Dave writes : I am struggling to keep my finger nails looking neat. I have been an habitual nail biter for many years and would love to stop as I am conscious when performing. Hope you can give me some advice?

There are a lot of performers that bite nails. It's a habit that goes hand in hand with being nervous or tense. However, a magicians hands are 'front of house' when they perform, so keeping your fingers in great shape is very important. The problem is that nail biting can often happen when you are feeling tense or nervous, and nervousness about performing magic doesn't help at all in these situations. The good news is that the problem can be fixed. Here's some tips:

Decide to deal with the problem

The first step is to notice the problem and make a commitment to stop right now. As with any habit, it's easy to put it off to some unspecified future date when 'it will be easier'. You need to take action to stop the habit right away.

Do This:

Take a photo of your nails and have a close look at it. Are they REALLY giving a good impression of you when you perform your magic?

Notice the nails of magicians that don't bite nails. Being reminded of how much better their hands look will give you extra motivation.

Remind yourself that intensive nail-biting can also lead to other health problems. Biting your nails transfers bacteria from your hands to your mouth.

Set a goal and picture the prize

Setting a goal can really help. Have a picture of a great looking pair of hands and put it by your bed or on your wall. I know that sounds silly, but you can glance at it when you find yourself tempted to bite your nails, and it will help you have second thoughts. Breaking the habit is all about stopping the behaviour until it becomes second nature.

Treat yourself

It may be worth investing in having your nails professionally groomed. Paying for a manicure can be a real incentive to keep them looking great. It's really important that you keep your hands in good shape, use a hand moisturiser and look after them. They will be the centre of attention when you perform.

By Dominic Reyes

“Psst.. Over here… Listen! I’ve got some advice that you need to know. You won’t hear it from your family and friends, your agent probably assumes you already do it, and your clients don’t really want to think about it… It’s your fingernails, seriously, you need to do something about them!”

What would you think, if someone took you aside on a gig and told you that? It would be very embarrassing, but it does need to be said.

If you perform close up magic tricks in restaurants or at tables, you need to make sure your hands look good. I’m not just being metrosexual here, it’s a basic level of professionalism and hygiene that really should be followed if your hands are on show. A restaurant puts a lot of care and attention to every detail of the table, the plates, the cutlery and the food. Your hands also form part of that display and should be pleasing to look at.

Magicians Fingernails

I was working at trade show recently with another magician and got into conversation about how often he changes his deck of cards. The magician told me he makes sure he uses a new deck of bicycle playing cards at every gig, as his cards go grey at the edges and he feels they don’t look professional. I couldn’t help noticing the state his hands were in. His nails were a homage to a gardening TV show hosted by Freddy Krueger.

Your hands are the tools of your trade, showing pride in them is not vanity, it’s something that reflects on your whole act.

Many barber shops now offer a nail service too. You can get your nails done and cuticles removed every other week with your haircut. If you are nervous about going to a nail bar to have a manicure, there really isn’t any need to. Most of their customers are female, but they all have a LOT of male customers too. Just tell them you are a close up magician and relax. If you prefer, do a quick google search and it will bring up a load of mobile manicurists that can pop over to your home and fix your nails in private. You can even do it yourself.

Check out this guide for the perfect magicians fingernails

There’s no need to have clear vanish applied to your nails, although many professional men do, but you should at least have them trimmed shaped and the cuticles removed.

Still think it’s only for girls? Just be aware of it for a few days:

Notice how many of the male TV presenters have perfect nails.
If you have a stack of magic DVDs go though them and sort out the ones featuring top working professional magicians. Check out their hands.
Watch the shopping channels and look at the hands of the presenters. Even the DIY guys have great looking nails.

While I’m on the subject of personal hygiene and magicians fingernails, I should also add that a clothes brush, and can of deodorant should also be in your close up magic case. Sometimes a long gig in a marque can get very hot. And looking and smelling your best should be a standard feature, not an added bonus.

There… I’ve said it… I’m glad we could have this little chat…