The time and money women spend on manicures may seem like an indulgence to some, but it is actually a simple and powerful way to invest in her confidence. Whether it is time or money that she spends, her Return On Investment produces a high level of confidence which gives her more energy and enthusiasm.
Women skilled at painting their own nails may choose time as their expenditure over money. If this is you, figure out how long it takes you to do a proper manicure (be sure to factor in drying time) and then purposefully invest your time. This may mean making yourself an appointment as if you were going to the spa. Normally nail polish lasts about 3 days if you do it yourself, but it should only take you half an hour to re-polish. (You might want to invest some money into a quick drying top coat so that your thirty minutes isn’t wasted by smudges.) If you learn a few tricks of the trade, you may even be able to make it last a whole week like the professional’s does. Whatever you do, if your polish starts chipping be sure to take five minutes and remove it right away or your investment will crash!
If you do not have the gift of (or eyes for) petite painting, you may want to spend the money for the professional service. When making this investment, though, you want to be sure to ask for the right color, shape and style manicure so that your hands represent you well.
Naturals: choose neutral colors or French manicures–or skip the polish completely. The formality of most colors competes with your casual nature. It is important that your nails are neat and smooth, which you may be able to do this yourself; just be sure you do. Your nails should be minimal in length. If your cuticle line is slightly square, file the free-edge of your nail square as well. If your cuticle is rounded, file your nails rounded.
Ingénues: be careful with your polish choices, too. Your delicate beauty should not wear anything overpowering (like a bold color). Keep your manicures sweet, simple (not too long, rounded edges) and soft (French manicures or soft pinks/peaches). Never let them get rough or ragged as this contradicts with your gentle nature.
Classics and Romantics: keep your manicures simple (not too long, rounded edges) as well, but don’t hold back on the polish, just be sure the colors you chose are within your seasonal palette. French manicures or a colorless gloss are also a great option for you. Finished nails are an important part of looking professional, which is especially important to the refined or glamorous beauty. If you do not have the skills to paint your nails with excellence, you may want to invest in a little spa time.
Dramatics and Gamines don’t necessarily need coaxing to get to the spa. If you are a exotic or bold beauty, you may be more apt to over-invest. Consider getting false nails because they tend to hold the polish and look great for a whole week or two. The time and money you spend on this service will give you 7-14 days of beautiful hands. Not a bad deal. You can carry off square edges, crazy nail art and strong colors (unless you have soft coloring). Gamines should keep their length short to medium; Dramatics do well with theirs fashionably long.
If you don’t know which style of beauty you are, be sure to take my Image Identity (Img.ID) quiz on my website,
To take my Image Assessment Quiz, click here.
or contact me for an individual or group Supreme Makeover image assessment.
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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their confidence conflicts; it is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Losing our Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available in book stores this spring. All of these books are available now at www.CatrinaWelch.com
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