Nail care tips

Just like a flashy necklace or the right pair of earrings, if your nails look great, they can complement almost any look. But unsightly nails, on the other hand, can send the wrong impression. An error in shaping can cause your nails to chip, giving them a less than stellar appearance. Regardless of the color, an inexpert paint job can leave your nails looking like the face of the moon.

To help you get the look you want, no matter your fashion tastes, there are some tips that can help you pull off perfectly polished nails. We'll start by looking at the nail beneath the polish and then move into techniques that can help your nails look like you've just been to the spa -- even though you've done them on your own. Finally, we'll give you an integral tip that can make or break your nail masterpiece.

Let's start with keeping your nails healthy.

1: Don't Rush It

Putting the necessary time into your polishing project can mean better results. While you may not want to wait to add several coats of polish, taking it easy for a bit longer while your nails dry can provide a cleaner look. "Always apply a base coat for adhesion and to prevent staining of the color onto the nail," says Morgan.

Adding a top coat can take more time as well, but its benefits include locking in your polish color and helping to prevent chipping. There are even top coats that come with UV protection to reduce fading or discoloration of the polish.

Above all, don't rush the drying time. All your hard work could be spoiled by starting to use your hands too early, causing you to chip or smudge your polish.

2: Choose the Correct Coloring

From a pale pink to black, trends in nail polish color change almost seasonally, but tips for applying your color can be helpful regardless of the shade. First, be sure to adequately roll your nail polish bottle, (remembering to tighten the cap, of course). This will serve to adequately distribute the color. To avoid picking up globs of nail polish on your brush, scrape the brush along the inside of the bottle to remove the excess color.

When you're ready to apply the color, try to use three gliding strokes to fill in the entire nail.

"Apply three strokes [and] start in the middle, slightly applying pressure to the brush for even distribution," says Morgan.

3: Shape Accurately

For a beautiful nail canvas, you need to correctly shape your nails by cutting and filing before applying color. One of the most flattering shapes is a squared-off oval, or squoval.

When shaping your nails, start by clipping straight across to a manageable length of about 0.3 centimeters to 0.6 centimeters past the tip of your finger. To achieve the desired shape, file down the nails. Make sure that you file in one direction -- the direction the nails grow -- to prevent splitting.

Don't overdo it, though. "The less filing, the better," says Morgan.

4: Moisturize

While moisturizing is more of a preventive measure against dried out fingers and nails, it's an integral step to perfectly polished nails. "Cracked nails or nails that easily break could be due to dryness," says Larsen. "Moisturizing your nails could prevent cracking or breaking."

A good practice to keep your hands and fingers moisturized is to lotion after each time your hands come in contact with water, whether you're cleaning dishes, jumping in the shower or just washing your hands. At home, an occasional massage with an intensive hand moisturizer and an overnight respite in a pair of cotton gloves can hydrate your hands .

At the spa, you might want to try a hand microdermabrasion. This service can help to exfoliate your hands, allowing the moisturizers to penetrate more deeply into the surface .

Cuticles can be especially prone to dryness, so it's important to keep them moisturized. "Cuticle oil prevents hangnails," says Gina Morgan, senior nail instructor at the International School of Skin and Nail Care.

5: Practice Good Nutrition

Similar to building a house, creating beautiful nail art starts with a good foundation. "Like all parts of the body, healthy and beautiful nails are the result of good nutrition," says Marisa Moore, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Following a balanced diet with a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats and low-fat dairy is the best way to ensure nail growth and health."

While overall good nutrition contributes to health, there are some key areas of your diet to watch carefully when looking to promote healthy nails. "Protein and iron, a mineral, are important to nail health," says Joanne Larsen, registered and licensed dietitian and founder of Ask the Dietitian.

For protein sources, you can eat meat, poultry, fish and other sources such as soy, while iron can be found in oysters, lentils and iron-fortified cereals.

Along with protein and iron, think about biotin. "Biotin, a water soluble B vitamin, may help strengthen nails," says Moore. Biotin can be found in foods such as eggs, broccoli and fish.

Publications: Febstore

How to Blend Nail Tips

For some women, 10 long and flawless fingernails make them feel more feminine. However environmental and physical factors can cause nails to peel or chip. Fortunately, alternatives to perfect natural nails exist. Nail professionals apply artificial tips to the nails to lengthen them.

If you have patience and a steady hand you can apply your own tips. Blending the tip well is a critical step in application.

Significance

Blending the tip creates a natural-looking nail extension. It also creates a smooth base for the application of nail enhancements such as acrylic, silk, fiberglass or gel nails. Without properly blending the nail, a ridge forms where the product joins, and does not create the stable base needed for a long-lasting enhancement. Blending the nails becomes especially key when you intend to wear sheer or French manicure nail lacquer since an obvious seam detracts from the beauty.

Tools

Select a thin, fast-drying glue that dries clear and leaves no reside. Purchase a file to gently reduce the plastic material that forms the artificial tip. To make the job easier and faster, use a tip blender. It has acetone, which breaks down the plastic material of the nail tip. For the finishing touch, use a buffer to smooth the tip and make the transition to the natural nail seamless.

Techniques

Select a nail tips that fits snuggly between the sidewalls of the nail. Apply glue directly to the tip, using a small dot of fast-drying nail glue, allowing it to spread evenly on the tips, so you do not have air bubbles once you apply it to the natural nail plate. Place the tip at the top of the free edge of the nail plate and gently roll the tip onto the nail. Once the glue dies, apply the tip blender. Use a 180-grit file to thin the tip where it forms a joint with the natural nail. Buff the nail with a 240-grit buffing block to give the nail a smooth natural surface.

Considerations

Use a soft 240-grit file to remove the natural shine from the surface of the natural nail. A coarse file could disrupt the layers of the nail plate and cause air or contaminates to become trapped between the natural nail and the tip, resulting in the growth of mold or fungus. Dehydrate the natural nail with alcohol to remove the oils from the nail plate and improve adhesion of the tip to the nail.

Publications: Febstore

The French manicure is a timeless classic in the beauty world.

I can lift any outfit and instantly make you feel pretty, feminine and ready for any special occasion.

Increasingly, nail art is expanding with new colorful tricks and techniques being introduced, and we're not just talking glittery acrylics.

Nail wraps, crackle polishes and newspaper print nails are among the new wave of artist designs that are taking the beauty world by storm. And the best bit? You don't need to spend a fortune on having falsies put on to achieve the looks.

None of us have the luxury of having salon perfect nails, but if you want to achieve a quick and simple manicure, then here a quick step-by-step guide.

1. Apply a base coat to the nail and let it dry.

2. With white polish draw two small vertical lines at either side of the tip and draw a thin line along the tip of the nail. The two lines make it easier to keep the line even. A handy hint, keep the brush flat and make sure there is no excess on the nail to avoid dripping.

3. Once you have your basic line on each nail, go back and make it as dark and defined as you like.

4. When it has dried add a couple of coats to add color and pigment to the nail.

5. When dry, add a clear nail polish for extra shine and protection from chipping.

If you struggle to achieve a straight-ish line on the nail, either use paper tape or French manicure stickers for a rough guide.

Following on from the spring/summer season's love affair with color, it is so easy to use this classic style to change it up a bit with a twist.

Instead of using the traditional base coat pink and white tips why not go for something a little more colorful and daring.

You can combine any contrasting or complimentary colors you’d like and chose a different combination for each finger and really follow the block color trend.

Follow the same technique as the above, but empty out your collection of polishes and have fun creating your own personal manicure!

A little tip...my nails at the moment are red and bubblegum pink, but instead of a red body, pink tip I've gone a little different and drawn a diagonal line across from one top corner down the nail. You can make the line as fine or big as you’d like.

It's eye catching and is a great tip for shorter or longer nails.

Publications: Febstore

How to do newspaper print nail art

Nail art is becoming more and more artistic with creative and innovative techniques popping up all the time.

One trend about to take the beauty world by storm is the simple to do, but oh so effective newspaper print nails. Here's a step by step guide as to how to achieve this funky look, with a picture of my nails to show you what the finished product looks like.

For this look you will need:

A pale basecoat, a small amount of vodka/rubbing alcohol 10 strips of newspaper cotton buds A clear topcoat.

So:

1. Apply two coats of your pale basecoat and leave to dry thoroughly. The lighter the color the better for this look as it helps the newspaper print to show up better. Go for either a pale pink/white or grey depending on how much you want the nail to stand out.

2. Put a little vodka into a bowl or a lid. Dip a finger into the vodka for about 10-15 seconds.

3. As soon as you remove it, lay a strip of newspaper, words facing down.

4. Press firmly and rock your finger over the strip of newspaper for 15-20 seconds.

5. Lightly peel back the newspaper and the words will be left on the nail.

6. Repeat this process for all the nails and leave to settle for 2-3 minutes before touching anything or moving around.

7. When the ink has dried sligthtly, apply a LIGHT top coat to the nail. Try to make this as thin as possible so as to avoid it running with the ink. If you do it lightly, then it will stay in place.

8. Once this has dried, go on to do a second coat, this time a little more liberal. This will protect the design and add shine to the finish.

9. When your nails are protected, go around the nail with nail polish remover and a cotton bud to clean away the print.

10. Wash your hands in warm, soapy water to clean the hand thoroughly

There you have it, take a look at mine done with exactly the same process.

Apparently, using filtered water in place of the vodka/alcohol is an option for those with irratable skin or brittle nails.

The print may be a little lighter, so you may have to press down a little longer with the print to achieve a darker tone. Keep practising until you have a look you're happy with.

Take a look at mine, and have a go yourself.

Let FemaleFirst know what you think...

Publications: Febstore