Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-07
Manicuring Hints.

Finger nails should not look like talons
with pointed nails of the Monaghan: nei-
Their should they have the shine of
piece of highly vanished furniture. I,ut
they should be symmetrical in shape
without hangnails. pretty rosy pink in
color and perfectly clean, with the half
moon showing plainly at the base of each.
Too many try to bring out this half
moon by strenuous pushing back of the
cutice with the results of an ugly thick
ening of the flesh and bruised appear
ance anything but attractive. The prop
er method is to first soften the cuticle,
then gently press it back bringing the
flesh by slow degrees off the nail itself
Cutting the Cuticle at Nail Base.
More hands are spoiled by this than al
most any other process; the skin at the
base of the nail is exactly like the sell
wedge edge of a piece of linen or cotton
goods. which. once clipped, will always
ravel. After the thorough softening, fill
ing and polishing there may be shreds of
SKIN noticeable along the base of the nail.
BY clipping from underneath the edge will
not be touched. and SO cannot ravel
NO such toilet article as a "cuticle
knife should be on the list of the wom-
an who wants pretty hands and finger
| nails; the name in itself is repulsive re-
ferrinS to the cutting of the skin. fine
flexible tile. bending easily, with half a
dozen small and very fine emery boards; a
rather stiff nall brush; cake of pure
bland soap; jar of vaseline; one of al
mond meal: one of cold cream: a tiny
bottle of olive oil; a porcelain or ivory
box of nail paste and couple of round
pointed Orange-Wood sticks; these are the
implements for the home manicuring of
the nails. and such an assortment will
| last long time.
To this list pair of curved scissors,
sharp pointed. must be added to clip away
the ugly hang nails that will come where
any sort of use is made of the hands.
The beginning Is to use the file: with 1t
all roughness along the edges of the nails
should be removed and the nails shaped
not pointed, but to follow the outline of
the finger tip itself Then a warm lather
of soap and water should be ready, with
teaspoonful Of glycerin to small bowl
full; each hand should have the nails
soaked for fully ten minutes, dried and
rubbed with vaseline. meanwhile pressing
back the cuticle gently with the nails of
the other hand. Leave this vaseline on
| awhile. soaking and working with the
other nails, and taking time to do it well.
A small toilet pumice may be used where
there are callous spots. and also to make
the finger tips smooth; stains will come
off with a bit of lemon; if very obstinate
apply a very little diluted oxalc acid,
washing it off at once. or it will burn.
This is poison, and should be carefully
kept.
The nails are then ready for a thorough
scrubbing with the brush and clean. warm
suds: rub until every particle of dirt is
cleaned from under each nail; rinse and
dry and rub with all the cold cream that
can be absorbed. Leave this awhile:
scrub with the brush again, rinse. dry and
trim off any particles of loose skin around
the base and sides. The pressing back of
the cuticle at the base can go on all the
time, very gently and easily. In a few
such treatments the half-moons will ap-
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