I get a lot of questions about my
nails. I've always done my own nails and I have never been to a salon to get
them done. At this point, I feel as if I don't need to pay anyone to give me a manicure.
Through trial and error over the years I have come up with many tips and trips
that help me to achieve a professional looking manicure without the salon price
tag. I'm going to have a few posts all about nails to answer a lot of the
questions I've gotten over the years.
For the first nail related post, I'm
going to start with the basics of grooming the nail to prep it for painting.
Tools
Needed:
1.
Crystal Nail File
2.
Cuticle Trimmer
3.
Cuticle Remover
4.
Cuticle Stick
5.
Cuticle Cream/Balm
6.
Hand Cream
Step
One: Cuticles
The key to a polished, professional
looking manicure is neatly groomed cuticles. When the cuticles are over grown
and ragged, it can make the entire manicure look sloppy. Think of your cuticles
as the picture frame that ties everything together. You wouldn't put a $1 plastic
frame on the Mona Lisa, would you?
1.
The first thing I use to keep my
cuticles in check is a cuticle trimmer .
There are some people who are avidly against cuticle trimmers. What it does is
trim the excess skin off, making the cuticle instantly shorter and neater.
However, it can make the cuticle grow back faster and thicker. I don't have any
issues with this, mainly because I do this weekly and this is not the sole
method I use to groom my cuticles. Please be careful when using a cuticle
trimmer. Use it to trim off the dead skin around the nail like hangnails, or
any skin that has grown over the nail and is starting to lift off. You DO NOT
want to press down too hard or cut into the cuticle bed. This could cause
damage to the cuticle bed and also cause infection. That is why I am a fan of
the cuticle trimmer from Revlon that is linked above. It’s not too dull or too
sharp, which prevents you from going a little crazy; it will just get the dead
skin. If you are anti-cuticle trimmers, then by all means skip this step.
2.
The second thing I use on my cuticles
is a gel cuticle remover. My current favorite is the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. After I've trimmed my cuticles, I apply a small amount of the cuticle remover
to each cuticle and then spread it around with a cuticle stick. I
let it sit for about a minute and then gently use the cuticle stick remove any
extra dead skin and push the cuticle back. Wipe this off and then wash your
hands. Think of this step as if you're exfoliating the nail. It gently lifts up
dead skin cells, leaving the cuticles neat and the nail nicely groomed.
Step
Two: Filing and Shaping the Nail
It's time to put down the nail clippers
and the sand paper emery boards. In my opinion, the best way to shorten, shape
and file your nails is with a crystal file.
Nail clippers can cause the nail to split and peel, especially for those with
weak nails. Emery boards can also be too rough on the nail and cause splitting.
I personally never cared for how emery boards feel against my nail while
filing. A quality glass file effectively shortens the nail through filing and
creates a smooth edge with no splitting or peeling. Over time, you'll have
stronger nails. A glass file can also last a life time, that is if you don't
drop it! I paid about $7 for a quality glass file on Amazon back on 2011 and
it's still going strong. You may initially think that paying upwards of $10 for
a nail file is a tad ridiculous, but I assure you, it’s a great investment and
will pay for itself, as it should last you a lifetime opposed to constantly
purchasing emery boards that need to be replaced often.
To shape my nails, I simply file back
and forth in a straight line. Some suggest that you should only file in one
direction because the back and forth motion can weaken the nail. I have never
experienced this, but file in whichever direction you prefer and works best for
you.
My favorite nail shape is a short, square
nail. I file the nail down in a straight line to the desired length and then
softly round out the edges so the points of the nail aren’t to sharp. You may
need to take the glass file and gently run it underneath the nail to remove any
nail remnants from filing.
**QUICK
TIP: To best achieve the perfect shape of whatever your desire nail shape may
be (round, pointed, square, etc.), file your nails right before removing you
old manicure. This way, you won't get distracted by you natural nail line,
which naturally grows out unevenly. Having nail polish already on the nail when
you file helps you to really see the shape you are making!
Step
Three: Moisturize!
You can file your nails perfectly and
have pristine cuticles, but if you aren't constantly pampering and moisturizing
your hands afterwards, it's a bit of a waste. To maintain the health of your
nails you need to moisturize them and do it often!
·
Cuticle
Creams: Cuticle creams are especially formulated with the
cuticles in mind. They are often times richer and more concentrated than hand
creams and also have ingredients that help to strengthen nails. Consistent use
of a cuticle cream helps to prevent peeling and splitting nails, dry and
peeling cuticles and hang nails.
o
Recommendations:
1.
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. This
is a staple product for me. It has a light, fresh lemon scent and does an
excellent job of moisturizing and nourishing cuticles. I prefer to use this
during the day, throughout the day as I remember. If my nails are being
temperamental and are peeling just a bit, this sorts it out. It has more of a
balm texture than that of a cream, so it's not heavy or sticky on this skin. A
little goes a long way and at just $5-6 per tin, you can't beat the value!
2.
Christian Dior Abricot Nail Creme. I
discovered this heavy-duty gem this past winter when it was so cold and so dry
outside that my hands literally hurt from how dry my skin was. None of my
lotions and potions were saving my skin. I stumbled upon the Christian Dior
Abricot Nail Creme online and it had great reviews so I decided to take the
plunge; a $27 plunge. I know! I know! But it was so worth it! This product is
heavy, thick, rich, emollient and all those good words! Because it is so gooey,
it is suggested for nighttime use. When applied at night before bed, it brings
your cuticles back to life the next morning and the more you use it, the better
the results. I don't much care for the smell, but I'll deal with it because I
no longer have to suffer from dry winter skin. Never underestimate the power of
eBay. Check there so see if you can find it for a few bucks cheaper.
·
Hand
Creams: Much like cuticle creams, avidly using hand creams keeps
your hands in tip-top shape. They moisturize the nails and cuticles, but
predominately keep your hands soft and provide a line of defense against the
elements when used regularly, throughout the day.
o
Recommendations:
1.
LUSH Helping Hands. I
also discovered this product this past winter when my hands were painfully dry.
I was in the market for a heavier hand cream to use at night and this fit the
bill. It has soothing ingredients like chamomile, marigold and lavender to
provide relief for painful hands. A little goes a long way and I always wake up
with super soft hands the next morning. This is on the pricey side; 3.5 ounces
will set you back $18.95, but it's a quality product with wholesome ingredients
that will last you a while. Side note: I
recently applied this to sunburned arms at night and woke up with soothed skin
that was not angry and pink. Brillant!
2. Crabtree & Evelyn Verbana and Lavender Hand Therapy. Any
scent/formulation of the Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams is good so just pick
your poison! Right now I'm really into the Verbana and Lavender scent; it's
bright but warm. These hand creams are not too heavy so they are great for daytime
use. They just get the job done. The 3.5 ounce tubes retail for $22, but I
often find them at my local TJ Maxx for around $7, so when I see them, I stock
up!
I know this post was long, but I hope
it was helpful! I have a few more of these Nail 101 posts planned, so keep your
eyes peels for the next post in the series on how to actually paint your nails
perfectly (probably the top question I'm asked!).
-
Alana
