You can tell a lot about a person's health by looking at their nails. Finger nail beds can indicate your level of hydration, while brittleness and discoloration signifies nutritional deficiencies or nail trauma. But even after you've gotten over that, your nails can still look haggard for up to eight weeks until they've completely grown out again. Treat them well in the mean time with nail tools, which can keep them neat and healthy looking.
Clip and Trim
A nail clipper is the most essential nail care tool and its only job is to keep your nails at a comfortable length. There are nail clippers of different sizes to accommodate those with larger hands and thicker nails. There are nail trimmers that cut from the side rather than front, allowing you to cut precisely along the tip of the nail. You can also use nail clippers that are encased in handles or plastic for a better grip.
Cuticle trimmers are another tool you can use. Remove hang nails, trim a jagged nail tip or simply trim your cuticles with them. Resembling small, curve-tipped scissors, they can be used in conjunction with cuticle pushers or orange board, which push the dead skin of the cuticle up for easier trimming.
Brush and Buff
Another basic nail tool is the nail brush. Look for brushes with at least two kinds of bristles; short, sturdy ones to get under your nails and long, soft ones to give the surface of your nails a nice buffing. Nail buffers and grits can also smooth and shine the nail surface. Nail files and emery boards can also be used to even out the tip of the nail, in length and texture.
More advanced tools include nail dryers and manicure kits, which contain all of the above plus toe separators and clear nail polish. If you are removing artificial nails, you may need an acrylic clipper.
