The BIg Apple Top to Toe

Stop a Nail Biting Habit with Proper Natural Nail Care

The first thing we can all do in having good-looking hands is to keep them
clean by washing regularly. It’s amazing how many people (guys especially, but some women and girls too) walk around with grubby non manicured finger nails. Get a nail brush and put it by the sink, so it’s convenient whenever you wash your hands. An added plus of a nail brushing your fingers is the way it feels: those soft bristles and the luxurious soapy lather take your hands on a daily very mini spa vacation. Always follow up with a nice hand cream or lotion to keep your hands moisturized

Stop nail biting. Break your toddler or child's habit early.

Beautiful hands and nail care start with basics, and not having raggy, bleeding cuticles is a primary step in having presentable hands. Granted, one of the hardest habits to break is to stop fingernail biting, but it’s also one of the more disfiguring things that can happen to a hand. We all know someone who bites their nails to the quick, then starts on those ragged cuticles. Nail-biting usually starts in early childhood as a toddler with some people never outgrowing it, while others only revert to nail-biting in times of stress.

A finger nail biting cure that helped remedy 18 year old girl's problem from when she was a child.

I know a New York woman who stopped biting her nails when she was eighteen, because she wanted to be a flight attendant, and she had read in one of those “How to Be a Flight Attendant” guides, that bitten nails would keep her from being accepted into “Smile School”. (It was a long time ago, when airlines also had age limitations for stewardesses.) I admired her greatly as she stopped through sheer willpower.

At first, she went retro and wore gloves a lot. She also started carrying a nail file in her purse so that when a nail got split or roughened, she could take care of it on the spot. She wore gloves because taking off a glove to bite a nail is a great way to make yourself pause and consider, and then stop the behavior before it starts. She never did become a flight attendant, but she did have her hands photographed for a newspaper ad for the Chicago manicure and nail salon that she frequented and once more a few years later for a Los Angeles nail care and manicure salon.

Nail care and nail biting products

There are some products on the market to stop nail-biting, super-hot or bitter things to paint on your nails. I've heard some nail-biters say that the nasty taste didn't stop them, but they must work for some people.

Bad Hair Cut Help

If it hasn't happened already, sooner or later it will. The dreaded "bad hair cut" goes beyond a "bad hair day." It can change the way you feel about yourself and undermine your self esteem for months. It's no secret, women are picky about their hair. It's hard enough to get a good style, but with a bad hair cut, it's almost impossible.

First of all, don't panic! If misery loves company, you've got plenty. The bad hair cut happens to everybody at some time or another and it may help just knowing you're not alone. Here's some advice to get you through the tough times and help you feel better.

Contact Your Stylist

You need to tell your stylist that you're not satisfied with your cut. It's possible you won't realize it's a bad cut until you're home. If that's the case, give your stylist a call and tell him or her why you're not satisfied. If there's some hair to work with, make another appointment and have it corrected. If not, it's better just let it grow (and it will) because you don't need to make it worse.

If this is a new stylist and you won't trust him or her again, get a referral, go back to a trusted one, or try a new one to get help for your bad hair cut. There's no reason to have someone cutting your hair again if they've caused you so much grief to begin with.

If this was a trusted stylist who botched your hair, it's better to forgive and allow them to make amends. Nobody is perfect, and it may just have been a bad day for them or simple miscommunication. While this is little relief, they'll try their best to make it right.

Some Consolation

Now for some bad hair cut help. For your emotional stability, you need to remember that hair grows about 1/2" a month and it's probably not going to take near as long as you think to grow out to a stage where it's acceptable. Trust me, this is the only time you will appreciate dark roots because that indicates your hair is growing!

Give it some time. If you're one of the few lucky ones, you may decide the cut wasn't bad after all and you may even you like it. If that's not the case...

Growing out a bad hair cut is awkward but there are ways to minimize your discomfort. If the hat fits, wear it. Some people look great in hats and already have some. Ok, so that may not be what you had in mind...

Add Some Style

Try adding some body to straight hair with Velcro rollers or a curling iron. Adding some waves and curls will help disguise any blunt cuts. If your hair is wavy or kinky, straighten it out to give it some length. Don't be stuck in a rut. Now that you have a different hair cut (like it or not,) you need to do damage control with some new hair styles.

Use Hair Accessories

There are so many hair accessories on the market today, a rotten hair cut is a good excuse to try them out. If you hair's long enough, pull it back and leave a few strands around your face to give the illusion of longer hair.

Use the new style barrettes, hair pins, spikes, and butterfly combs to pull back your hair in problem areas only. Headbands come in so many styles and colors you're bound to find some you like. Plastic, jeweled and beaded, you can't go wrong. Think of it this way, you may be noticed for the best multiple innovative hair styles in the upcoming months!

If your bangs are too short, blow dry them straight down and sweep to the side. Then secure them back with a hair clip or bobby pin.

Add Hair Extensions

You can find clip on synthetic pony tails, braids (plaits) and straight hair extensions in department and discount stores everywhere. If you can match the color, you're in luck. You'll have an instant ponytail or braid for a feminine look.

Loose line extensions are more complicated and you're going to need a professional to put them in. You can choose synthetic or human hair. Human hair is costly but gives you a more natural look. Since the price tag for extensions is higher than other fixes, you need to decide it your bad haircut is really THAT bad. They require special maintenance and if you like things simple, this is not for you.

Do-it-yourself hair extensions are in longer lines and come with directions for you to put them in yourself. These are handy but it's a good idea to have someone help you clip them in.

Whatever bad haircut fix you decide on, remember, it's only a matter of time before you're back to your normal self and this will only be a bad memory.