Hair care
Beauty on the Front LinesEver wonder what a beauty routine in the armed forces looks like? Four servicewomen reveal what they pack in their cosmetic bags when deployed and why |
Nails: The Rules Both men and women are expected to be their own manicurists and maintain clean, neatly trimmed fingernails. Women's nails cannot be more than a quarter-inch longer than the fingertip. As with the majority of the uniform guidelines, it's less about the aesthetics (Army Generals really don't have strong opinions about claw manis versus square ones), than it is about possible safety hazards. If nail length interferes with the performance of duties (like shooting a gun, for instance), commanders will decide whether the clippers and files need to come out.
When it comes to polishes, cult favorite "Ballet Slippers" is probably the best bet as the code states "females will not wear shades of nail polish that distinctly contrast their complexion, that detract from the uniform, or that are extreme." What qualifies as extreme? Main offenders include -- but are not limited to -- purple, gold, blue, black, white, bright red, khaki, camouflage colors, and fluorescent colors ... so the majority of our fall nail polish roundup is out. The same goes for any nail art: any designs, two-tone, or multi-tone colors are out of the question.
SEE NEXT PAGE: Nails: The Reality
When it comes to polishes, cult favorite "Ballet Slippers" is probably the best bet as the code states "females will not wear shades of nail polish that distinctly contrast their complexion, that detract from the uniform, or that are extreme." What qualifies as extreme? Main offenders include -- but are not limited to -- purple, gold, blue, black, white, bright red, khaki, camouflage colors, and fluorescent colors ... so the majority of our fall nail polish roundup is out. The same goes for any nail art: any designs, two-tone, or multi-tone colors are out of the question.
SEE NEXT PAGE: Nails: The Reality