Nail Care Tips
Doing Your Nails at Home
Keeping your natural nails looking excellent takes work. If you don't do the work, your nails can suffer from problems such as stains, nail biting, splitting, white marks or ridges. All of these are very serious problems.
Stains
These can come from different sources like wearing dark color nail polish or nicotine. To remedy this, use a base coat so the dark color won't stain your nails or let your nails soak in denture-cleaning tablets for a few minutes.
Nail Biting
If you bite your nails, not only will your nails never grow, but they will look really bad. Carry an emery board with you so you will have a way to fix your nails without biting them. Another way is to apply a bitter-tasting nail cream, which will remind you that if you bite them, you won't like the taste.
White Marks
This can be caused by injury or pressure to the nail matrix. The nail matrix is the area under the cuticle where the new growth happens. Unfortunately, you can't get rid of them but you can cover it up with a dark color.
Ridges
Ridges are caused by picking and pushing at your nails. Before applying your nail polish, buff the nail surface then wipe the dust away and apply a coat of ridge filler.
Splitting
Brittle nails can be caused by genetics, or mishandling of your nails like over filling and buffing. To strengthen your nails, you can take biotin tablets and apply hardener.
Another important thing is to have the correct tools on hand and to avoid activities that may hurt your nails. According to an article in Better Nutrition, there are basic tools that you need to have it order to keep your nails in shape. These are nail brushes, hand cream and/or oil, emery boards, nail files, scissors and clippers. Once you have the tools, you need to know what actions to avoid which hurt your nail growth:
1. Wear gloves indoors and outdoors, wear rubber gloves when doing household work and going outside especially during the winter time so you won't lose moisture.
2. Replenish lost oil by applying lotion into your nails and cuticles after you wash your hands.
3. Wear polish, it works as a barrier for your nails. The polish you use should have polyester resins and try to use acetone-free nail polish remover.
4. File in one direction only! Filing back and forth is bad because it frays and weakens the nail. File your nails in one direction only for the best results.
5. Keep your nails short.
6. Do manicures. It is best to do your manicure after you take a bath because your nails are soft then.
7. Slather on moisturizer before bed, this keeps your nails stronger. The moisturizer will become more powerful if you put gloves on at night.
Here are my steps to the perfect manicure at home
Remove your nail polish. Dampen a cotton ball with remover and hold on the nail for a few seconds, then swipe from the cuticle to the tip.
File and shape your nail. For maximum strength, cut nails straight across, rounding them slightly across, and slightly at the sides.
Buff your nails. To eliminate ridges use a medium-grade buffer over the nail bed, gently working back and forth.
Soak your nails. (done mostly before weddings or other dates when my nails had to be perfect). Apply a cuticle remover to the nail for four minutes then soak fingertips in a small bowl filled with warm water and a gentle liquid soap.
Apply cream cuticle to your nails.
Push your cuticles. Wrap a tiny piece of cotton around the tip of an orange stick. Use small circular movements to remove any debris form the nail bed and push back the cuticle. Wipe off nail bed, then use clippers to clip off any hang nails on the side.
Apply a clear base coat to the nail and under the edge, it really helps prevent chipping, even at work. Wait at least 4 minutes for the coat to set.
Apply the polish in the color that you choose. Wait as long as possible (the longer each coat gets to dry, the harder it dries), then apply a second coat.
Finish with a good strong acrylic topcoat, again going under the edge of the nail to prevent chipping.
If you're going to add decals, rhinestones or other add-ons, now is the time. Wait one minute for the clear top coat to set, then stick on your accents. Make sure rhinestones are where you want them for it will set quickly.
Wait 2 minutes, and apply one more clear topcoat. Let your nails dry. The decals should withstand bings and bumps for at least 2 days. (Remember, this is personal experience!)
*If you have a blow dryer and are in a hurry, you can put it's setting on low and dry your nails with it between coats. It gives you an industrial strength manicure that is super chip resistant, but it can be drying to the cuticles. Use common sense.
Sources:
Nancy Dodd Cates "How to get great hair & nails, naturally. Better Nutrition August 1998 www.findarticles.com
Manicuring for dummies--InStyle December 2001
Amy Newburger & Staci Ann Sander "Super Nail Solutions" Prevention February 2002
Problems and Solutions: Outpatient rehab for your nails. InStyle December 2001
my personal experience
