Maintaining Your Nails
Pro Tips to Use Until Your Next Manicure
People ask me all the time: “What’s the best way to keep up between services?” I’m going to share a few ways you can do just that–safely–at home.
Trimming
If you like your nail shape more square, use nail clippers that are straight across. For a more rounded shape, use ones that have a curve to them.
Trim your nails straight across. Avoid cutting diagonally down by the side wall or fold of skin. Use a file that is not too coarse to avoid tearing the nails. File the sides either straight or curved to your liking. Use a single stroke to file, do not file back and forth. Use a light coarse buffer on top of the nail and buff the free edge to clean any tears.
Cuticle Care
For cuticle care, I suggest doing this after you have showered. Your cuticles will soften from the water. Lightly push your cuticles towards your skin with a metal or plastic pusher. Do not use a wooden stick as this can result in injury.If you’re comfortable with trimming them, only trim what you see is a white color. This means that the skin is dead. You don’t want to cut any skin that is a flesh color. This could result in hang nails or bleeding.If you’re not comfortable with trimming that’s ok. Pushing them back once a week after a shower will help the cuticle to not grow thicker on the nail plate.
Removing Gel Polish
If you have gel polish, here is the best way to remove it. At Neroli Salon & Spa, we use OPI’s gel polish. You can use OPI Lacquer Remover. If you’re gel polish was applied somewhere else, then I suggest using a pure acetone remover. Cut up some foil in 4″ squares. Take ball of cotton and saturate with remover. Apply to one nail and wrap with foil. You can do one hand at a time or both hands, whatever you’re comfortable with. Allow them to soak for 10-20 minutes. After time has lapsed, remove one foil. The gel polish should of crinkled up. Take an orange wood stick and lightly scrape off the polish. If the polish is not crumbling, allow more time for soaking. Please don’t peal off your polish, you can take layers off the nail, making them thin and weak.
Moisturize
Since we are washing our hands and using a lot more hand sanitizer, use cuticle oil and lotion after. I personally use this after every time my hands are in water. I suggest using one of Aveda’s composition oils in your favorite aroma. A little goes a long way, you should only need one to two drops per hand. Rub the oil into the cuticles. Apply Aveda Hand Relief after.
Leave it to the pros
Do-it-yourself care is fine in a pinch, but for the best long term results I suggest you get Spa Manicures. During this service, we do nail and cuticle work, massage the hands, and apply warm, hydrating paraffin gloves. This will help with any dryness and arthritis as well. Health and happiness to all – can’t wait to see you!
