate thing is that almost any woman can have larger breasts by either using padding material, or going for breast augmentation surgery. Women will opt for this surgery for a number of reasons, such as:

• To have a more “proportioned” appearance
• To regain the former appearance of their breasts that have reduced in size due to pregnancy
• To reshape and boost the bust of women who have undergone breast surgery
• To create a balance of size and shape between the two breasts

If you are thinking about ways to enlarge the size of your breasts, check out many of the several options that are available to you out there before making a decision.

Tips On How To Give Yourself a Natural Face Lift

We may gain more wisdom as we age, but we certainly don’t like it when that “wisdom” and age shows on our face. The fine lines, the sagging skin, the wrinkles that appear at the outer corners of our eyes… these are all typical signs of aging that we all must contend with as our body grows older and older, year after year.
You hate the signs of aging, but you can’t justify going under the knife just to gain 10 years. Such procedures are dangerous and incredibly expensive, which is why it’s good that there are natural ways in which you can give your face that natural “face lift” that you have always wanted. The best way to achieve this is to start with putting your face through a “fitness” routine. Just as you exercise the other muscles on your body, you too must exercise the facial muscles to help keep the skin taut and elastic.
Failing to exercise our facial muscles only leads to them drooping and the skin thinning as the years carry on. The other benefit to doing facial exercises is that you are increasing the circulation of the blood in your face, meaning that more oxygen and more nutrients are being delivered to the tissues and cells in the facial skin and muscles.
You can start a facial fitness regime any where and at any time, though most women will opt to do it in the privacy of their own home as they may look a tad silly doing these exercises in public. Let’s start from the top of the face down:
The Forehead: Take your fingers and place them just above your eyebrow. With your fingers, pull the skin down. Now try to raise your eyebrows against the pressure that you are applying with your fingers. Repeat this ten times. This will help smooth out any wrinkles that may be on your forehead.
The Eyelids: Take your thumbs and place them at the corners of your two eyes. Now shut your eyes tightly, and then pull the skin upwards towards the forehead. Repeat this process ten times, and you should be finding that your crows’ feet are far less noticeable.
To try and manage sagging eyelids, take your index fingers and hold them close to the brow bone. Now raise your eyebrows. While you’re raising your eyebrows, try to close your eyes. Repeat this step ten times.
The Cheeks: The best way to give your cheeks a good work out is to start by forming an “o” shape with your lips. Now try to push them forward as quickly as you possibly can. Release the “o” shape, and then smile as large as you possibly can. Follow this routine ten times and rest.
The Lips: To exercise the lips, push your lips outwards in a large and pronounced pout. Alternatively, you can try to suck on your finger as hard as you can. This will help keep those dreaded lip wrinkles at bay. Repeat this step ten times.

The Dangers Behind Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation surgeries have blown up in popularity since the 1990s, with a whole lot of women now walking about on this planet with the breasts that they were not born with. Though breast augmentation surgery has become ever so popular, this doesn’t mean that every woman who is considering having this surgery done should assume that it is safe and relatively harmless. It’s important to recognize that this is still an invasive surgery and that complications can – and do – arise, perhaps more often than you know.

High Risk of Leakage
Think having a leaky implant won’t happen to you? Think again. Over 1/3 of all women will experience a leaking transplant in their first three years of having surgery. Not only will this cause for one breast to look like a deflated balloon, but it can also be very hazardous to your health. There is no insurance for this, so the repairs and pending health consequences are all on you and our pocketbook.
High Risk of Scar Tissue
There is a very high chance that you will develop some scar tissue around the breast, which is also referred to as capsular contracture. In this particular case, the scar tissue will form and tighten around the implant, which then squeezes the implant. This can cause infection and pain, and it requires for the scar tissue to be removed, and oftentimes the breast implant also has to be removed.

High Risk of Hematoma and Seroma
Hematoma and seroma refers to the collection of the water-based portion of blood that is within the blood tissue. If you do develop a hematoma or seroma, you may develop an infection and capsular contracture as mentioned above. Though these can be treated without having invasive surgery, if the problem persists or becomes large enough then the hematomas and seromas will need to be drained out so that they may heal.
Reduced Sensation
If you have breast augmentation done, you can expect to have both reduced nipple and reduced breast sensation (though there are occurrences when the sensations are increased). This can be either temporary or permanent, but there is usually some form of permanent reduced sensation associated with breast implants.
Increased Pain
Immediately after the surgery there is a level of pain that is to be expected. If you do continue to have this pain for a prolonged period of time, however, then you may need to have your breast re-adjusted. The size of the breast implant may be incorrect, or the placement may be incorrect. If you are experiencing a significant amount of pain, you should make an appointment with your plastic surgeon for a consultation.

Breast Asymmetry
It’s not so uncommon for breasts with implants to become asymmetrical. One may hang lower than the other, or the nipples may be noticeably uneven. In such an event, you will need to undergo further surgery to fix up your breast augmentation.

Breast Tissue Atrophy and Chest Wall Deformity
The pressure of the breast implant can cause a lot of health problems for you. This can result in the breast tissue to actually become very thin and to shrink around the implant, and can occur either while the implant is in place, or even after it has been removed.

Best Makeup Colors For Your Eyes

It said that the eyes are the window to one’s soul. In order to enhance their beauty, you should know what makeup will create a harmonius contrast with the color of your eyes. If you are not sure what colors work best for your eye makeup, check out a few basic tips on finding the most flattering color palette.

Whenever applying makeup you should never forget that light colors brighten and make eyes appear bigger, while dark colors frame and define. Also, if you want to place emphasis on your eyes, always keep the rest of your makeup more natural choosing neutral shades for the lips and cheekbones.

Black works for every eye color, as well as khaki and navy blue that are used to boost the color of the iris. These shades will create a dark frame that will bring out both the white of the eyes and the lighter color flecks of the iris, creating a universally flattering contrast on all eye colors and skin types.

Brown eyes are better emphasized by shades of green and blue, but also bronze, gray and dark violet. Your hues are: blue and brown, plum, vanilla, shades of purple and violet. A soft smokey eyes makeup using tones of bronze, brown and pinks will make your eyes pop.

For subtle daytime makeup looks choose lighter shades such as light pinks, peach, taupe or brown that will open up and bring luminosity to your eyes. Finish off the look with a soft brown eyeliner and a brown/clear mascara. For more drama, darker eyeshadows and glittery eyeliners in silver, gold or purple would be the best choice.

A brown eyeliner makes Olivia Wilde's blue-grey eyes really pop.

To bring out the best from your brown colored iris, avoid turquoise and blue-green tones. Instead, go for matte sky- or navy-blues. Vibrant, deep blues will enhance the golden flecks found in the pigmentation of your iris. Avoid all black smokey eyes and soften up dark makeup using browns, plum tones or charcoal. For smokey eyes use gray eyeshadows.

To bring out green colored eyes, shades of brown, plums, lilac or dark greens work beautifully. Taupe or gold is a good choice for evening makeup for green eyes. Blues, some tones of pink, white and silver won’t do anything in particular for green eyes. Jet black eyeliners are universally flattering on all irises, but for green eyes warm colors, such as brown, gold, bronze, plum or dark gray can be a great alternative to black liner.

Hazel eyes are a combination of brown and green with golden or even blue flecks scattered in the iris. Hazel eyes seem to change their color influenced by the different colors placed next to them. There are many makeup colors suitable for hazel eyes, but it really depends on which colors you want to bring out from the eyes themselves. To enhance the browns, use colors suitable for brown irises, and bring out the green use the color palette for green eyes.

Blue eyes don’t need any artificial means to emphasize their beauty, but the best choices is various shades derived from the color orange. Blue eyes are best brought out also using shades that come in contrast with your eye color such dark browns, gray, taupe, charcoal, pink, violet, lilac, silver or gold. Be bold and choose yellow in order to really brighten up the eyes.

Avoid using blue eyeshadows unless they’re dark; same applies when choosing eyeliner shades. Tones of charcoal, dark green, brown or dark blue are the best options for pretty blue eyes.

It said that black eyes are rare and are often taken for dark brown eyes. If you have black eyes, you are the luckiest girl ever as you can play with pretty much the whole color spectrum. Feel free to experiment with soft pinks during the day and bold and bright looks in the evening. Enhance your black eyes using dark colors such as navy-blue, dark gray, dark mauve or black. Still, if you are not into dark eyeshadow colors, you can choose any shade you like as the chromatics of the iris, eyelashes and eyebrows allows you to.

If black eyes are rare, gray eyes are exceptions. Make gray eyes pop by wearing dark gray, charcoal and silver eyeshadows. For more youthful eye makeup opt for blue, turquoise, pink or lilac. 

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The Best Do It Yourself Makeup and Beauty Tips

 

We are all so used to running to the drugstore or the department store when ever we need a new cosmetic or beauty product, but a lot of beauty items that we would willingly pay tons of cash for can actually be made right in our own home, and for far less of a cost. Whether you are looking for a new and more natural beauty treatment, or you are looking to save a few bucks, try out some of these tips below:
Your Own Bronzer
Nothing beats that sun-kissed look! You can make your very own bronzer by keeping an old makeup compact and cleaning it out. Get rid of any of the excess powder, and then refill the container with a combination of sugar, cinnamon and essential oils (add as much cinnamon as required to reach the “bronze” shade you require). It looks great, and it smells great too!

Your Own Shaving Cream
Skip those chemical-laden shaving creams and try out some sunflower oil and glycerin homemade shaving cream! Heat up the sunflower oil and then melt the glycerin soap into the oil. Not only will you get a close and nick-free shave, but you will be getting rid of those synthetic chemicals that come with the commercialized products.

Your Own Beauty Mask
If you’re not a fan of going through ten different ingredients to create a “do it yourself” beauty mask, here’s one that’s easy for everyone: expired yogurt. If you have yogurt that has been sitting in the fridge and is only about a week past its expiration date, mix it up with a bit of cucumber and honey, or until you have a thick – not runny – consistency, ad apply it to your face. Leave it on for 15 minutes or so and the rinse off. Your skin will be cleaner, smoother, and definitely more refreshed.
Your Own Foot Scrub
It’s never too soon to try and get those smooth, sexy feet that you are dying to show off in a pair of sandals. You will need a few ingredients for this scrub:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup of canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon ground coffee beans
• 1 tablespoon of almond, olive or jojoba oil
• ½ lemon, squeezed for juice

To make this scrub, simply combine all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Then, take the mixture and scrub at your feet, paying particular attention to your heels, the balls of your feet, and any where else where you may have thicker, tougher or calloused skin. If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for a week or so.

Your Own Tinted Lipgloss
One of my favorite “do it yourself” projects is making tinted lipgloss. All you need to start this project is beet juice and olive oil – that’s right, you do not need to use petroleum jelly or any other questionable materials that may not be safe or natural. Simply mix the two ingredients together until you have the shade or color you would like, and apply it to your lips.

Get Sun Kissed – Safely!

 

We have all heard about just how damaging UV rays are for our skin and for our health. Not only does the sun cause our skin to freckle and burn, but it can also cause more serious problems for us such as speeding up the aging, or UV rays can cause skin cancer. These are all great reasons why women have foregone lying out on the beach for endless hours, and why many have also decided to stop visiting the tanning salon.
So you don’t want to be pale, but you don’t want to put your health in jeopardy. What can you do? You can choose to get sun kissed by using a bronzer on your skin. Not sure how to do it? Not a problem. Follow these easy steps below and you will look like a golden goddess in no time.
Choose the Right Bronzer
Your search for a healthy glow comes from finding the right bronzing product first. One mistake that a lot of people make is that they choose a bronzer that is far too dark for their skin tone. You do not want to make this mistake. The bronzer that you choose should be within 2 shades darker than your current skin tone, otherwise you will look unnaturally dark or possibly risk looking “orange”.
As a general rule, those with a fair skin tone should choose a honey-colored bronzer. Anyone with medium skin tones should choose a rosier bronzer or a golden toned bronzer, and those with dark complexions should focus on amber bronzers or tawny bronzers. Just to add a few other rules, bear in mind that women with brown hair should try to find a more orange-toned bronzer whereas blondes should choose a pink-toned bronzing product.
Prepare your Skin
Before you put on the bronzer, you will need to properly prepare your skin. This means that the skin should be lightly exfoliated while in the shower or while you are washing your face, and then a moisturizer needs to be applied afterwards. Do not apply the bronzer to your skin prior to allowing the moisturizer to dry.
Applying the Bronzer
When applying bronzer, it’s important that you choose the right brush to do it with. You will want to choose a brush that is wide and fluffy and that has a rounded top. A blush brush always does the trick well.
Take the brush and swirl it in the bronzer. You only want to get a little onto the brush. Tap off any excess that there may be, or rub the brush off on a tissue, and then look at your face in the mirror. Think about where the sun naturally hits your face first and where you would develop a tan.
Pick up your brush and, using light strokes, apply the bronzer to the top of your forehead, down your nose, and right along the top of your cheekbones. A dab of bronzer on the chin, chest, and neck may also add a nice warm glow.

10 Beauty Secrets Every Teen Should Know / Part 2

"No, I'm not! I'm not a tomboy! I love my makeup! That's not true! I'm not a tomboy!" -- Hilary Duff, Academy Award-winning actress There's nothing worse than getting advice from older people, we know, we know, but the truth is some advice is worth taking and keeping, especially when it comes to fun beauty tips. We've been reading fashion magazines and testing beauty products for years. In this time, we've read 1000s of beauty tips, tried 1000s of products, but only a few are worth keeping around. So, here we share with you the 10 things we wish we knew when we were teenagers.

Justin Bierber Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor

11. When can you skip sunscreen ? Never Here's a trick we wish we knew: The first beauty product you should apply every day is sunscreen, even if it's cloudy or rainy outside. Why? Good habits start young and if you use sunscreen now, you'll have gorgeous skin when you're 50, 60, 70. Remember, the sun's UV rays can penetrate clouds and car windows.

12. Wrapping hair around the barrel creates waves There's nothing cooler than long, layered waves. To get them, wind hair AROUND the barrel of a large curling iron. Reverse direction for each 2-inch section (wind up for one, down for another).

13. Self-tanner will always stink Unfortunately, even the best ones smell. Your best bet is to apply self-tanner a good 24 hours before an important event and take a shower (don't loofah) to wash off any smell. For really big events like a dance or wedding, consider a professional spray tan. These are pricey and don't last long, so make sure to do it a day before the big event.

14. Don't let nails go Not into manicures and pedicures? No worries. Just make sure to keep nails clean and the same length. If you do want to paint them, don't keep the polish on until half of it's chipped away. Also, there's nothing worse than too-long toenails. Keep nails clipped between pedicures! People tend to judge others by the care they put into their hands and feet.

15. Don't line the inside of your eyes It will make your eyes appear smaller. Instead, line just at the lash line. Also, an obvious line doesn't look natural. Smudge the line just a bit.

16. Oily hair? Invest in a dry shampoo If you have blonde hair, sprinkling a bit of baby powder on your roots and at your crown will soak up excess oils. If you have brown hair, you might be better off with a dry shampoo for your hair color.

17. Shave legs at the end of the shower Cut down on nicks and cuts by making shaving the very last step in your shower or bathing ritual. 

18. Know your best feature and play it up What feature do people comment on most? Play it up. If you're told you have Angelina Jolie lips, make sure to wear gloss and play with bold lipstick colors. If it's your eye color people love, find eyeshadow colors that complement them and make sure to wear mascara. Also, know what color shirts look best on you and go shopping.

19. Scrubs are great for dry skin If you have dry, itchy skin in winter, invest in a scrub and handmitts and scrub away in the bathtub. Make sure to slather on a thick moisturizer afterward. For dry, callousy feet, buy a pumice stone. They work better than any of the other wimpy options on the market.

20. Remember: Beauty is mostly internal Think about a girl you know who's overweight yet all the guys love her. Why? Because she's confident. If you aren't wearing makeup and your toes haven't been repainted in weeks, if you're happy and smiling you will still be 10 times prettier than the mopey cheerleader sitting next to you in class. Trust us (wink).

Beauty Tips and Makeup Tips

beauty tips and secrets, makeup tips

If you have yet to discover the most potent secrets that will enhance your natural beauty, you are not alone. But beauty is an attribute that is difficult to define. No single formula, tips, procedures, or technique yields equally desirable results for everyone. The cosmetic advice offered in fashion magazines, within television segments, or on amateur blogs can therefore prove disappointing. Making yourself more beautiful is a life-changing, personal investment—one that should be made in consultation with professionals.

The "secrets" of beauty tips are not as mysterious as they might seem. In fact, select professionals are eager to share the beauty tips that will help you look your very best. Their mission is to provide information, advice and practical instruction tailored to your needs. Your hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, skin, nails, and lips each get thorough attention.

Experts begin with the basics, by noting any physical conditions that can affect your appearance. Beauty tips consultants then offer advice for addressing common symptoms such as dry skin, thinning hair, brittle nails, chaffing, and chapped lips. Clients are urged to seek medical evaluation if an underlying illness is suspected.

The most important aspect of your beauty tips consultation is the knowledge you gain. Experts do not simply implement techniques. They also provide the practical information that empowers you to feel confident. Your beauty potential continues to grow, long after your appointment ends. You will learn how heat and ultraviolet ray exposure, the use of specific hygienic and cosmetic products, the effects of environmental toxins, and precipitation should influence your beauty decisions.

Rather than offering you just one solution, professional consultants present a variety options, and then encourage you to make the choice with which you are most comfortable. But beauty experts are also hands-on instructors. They do not simply talk about cosmetic care. Once you know what works, and why it works, they teach you the techniques. Education includes not only observing them, but also practicing the tips yourself.

Expert beauty tips consultation services are even more beneficial because they are provided in an exceptionally professional manner. Meet with your personal beauty advisor in a comfortable environment, and enjoy the pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. Your friendly relationship with your advisor will be founded upon respect and understanding. You receive a thorough, individualized consultation during each appointment.

You can depend upon the high-quality of our services. Routine, extensive customer follow-up ensures your ongoing satisfaction. Services are provided promptly and efficiently. We commit to meeting or exceeding your expectations each time you visit.

We are distinguished authorities in the field of beauty advisory. Our expertise is backed by professional certification. Continuing education in cosmetology and health enable us to offer ongoing, optimum service. Our skills training is reinforced by experience, and we have earned our excellent reputation.

When you are ready to discover just how beautiful you truly are, do not be distracted by the latest fads, quick fixes, or expensive products that promise to reveal some magic secret. Instead, make an investment. Go beyond only watching, or listening. Talk with a professional beauty tips advisor. Discover the only important beauty secret — yours.

Reasons For Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation is a bit curious in that it is one of the most popular, but also one of the most commonly misunderstood types of plastic surgery. The popularity, of course, is due in large part to many women’s desire to alter or enhance their breasts for physical and aesthetic reasons, and the misunderstanding stems from a basic social concept that “breast augmentation” always implies that a woman is getting implants.
In fact, however, depending on each individual procedure, the physical difference before and after breast augmentation does not have to reflect enhancement or drastic change, but rather just difference.
There are many different reasons that women look into plastic surgery for their breasts, not all of which are geared toward making them larger. In fact, in most cases proportion and shape are more important to women than simply size.
Breast Reduction Surgery
You may also have heard about breast reduction surgery, which is technically in the same category of plastic surgery as enlargement or augmentation. These procedures are actually very common in women with naturally large breasts who find them uncomfortable, cumbersome, or unattractive. Some of these women even suffer from some physical effects of the weight of their breasts (back problems, for example, are not uncommon, and neck pain and even skin ulcers can also occur), and so this surgery can actually be quite necessary in certain instances.
Doctors can expertly reduce the size of your breasts, resulting in smaller and shapelier breasts that give you a more proportional frame and more comfortable body.

Reconstructive Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation surgeries are also used frequently in a reconstructive way. There are various diseases, most notably breast cancer, that can result in a woman losing some or all of one or both of their breasts, which can clearly leave a lasting physical consequence.
This can often be a large burden on even the emotional and psychological recovery after such a disease, which is why many women in this situation turn to plastic surgery to get small implants, or to get help reshaping their breasts to regain their form from before the ailment.
Regaining breasts that are similar to those you may have had before your illness can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable with yourself, and also making you feel as if you have truly beaten whatever illness you fought.
Breast Enlargement
Of course, enlargement for the sake of enlargement is also still a very popular procedure, and one that is performed thousands of times each year, for a variety of different reasons. Many women still aspire to have larger breasts than they are naturally gifted with. Ultimately, the fact is that modern surgical methods and experienced doctors are now able to alter the body in very subtle but also very effective ways, meaning that the reasons and circumstances for having breast augmentation are expanding rapidly.

Contact a Local Surgeon
If you are considering undergoing a procedure for any of the reasons listed above, simply contact a surgeon in your area and discuss the details – you will likely be on your way to a very effective change in the near future, and one that can help you to be more comfortable with yourself physically and more pleased with yourself aesthetically.
This is a guest post by AboutPlasticSurgery.com. See their before and after breast augmentation photos.

Maintaining Color Treated Hair: Products & Tips

If you’ve recently had a hair color treatment of any kind, you probably want the color to last as long as possible, while also keeping the health of your hair in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, the processes of dying, bleaching, highlighting, lowlighting, removing color and getting a chemical treatment is stressful on hair, and removes a lot of the natural moisture your hair needs to continue being strong and healthy.

So to properly take care of your hair and help the color last longer, you might need to discontinue use of your current shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products, and purchase some that are specifically designed for color or chemical treated hair. In addition to this, here are some other tips that you should keep in mind:

Tips For Lasting Color

1. Before you step into a pool treated with chlorine, wet your hair with spring water to dilute the chemicals.
2. When you’re sitting poolside or on the beach for extended amounts of time, it’s smart to wear a hat to keep the sun from fading your colored hair.
3. After you’ve washed your hair, spray a leave-in conditioner onto tresses. Next use a wide-tooth comb beginning at the ends, and moving up to the root, while working the tangles out as you go.
4. When you’re using a towel to dry your hair, avoid rubbing it vigorously; instead, use a blotting motion to squeeze the moisture out gently. Don’t twist your hair into a towel turban with extremely wet hair so as to avoid breaking fragile strands.
5. If you have to use a blow dryer, it’s important not to over-dry your hair. A better idea is to spray your hair with heat protecting spray before using the blow dryer. Next, dry your hair while leaving a little moisture; this will prevent static in your hair.
6. When you’re styling hair that has been dyed, it is important not to be aggressive with blow dryers or other heat tools.
7. If you’ve already colored your hair, do not use hair lighteners or lemon juice in your hair. You risk severely damaging your hair if you do so.
8. When you’re applying conditioner, you should only apply it to the tips of your hair because the roots are oftentimes oily.

Make Your Manicure Last

Wish your polish could outlast a few shampoos, keystrokes, or simple chores? Make it stick with these 11 tricks.

1. Never push back dry cuticles. Doing so can crack polish at the base, which leads to chipping, says New York City celebrity nail pro Deborah Lippmann, who offers tips like this in her master class, held at upscale department stores. But if you're about to change your polish, you don't want any cuticle skin on the nail's surface (it can interfere with your base coat) — so loosen ragged edges by rubbing in a softening cream. Then gently nudge cuticles back with an orangewood stick.
2. Don't soak fingertips. There's no real reason to do so (at salons, it's just part of the pampering), and, says Tom Bachick, executive vice president of the Young Nails Company, it can actually have a negative effect: When you soak your nails, they absorb water, which temporarily puffs them up — but they revert to their normal shape when the water evaporates. This expansion and contraction is the top cause of chipping, peeling, and cracking of polish, says Bachick
3. Get the surface clean, clean, clean. Any traces of moisture, dust, or leftover enamel will get in the way of new-polish adhesion. To pave the way for true staying power, drizzle an old toothbrush with hand soap; then use it to "get into the corners and under nail tips, where oil — the great enemy — may be hiding," suggests Jan Arnold, cofounder of Creative Nail Design. (Steer clear of lanolin-based soaps, which interfere with adhesion.) Then swipe on an acetone polish remover to temporarily dehydrate the nail plate.
4. Shape up. "To maximize nail strength, tips should be rounded and corners left somewhat square," says Robyn Gmyrek, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University, in New York City. Filing is healthier than clipping, which can crack the nail plate. Use a fine-grit nail file and work in one direction. "Filing back and forth with an abrasive board will cause the nail's delicate keratin layers to peel away from each other," says Elsbeth Schuetz, international educator for Orly.
5. Apply a base coat (no, it's not just a marketing ploy). Not only does a bottom layer give lacquer something to latch on to, says chemist Doug Schoon, vice president of research and development for Creative Nail Design, but studies show that a base coat sticks to nails better than polish does. For uneven nail surfaces, choose a base that also smooths out roughness.
6. Once lacquer is on, seal it with a slow-setting topcoat. Quick-dry kinds are certainly appealing, but they evaporate so fast, they leave polish soft, mushy, and prone to denting. A slower-acting topcoat leaves a harder, more protective finish. To speed things up without sacrificing protection, use a drying oil or spray over your topcoat.
7. Make the most of metallics. Sure, light shades make chips less noticeable, but you can get an extra couple of days' wear from a metallic polish, says Schoon. One theory on why this works: Small iridescent flecks thicken enamel, so it forms a stronger film as it dries — allowing it to outlast creamy opaques (whose high pigment content can block adhesion).
8. Or try Revlon's ColorStay Always On Nail Enamel. This two-step system — which consists of polish and a protective sealant and doesn't require a base coat — promises to resist chips for up to ten days. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute put it to the test while moving office buildings (talk about active conditions). Despite a few complaints about surface scratches, nearly all of the panelists agreed that it was the longest-lasting polish they had ever tried (50 percent got ten days of wear; one person, 14 days). As one tester put it, "This product has revolutionized the nail polish industry."
9. Polish should be applied in three narrow, even strokes — one down the center and one down each side — and then be allowed to dry for two minutes before a second coat is applied. The thicker the layer is, the more difficult it is for the solvent — the liquid agent in enamel — to evaporate, boosting the chances that polish will peel.
10. Practice good maintenance. "Everything you touch wears away your polish," says Lippmann. Every other day, apply a layer of quick-dry topcoat (it's OK to use on already-dry polish) to form a protective shield and increase shine.
11. Give your polish a drink. The more your enamel dries out, the greater the likelihood that it will separate from your nail. Since topcoats don't seal in hydration, apply oil to nails and cuticles before bedtime, and slather on a thick hand cream twice a day.