Ultimate nail care tips

Ultimate nail care tips

I was recently lucky enough to meet and have afternoon tea with the nail legend that is Deborah Lippmann. The Arizona-born, New York based manicurist to the stars oh and did I mention she’s also a jazz singer? Talk about multi-talented. In fact, it was via her love of music and jazz that led her to the nail career. Finding a job/career to help support her performing at weddings and bar mitzvahs she looked to beauty and on the (very wise) advice of her teacher opted to specialise in nails because it would mean she could sit down all day – leaving her feet fresh to stand/perform all night… a small detail but definitely a pretty all important one! Of course along with her amazing stories of her career journey and life I also just had to pick up a few ultimate nail care tips to share with you too!

Spending time with Deborah and listening to her stories (I could listen to those ALL DAY) was fascinating. But in amongst the story of her career and snippets of AMAZING celeb friends and clients (FYI CHER designed the iconic square bottle) there were also some pretty essential nail tips I wanted to share with you too. After all it was nail care that has always been at the heart of the Deborah Lippmann line so it makes sense she’s pretty good on the old nail TLC…

Regular application of moisturiser is your friend!

Would you wash your face and just leave it without applying moisturiser? Well, why do you do this with your hands. Apply moisturiser EVERY time you wash your hands to keep hand and cuticles hydrated and soft.

Oh and cuticle cream or oil regularly is one of those small things that can make the world of difference to your hands and nails. The Deborah Lippmann The Cure cuticle cream is a wonder product and one of my favourite from the brand – works wonders without leaving greasy residue. Win-win.

DON’T CUT THOSE CUTICLES!

The cuticle is essentially the only part where your skin actually ‘ends’ so why would you cut it? Don’t use cuticle cutters but if you really really have to (or if a nail tech uses them on you) they should simply SNIP and RELEASE. Not snip and drag away – this can cause pulling, splitting and breaking of the cuticle and creates all sorts of problems. Simply softening and pushing cuticles back is usually plenty to keep them neat and tidy. But if you must snip – remember, don’t pull!

Carry a nail file

One of Deborah’s pet peeves was when people get a nail snag and they try to ‘file’ it using their teeth… for one. Biting nails is a pretty gross habit (as is biting cuticles, which has been a habit I’ve been guilty of) but also, nails are NEVER going to really file down your nails and you’re actually more likely to snag or damage your nails more in the process. Simple solution? Carry a nail file to sort and snags quickly and easily.

An elastic band is the secret to quitting nail-biting habits

Speaking of nail-biting or cuticle-chewing habits, a top tip that worked for Deborah Herself is to wear an elastic band on your wrist and every time you find yourself doing the bad chewing habit – give the band a sharp twang. Over time that repeated ‘ouch’ twang will turn into a change of habit and quitting!

Gel manicures are NOT the best for your nails (but not why you think)

Deborah isn’t as much of a fan of the two-week gel manicure treatments that are pretty much the ‘thing’ for nails now. I for one, love a gel manicure and if they have to be my guilty pleasure then that’s my call – do know I have to take good care of my hands and nails . But the reason behind it is what I found most interesting – it’s not so much the gels themselves but more the removal process. For one, removing the gel colour from the nail will inevitably take a layer or two off the top of the nail, even with the most professional removal. But what’s the worst is that you’re soaking your nails in pure acetone every two weeks which is VERY drying to both skin and nails and this can cause damage, breaking and dry skin. Obviously it’s totally your call what you do with your nails – but on the advice of the best, these are some tips to make sure you’re nails are in tip-top condition.

My top product recommendations from the Deborah Lippmann line are both from the care side of the range (not the say the colour selection isn’t awesome) but when it comes to care, there are two absolute gems. The Marshmallow Scrub – no matter what you do painting/colour wise for your nails a scrub is a wonder product for keeping your hands soft and smooth and you will be amazed by the difference in your nails when you use it. My other favourite is one I mentioned at the top – The Cure Cuticle Repair Cream – if you have dry cuticles but don’t want the mess of oil then this is a dream. Thick and hydrating and makes and immediate difference that lasts.

How to Give Yourself a Manicure

How to Give Yourself a Manicure

A fresh, beautifully done manicure helps you look clean and put together. But professional manicures can be expensive and time-consuming. Why go to the salon when you can give yourself a perfect manicure at home? Read on to learn how.

1.       Get your supplies together. To give yourself a gorgeous manicure, make sure you have all the right supplies. You might have to spend a bit up front, but next time you want to paint your nails, you'll already be covered. Get the following products:

·       Nail polish remover

·       Cotton balls or cotton swabs

·       Cuticle trimmer

·       Nail buffer

·       Nail trimmers

·       Nail file

·       Cuticle or hand cream

·       Nail polish

·       Base coat

·       Top coat

2.       Set up your workspace. Nail polish and remover can damage many surfaces such as cloth, wood finish and plastic. Wear an expendable t-shirt and no valuable accessories, sit at a desk or table, and protect it with scrap paper (not newsprint, which smudges). Make sure the table itself and anything near it is not particularly valuable or important to keep perfect because there might be a spatter or spill soaking through. You might not want to work near a computer, for instance.

3.       Remove your old nail polish. Use nail polish remover and cotton balls or swabs. Some kinds of nail polish remover may dry the areas on your nails and around them. You may wish to find one that doesn't do this as much, but do not be concerned unless you have a severe allergic reaction.

·       If you have and wish to keep fake nails, such as acrylic, choose a polish that will not remove them, and don't let it soak much.

·       Unless you use it once a month or less, don't use a nail polish remover with acetone in it. Though acetone will make removing the nail polish easier, it can damage the nails themselves.

4.       Cut and file your nails. Use nail clippers and trim your nails. Don't cut them too short; you should be able to see at least a little of the white tip still, all the way across. Using a nail file, file the nail and create a smooth and clean shape. Gently drag the file across the nail, rather than pushing it. Excessive force or sawing back and forth will weaken the nails and cause them to break. Pivot the hand with the file through each stroke to make a smooth curve rather than angles. Do not file them too short: just clean up any points or roughness left by the clippers.

·       If you want to remove fake nails, perhaps because they look odd from having grown out too far, here's how to do that.

·       Do not round the corners down into the sides of the nail bed. This can cause the nail to become ingrown. Be particularly careful with the big toe, which, perhaps due to shoes, is more prone to ingrowing.

5.       Buff your nails. Using a white block of a stick-type nail buffer, or a pad-type nail buffer and buffing powder, buff the surface of the nail a little bit to even out the surface and to smooth out ridges. Remember not to buff too much; thinning it too much will weaken it. Perfect edge-to-edge flatness is not practical or necessary. A soft, flexible buffer will more easily buff the sides of the nail along with the middle.

·       You may wish to buff your nails after pushing back the cuticles if there is some residue where the cuticles used to cover, in order to scrape or grind it off in the process. Being thin, soft, and not firmly attached, it should come off easily.

6.       Soak your nails. Get a bowl or stopper the sink and fill it with warm (not hot!) water and a few drops of soap. Soak your hands only for a few minutes. The water and soap will help to loosen dirt, dead skin, and any dust left over from filing and buffing, and soften cuticles. Use a nail brush to gently clean your nails and the skin around them. Gently scrape under your nails if necessary to remove dirt. If you want your nails and cuticles really manageable, you can soak them in Dawn dishwasher soap.

·       If you have dry skin or fragile nails you should not soak them; just rinse them.

·       Don't go overboard with scraping, since you can damage your nails if you remove the white powdery substance that is actually part of your nails.

7.       Prepare your cuticles. Dry your nails and apply a cuticle cream. Using a cuticle pusher, also called an orange stick, gently push back the cuticle. Do not force them back and never cut your cuticles. Even if the equipment is sterile, removing the cuticle can cause infection and leaves the then-less-protected margin of the skin vulnerable. Wipe off the excess cream with a tissue or towel in the direction that you pushed.

·       A small binder clip is great for pushing back cuticles. Make sure it's clean and well-formed, without sharp edges. Fold the wire grips to lay flat against each other. Hold the clip between the thumb and forefinger or middle finger by the flat metal sides, with the grips passing between in the direction of the little finger tip; the flat back piece extending past the thumb and forefinger. Now you're ready to push back the cuticles on the other hand (switch later to do the one currently holding the clip).

8.       Apply hand cream or lotion. Take a lotion or hand cream and massage it into your hands. If you have very dry skin use an intensive lotion, if not, any lotion will do. Be sure to rub it into and around your nails and let it soak in for 30 minutes or longer.

·       This is as well done after painting the nails and allowing them to dry thoroughly as before painting. For very dry skin, apply some greasy lotion and sleep with cheap cotton gloves over your hands to allow it to remain on and work for a long time without keeping you from productive activities.

·       Nail polish/lacquer will not stick to nails with moisturiser on them, so take a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover and quickly wipe the nails to remove the lotion. Wipe excess remover off promptly to mitigate nail damage.

9.       Apply the base coat. Cover the nail with a clear base coat or nail hardener. This will even out and ridges and unevenness that may still be on the nail serve as a primer for the polish help the polish to last longer, and keep the colour from staining your nails.

·       This is the point at which you'd apply fake nails if you like.

·       Let the coat completely dry before proceeding.

10.   Polish your nails. Pick a nail polish that you really like. Roll the nail polish bottle between your hands for about 10 seconds. Shaking the bottle causes air bubbles in the polish and makes harder for the polish to stick to your nails. Begin painting nails using a thin coat. Dip the brush into the bottle of polish and as you remove it, gently swirl the brush around the inside rim of the bottle to remove excess polish. Slowly paint a vertical stripe down the centre of your nail, followed by another stripe on either side of the first. Try to paint all the way to the edge, but it's better to leave a small margin than paint the skin on the side.

·       Angle the brush a little forward, press gently so the bristles spread out a little into a neat curve, and drag it gently and smoothly across the nail to paint it. Do not apply a blob of paint to the nail and spread it around. Blobs or runs mean too much paint or painting too slowly; subtle ridges should smooth themselves out under gravity (self-level) but very-thin spots mean too little paint or too much pressure.

·       Fancy designs can be difficult, so stick with simple if it's important to get a good result the first time.

·       If there is a little bit of nail polish on your fingers or around you nail you can use a toothpick (flat, not round and pointy, is generally best) to get it off if it's still wet. If it's already dry, dip a Q-tip in nail polish remover and wipe it away, or use a nail touch up pen, sold at most drug stores. Be careful not to touch the actual nail with the Q-tip or touch up pen, or you will have to redo that nail.

11.   Let your nails dry. Try not to move your nails too much or the polish may smudge. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for the polish to dry. If you apply a second coat too soon, it will only smudge the first coat. You may be able to speed drying with a fan, but don't be overly optimistic. By blowing the fumes away, the fan will remove one reminder of continuing wetness.

·       After the first coat has dried, apply a second coat if you'd like. This ensures the colour looks rich and even.

·       After the colour coats have dried, you may add designs, by brush, airbrush, mask or stencil, decal, rhinestones, or otherwise.

·       Skipping the base coat, or even applying only one colour coat (depending on the kind of polish and application technique; some give or appear to give more even colour with uneven thickness than others), will often give acceptable results. However, extra layers add a little extra to initial surface quality.

12. Apply the top coat. Finish with a clear top coat for a hard, smooth, scratch-absorbing, chip and flake-resistant shield particularly important for designs that don't cover the entire nail, as well as adding shine. Let it dry completely Have fun and enjoy your newly beautiful nails!