Natural Beauty Tips for your Hair and Nails

(See video below for hand exercises)

These tips are updated from time to time, so check back once in awhile for new info! Last updated June 6, 2024

Ever since I was 19 years old, I’ve been on a quest to find out what it means to be “natural”. Now that I’m 77 years old, I have to tell you my journey has led me to one conclusion. Being natural for me is being “authentic”.

I’ve found three factors for what it means to be authentic.

One is to remain true to myself… Learning to listen to my inner voice.

The second is to never wear a mask – to take the chance and allow my inner state of being to show on my face and body.

Lastly, I try to always remain in the present, because all falseness enters either from the past or from the future.

This is a process I’ve come to trust. I know when I’m on the right path for myself when I feel happiness, contentment and joy in my life. As I’ve aged, it also meant that I wanted to look my best… even younger than my years, but the process had to be as “natural” as possible.

Even though I’ve been eating whole, organic foods, “watching my weight” and exercising all along, my face, skin and body were all showing the signs of age when I started on this journey 25 years ago.

While I love that my laugh lines showed a lot of laughter in my life, I also found myself “wishing” there was an alternative, more natural way to address these aging issues without doing some kind of physical harm to my body. It seemed that everywhere I looked there were chemicals and surgical procedures that guaranteed to make me look younger – but at what a price! I found myself on a quest to look and feel as young outside as I felt inside. I’d like to share some of my findings with you!

Hands Can Give Away Your Age

One of the most telling signs of aging showed up on my hands! My fingernails were splitting and breaking and having ridges on them and just looking horrible, no matter how much I tried to care for them. I decided I wanted beautiful, strong nails that didn’t need a lot of attention. Here’s what I did:

• Wearing Gloves: Whenever I put my hands in water I always wear rubber, cotton-lined gloves. After just three days of wearing gloves, my hands and nails showed great improvement! I also wear good protective gloves when I garden. I can’t emphasize how important it is to wear gloves, even for washing only one dish! Water weakens nails and dries them out.
• Hand Cream: Nails are ten times more porous than skin, meaning they can easily chap. I apply hand cream after (every time) my hands have been in water. I keep a bottle in my desk at work. Always massage a little cream into the nails, as well. My nails stopped splitting, cracking and peeling at this point, but they still weren’t strong like I wanted. Our Velvet Smooth Body Lotion is also a great hand cream! I'm using it these days!
• TIP: Slather your hands with a good organic/natural moisturizer/hand lotion just before you go to bed and cover them in cotton white socks. If you wish, you can use either Moisturizer Plus or the Hydrating Crème Masque from the CFFormulas™ skin care line.  
• Here’s a new tip from Susan. She suggests using olive oil on your hands and then the socks. Thank you Susan for this tip as it does indeed work very well! Even though there is a controversy about using petroleum products, some people use Vaseline as the moisturizer in the socks and this has also worked well for them. Be sure to rub the cream into your fingernails and onto your wrists, as well. Sleep in these socks. Do this for 5 nights in a row and then go to once a week for a month, plus. This is an inexpensive and effective way to improve the texture of the skin on your hands and nails.
• Home Remedy for smoother-looking hands: (from Mr. Healthy Guru)
• Egg – If you want to improve your skin’s elasticity you can use eggs. Separate the egg whites and mix them with 1 tbsp. of honey. Apply this mixture on your hands with a brush and let it dry. Rinse with some soap and water and that’s it.
• Potato – if you want silky smooth hands you’ll need a potato. Get a medium-sized potato and bake it. Mash it with a fork and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 tbsp. of honey, and milk and mix everything until it’s smooth. Store it in the fridge and apply it 2-3 times a week. Leave the mixture for 15 minutes and wash your hands with soap.
• Rosehip oil– this oil will provide firmness and elasticity to the aging skin, and it will also nourish it. Massage your hands daily with this oil to rejuvenate and relax them.
• NEW: CFF Gua Sha – While we’ve been using the Gua Sha on our face, neck and chest, we also tried it on our hands. Surprise!  We found our hands looking smoother and somehow more flexible since using it on our hands and fingers. Give it a try and see if you also get good results!
• Nail Strengthener and Conditioner: Next I tried these special polishes. The only ones that worked claim they strengthen and condition the nail and are safe for your cuticle. Meanwhile, I’ve also tried to rub in the CFFormulas™ Hydrating Creme Masque as a conditioner and it’s been fabulous in keeping my nails strong and flexible. Within three weeks my nails started to look really pretty. Within four months, I had beautiful nails and this has continued to this day! I use the product every time I use the masque on my face which is almost every day. I also rub in the Moisturizer Plus from the skin care line and my nails are looking great. It’s wonderful having healthy, strong beautiful-looking nails!!
• TIP: One of my clients did an experiment in strengthening her nails.  First she tried this formula:
• Calcium/magnesium
• Vitamin D3
• Zinc
• Boron
• Her nails became very strong and grew out “like crazy”. She then stopped these supplements and her nails eventually broke off and got fragile again. She then tried a cheaper brand of cal/mag and her nails improved only a little bit. Then she tried a soft gel brand of cal/mag and sure enough, her nails are now, once again quite strong, seem thicker and are vastly improved.
• Shape of Your Nail: Now, as your nails grow and become strong, I advise you to let the nail grow out “square-shaped” and rounded on the sides. I wear my nails about 3/8ths of an inch long and this shape is the best one for longevity and in my opinion, beauty, as well. Also, use paper emery boards and file in only one direction, from the sides towards the middle. This prevents a rough edge. You can buff and shine your nails, too!
• Just a Note: While I like to wear nail polish when I go out, I advise you to wear a “stain-stopper” polish under your colored polish. Also, remember, nail polish remover dries the nails out. I suggest you stay away from anything with formaldehyde, acetone or nathacrylate. These “chemicals” can destroy the integrity of the nails. Read labels!

For your information, I have read, fingernails take 6-8 months to grow out fully, thumbnails take 8-12 months, small toenails take 12 months and great toenails take 12-18 months. I have also heard it is normal to lose between 30 to 50 strands of hair per day, and up to 100 during shampooing.

Next, I became interested in improving my hair. I have rather long hair and I wanted it to be full, glossy and beautiful. Here is what I did:

• Brushing: Some experts claim you should not brush your hair very much. They say it can cause damage to the cuticle at the base of the hair follicle.  However, brushing every night one hundred strokes, starting from the base of my scalp, following the brush with my hand, from the roots to the ends of my hair, brought shine and bounce within five days to my hair! Brushing also adds noticeable volume to short hair. I understand you can “over-stretch” your hair by brushing it when it is wet or tangled. Never brush your hair when it is wet. Comb out hair of any snags before brushing. It’s best to brush at least eight hours after your last shampoo when more oils are on the head, transferring the natural sebum down the ends of the hair. Curly hair is a different story altogether. My friend with very curly hair NEVER brushes it. NEVER shampoos her hair, either. She simply rinses it with water and uses a conditioner which you combs through with a wide-toothed comb.

• Shampooing: I wash my hair once a week. This may be too dramatic for some of you. However, I wash my bangs or “fringe” almost every day. For the last 12 years I’ve only been using my Moisturizing Sulfate-free Shampoo and Therapy Hair-care Conditioner, and my hair is healthy, soft, bouncy, shiny and smooth. They are both sulfate and paraben-free. They both help to revitalize color-treated and gray hair. They are good for all hair types from curly and thick to straight and fine. I don’t have to worry about my hair being stripped of its natural oils or unwanted chemical build-up residue. My hair continues to have more body and feel soft and light with repeated use.  Air-drying is best for the hair and blow dryers are supposed to damage the hair. It is probably best to use a low-heat setting if you feel you must blow-dry your hair. I’ve also recently seen a new styling tool that has ion-fusion technology and ceramic heated plates … This is probably okay to use on your hair daily without fear of damage.

• TIP: This from one of my clients. Thank you Irene. She says her hair becomes very dry and brittle from coloring it and when she tries using a dry-hair moisturizing product it leaves her hair too oily and limp. However, she sprays the ends of her hair (about one inch from the scalp down) with GSTM and it’s perfect! It even makes her hair feel lively and look shiny!
• NEW TIP: And, one of my clients had hair loss and used this formula to restore her hair:

Essential Oil Blend for Hair Growth

1. Thyme essential oil – 2 drops
2. Atlas cedarwood essential oil – 2 drops
3. Lavender essential oil -3 drops
4. Rosemary essential oil -3 drops
5. Jojoba oil – 1/2 teaspoon
6. Grapeseed oil – 4 teaspoons

Add the first four ingredients into a small glass jar. Mix well. Now add the remaining two ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Massage this mixture into your scalp for at least two minutes every night. Wrap your head in a warm towel after treatment.

In my research I couldn’t find any reliable information on cutting the hair. My personal experience is to trim my hair every two months or so. My hair seems fuller and more manageable, therefore.

Also, permanents, hair coloring and the like all damage the hair to a certain extent. Using products claiming to be more gentle, conditioning your hair appropriately and eating a good diet will probably help in keeping a pretty head of hair.

Diet

Here I did a lot of research. I tried gelatin drinking. I didn’t notice a difference in my nails. However, the following vitamins and minerals not only seemed to make my hair and nails more beautiful, but my skin seems smoother, too. Here’s what I found for myself:

• Proteins: They carry the essential amino acids necessary for the synthesis of keratin (the fibrous cells of the cortex of a strand of hair contain keratin)
• Fats: are vital to the health of your hair & help eliminate “bad” cholesterol (best to avoid Omega 6 oils)
• Vitamin A: helps retard the aging of hair
• Vitamin B: plays an essential role in hair growth and vitality and helps in the renewal of body proteins
• Biotin: significantly improves nail strength
• Vitamin E: fights against oxidation and slows the aging of tissues
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: key component in lubricating layers that keeps skin supple
• Glucosamine sulfate: 1800 mg per day can produce a significant reduction of lines and age spots in about 45 days
• Copper: stimulates enzyme activity and accelerates the synthesis of keratin
• Zinc: keeps nails and hair healthy
• Selenium: has an anti-oxidation effect protecting cells
• Sulfur: stimulates cell regeneration
• Calcium: prevents brittle nails and dull hair and helps reduce dandruff
• Magnesium: essential to various functions of cell synthesis
• Iron: prevents brittle nails and thinning of hair
• Water: is rich in minerals and helps eliminate toxins. I drink a lot of water!
• Trace Minerals: stimulates enzyme and cell activity.
• NEW: Hydrolyzed collagen peptides:  According to the latest research, collagen supplementation helps slow down skin aging, stimulates a younger-looking skin, counters joint pain, improves lean mass, and strengthens muscles. In addition, hydrolyzed collagen promotes the synthesis of new collagen in the skin and joints. I use Grass fed collagen. 

Lastly, I wanted to address the way my hands looked, overall. Since I have a company that specializes in exercising the face to look younger and I was concerned that now that my face looked so much younger, my hands were giving my age away. I devised hand exercises to help make my hands look younger – especially the tops of my hands and my fingers. I’m amazed that in only two months, my hands look at least ten years younger than they did before!

NEW HAND EXERCISE TECHNIQUE: For the top of the hands that make your hands look even younger. To be used in conjunction with the hand video, below.

You pinch and roll the skin across the top of the hands.

• Left hand: Grasp the skin just below the Index finger knuckle on the top of the left hand and roll the skin between your thumb, Index and middle finger of the right hand
• Travel across the top of the hand while pinching and rolling until you reach just under the baby finger knuckle of your left hand.
• Go back to start. Go a little below that last row and starting at the first Index finger knuckle, pinch and roll again traveling across the top of the hand, ending below the last row and the baby finger.
• Keep on doing rows of pinching and rolling until you’ve covered the whole hand and have reached down to the wrist.
• Right hand: Reverse the hand and fingers for this hands’ workout

I used to have big UGLY veins that popped out on the top of my hands and this is completely gone, now. My hands look 20 years younger.  I should say they used to look like they were 70, at least, so now I’m down to my late forties. It takes a little practice to get the hang of pinching up the skin and rolling it between the thumb and index finger, however …it’s worth the trouble! This technique is ONLY for the tops of the hands. Moisturize after the workout.

Hand Exercises

Remove all jewelry from your hands and wrists. Dab a bit of hand cream onto the tops of each hand and then work the cream into your hands and fingers, quickly.