Guest post: health, wellbeing & manicures by Michaela Weaver

Whether our nails are polished to perfection or resemble this season's 'must have' set of designer digits, flaunting freshly manicured fingertips can improve more than just our appearance.
This week, Michaela Weaver - life coach, author and marketing director of Bluesky UK - takes over Dixie Duke to explain how something as simple as a monthly manicure can work wonders for our well being.


Amazingly, women in the UK now spend more in a year on manicures than they do on their hair - a whopping average £450 is spent by British women each year. Women are finding that nail manicures such as those provided by Bluesky nail gels, are well worth spending their hard earned cash on.

Why? The answer is simple. A gel nail manicure is an affordable, feel good luxury. Varying in price from £20 to £40, a manicure gives a woman a boost of what can sometimes be, the elusive 'feel good' factor. Where many of us spend our lives juggling work, home and children, a boost of fun and positivity is a serious 'must have.'

Michaela Weaver, the marketing director of Bluesky UK - providers of the Bluesky nail gel system - author and life coach explains; ''when my husband walked out on me over ten years ago, the first thing that I did after mopping up my tears with a crate of tissues, was to paint my nails a serious pillar box red! I guess it was my statement to the world - I may be down, but I'm not beat. Great nails make us feel better. That's a fact.''

I then went on to write a book called Manic Mondays, which is about the life of a young mother whose world changes overnight when he husband walks out on her, leaving them both alone. Over a year of Mondays filled with laughter and a few tears, she rebuilds her life in a new place, with a new job and new friends. This is a 'feel good' book that shows people that things can always get better no matter how impossible it might look at the outset.

''I have always loved nails'' says Michaela, ''and when my partner suggested setting up a nail product company, I jumped at the chance. Nails are fun, creative and expressive, and helping women to be, and have more fun and creativity in their lives is a great opportunity for me.''

A manicure can boost wellbeing when you are feeling low, and women are always being encouraged to take a break and have some 'me time' so spending it on a gel nail manicure that will last for over two weeks is a lovely thing to do. Nails are a big beauty accessory these days, and the versatility is huge in terms of the different effects and colours to choose from. If you're already feeling good, all the more reason to stay that way with beautiful fingertips that make you feel feminine, and positive about yourself. Great nails are a statement which say 'here I am.'

When people think positive thoughts, the neurological effect is that you already feel better in yourself. That is why it is so important to care for you. Just the act of thinking about which colour to apply to your nails, and trying out different samples in a salon, or choosing colours for a home manicure from a website involves positive thinking and positive thoughts can't help but bring a feeling of well being.

So, wear your nails with pride ladies and extend that pride to the person that they belong to - you!

To check out Bluesky's stunning shades - including their glitter fuelled Christmas range - or purchase Manic Mondays, head over to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manic-Mondays-Michaela-Weaver/dp/099275481X/ and "https://shinerlacnails.co.uk/

*Intro by Dixie Duke - main article by Michaela Weaver.