Just like getting your hair done, there’s no doubt that treating yourself to a good pamper session at your local nail bar is a great feeling. But a lot of us don’t have the spare time or money to be getting our nails done professionally every few days. So, does that mean we have to put up with below-par nails in the meantime?
Not at all, and actually, with a few insider tips and tricks, you can achieve results at home to match any salon. The key is to first understand how to look after your nails properly to keep them in the best possible health, and then get to know the products that will help your nails really shine.
Basic care routines
The first rule of nail care is that if you look after your hands, you will be looking after your nails, too. All the things that lead to the skin on your hands being in a less than an ideal state – dehydration, overexposure to water and cold, tough physical work – are likely to damage your nails as well.
When you moisturize your hands, you should also make sure you rub cream into your nails and cuticles. Wear gloves when it is cold outside or when you are washing the dishes, otherwise, you run the risk of your nails splitting. Finally, trim, file and clean your nails regularly to remove split ends and also to stop germs growing under the surface which could weaken the keratin.
Tackling weak nails
There’s nothing worse than spending time making your nails look beautiful, or paying someone at a salon to do it, and then having a nail break in a couple of days. Ideally, we would all love natural long nails rather than fakes. But if you want beautiful long nails that won’t split and break on you, you also need to work on getting healthy, strong nails.
The basic care routines described above will help, as will paying attention to your diet (plenty of water, fibre and vitamins) and looking after your cuticles (manicures help to promote healthy nail growth). Nowadays, you can also give your nails a helping hand by applying a strengthening serum that infuses the keratin with vitamins it needs, as well as forming a protective lacquer over the top.
Choosing your products
Once your nails are clean, trimmed and healthy, you can start thinking about adding some sparkle with your choice of nail polish. First things first, do as the professionals in salons do and ALWAYS apply a base coat first. Separating your actual nail from the polish will minimize any damage putting what is effectively a chemical-based paint on your nails might cause.
The next choice you have to make is between conventional and gel polish. This is really a choice between simple, quick application and long-lasting results. Conventional polish is easy to apply and dries fast, but it also chips easily and you will probably have to go back to it every few days. With gel polish, on the other hand, you need a UV light to dry it and you need to build up coats gradually. It can be a painstaking process, but at the end of it, you get a long-lasting, chip-resistant finish.
Mirage Cosmetics is a UK-based cosmetics distribution and wholesale specialist. To browse our range of products, view here.
