The New (Reverse) French Manicure
This spring, try the newest trend in nail art—the “moon manicure,” a reverse French manicure. Inspired by Beatrice Kaye, the MGM manicurist who first conceived the style in 1925, Lorraine Frustace, owner of Shine Salon and Spa in Ossining, creates a variety of fresh and stylish looks in shades from pastel purple to hot pink.
Featured hand model Ellen Sirot of Mount Kisco has been a top professional parts model (she also models her feet and legs) for 15 years. Her job requires that she take the utmost care of her hands: she wears gloves all day, never allows her hands to see the sun, and she doesn’t cook or clean. While you might not be able to avoid washing dishes, Sirot offers some more practical tips to keep hands beautiful.
1. Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen will protect against the damaging effects harmful UV rays can have on your hands. “The skin on your hands is as thin as the skin on your eyelids,” Sirot says. “It’s very, very fine and needs to be treated that way.”
2. Keep hands out of water. “Water dehydrates your skin,” Sirot explains. “Each time you wash your hands, put on moisturizer right away.” Sirot uses Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream—almost 20 times a day. She recommends applying a heavy-duty lotion, such as Aquaphor Original Ointment, every night—or, at least, once a week—before bed for extra care.
3. Exfoliate. To remove dead, dry winter skin, Sirot uses the following formula: a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of sugar, which she very gently rubs on her hands.
4. Use Vitamin E oil on your cuticles every night. “This will retrain your cuticles so that when you have a manicure, the manicurist won’t cut them.”
5. Find a great top coat. To help polish last longer—regardless of the brand—Sirot recommends using a long-lasting, quick-dry top coat. Her manicurist applies Sally Hansen No-Chip Top Coat, which, Sirot says, “really stands up.”
