NAIL CARE TIPS

1. Apply a hand cream or lotion after washing your hands as soaps make nails and skin very dry, leading to brittle, peeling nails.
2. Sweet almond oil, combined with a little salt and rubbed into the nails and cuticles, will help to strengthen weak or broken nails, as well as provide nourishment to dry and flaking cuticles.
3. Treat your cuticles very gently as they protect the growth centre of the nail. Never tear the skin or cut the cuticles.
4. Break the habit of nail biting, which can damage the nail and the cuticle, leading to a deformed nail shape or uneven nail growth. Note that biting nails can also transfer harmful organisms to the nail that lead to infection or even increase your chance of catching a cold or flu.
5. Stimulate your nails to encourage growth. Massage the base of your nails whenever you can. Typing, piano playing and any other exercise that requires substantial finger movement will increase the blood supply to the fingers.
6. Unless your nails are very long, avoid clipping to shorten as this can bend or split them. Rather use an emery board to file nails down to size. Filing straight up against your nail can peel the tip, so hold the emery board at a 45-degree angle under the free edge of the nail.
7. After removing your nail polish, wait a few minutes before you start filing to shape or shorten your nails. The nails may split if they are not dry.
8. Use nail polish remover as infrequently as possible, especially those containing acetone, as most will dry nails out. Many specialists suggest using remover no more than once a week. Use a minimal amount of remover on the nail and avoid getting too much on either the cuticle or the surrounding skin.
9. Never scrape off nail polish or use metal instruments to push back cuticles. This can scrape off the protective cells of the nail surface. Peeling off flaking nail enamel can also be very damaging to the nail.
10. Nail nourishes are quick to apply and pay big beauty dividends by feeding the skin around the nail, as well as the surrounding skin, with essential vitamins, oils and protein. This helps the nails to grow long, strong and healthy.
11. Manicure your nails fully every 7-14 days, reapplying nail polish as often as needed to maintain a well-groomed appearance.
12. Apply a topcoat almost daily to protect the tips.
13. The fastest way to prevent soft, weak nails from breaking is to apply a hardener once or twice a week; it not only saves vulnerable nails but gives a high-shine finish.
14. Basecoat is a good investment. Although formulated to help your nail polish last longer, it also helps to prevent bright colour from staining your nails. (A useful tip if your nails are stained is for you to try dipping the tips in half a lemon for 15 seconds. The citric acid in the lemon juice acts as a bleach. However, always remember to wash your hands afterward so that the lemon juice does not dry out your hands).
15. Nail polish is also a good nail protector. When applying nail polish, especially dark colours, be sure to apply two to three thin coats rather than a single thick coat. Do not take the polish right to the edges of your nails; it is quicker and much neater to leave a thin strip down each side. It also makes nails look slimmer. Apply the first stroke of polish along the centre of the nail, then apply polish along the sides in two strokes for a neat finish.