Looking after our nails is essential as they can easily become damaged and weaken over time, due to everything we use our hands for on a daily basis. Follow these 7 easy tips to look after your nails in the best way possible!
1. Avoid Bold Shades
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Avoid colours such as red, black, blue, yellow and orange as they are commonly known to leave a stain. If you're going to use these colours, make sure you use a good base coat before you apply any polish.
2. Use a Base Coat
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Skipping a base coat will lessen the quality of your nails over time as well as weaken them, so it's always better to use one and be safe than sorry! Apply the base coat onto your natural nails, before you apply your first coat of nail polish.
Base coats are great for providing a protective layer over your nails to reduce (and even prevent completely) discoloured stains. It's probably not a surprise to hear that nail polish is quite damaging anyway, so if you're going to use a bright or bold nail polish colour, you should definitely use a base coat beforehand for extra protection.
I would recommend using China Glaze's 'strong adhesive' base coat because it dries quickly and does a great job of protecting your nails, especially against those harsh, bold nail polishes.
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3. Use a Top Coat
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Top coats are important for maintaining your nail polish and making it last longer. It protects your nail polish from chipping, weakening and splintering as well as maintaining the shine and vibrant colour of your polish.
This is a vital step since our nails are at full exposure on a daily basis since we use our hands for almost everything. There's nothing more annoying that spending ages doing your nails, only to have them chipping and falling away as soon as you start cleaning dishes after dinner or even washing your hands.
Top coats are different to base coats and each have different purpose it's not a good idea to try using a base coat as a top coat or vice versa. You should really have both and this will ensure you're everything you can to protect your nails.
I would recommend using Seche Vite's 'dry fast' top coat because it dries quickly and does a great job of preserving nail polish and prevents most cases of chipping.
4. Opt for Soft Shades
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Use light, soft and pastel colours which rarely leave a stain, especially in comparison to bright and bold colours. Aim for light pinks, beige, cream, white, light brown, soft silvers and golds.
5. File Your Nails
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File your nails at least once every couple of days to maintain the shape and to minimise splits and snags in the nail. For your left hand, file in the left direction and the opposite is true for your right hand. Always file in the same, one direction and never 'saw' back and forth as this will weaken the nail and leave them prone to damage.
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6. Use Cuticle Oil
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Buy an affordable cuticle oil and apply or rub this all over your cuticles daily for maximum results. This will leave your nails hydrated and healthy, making them stronger and less prone to general damage.
7. Let Your Nails Breathe
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Give your nails a break and allow them to breath by laying off any nail polish for at least a couple of weeks at a time. This is especially true if you have just removed nail polish, as your nails will already be quite weak due to the recent chemicals it's been exposed to (both in the nail polish you used and the remover).
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Taking a break from nail polish is important for your nails’ health. Nail polish can contain harsh chemicals that weaken and damage your nails, and the remover can also be damaging. Allowing your nails to breathe for a couple of weeks will give them a chance to recover and stay healthy.
In addition to taking a break from nail polish, it is also important to moisturize your nails. Use a cuticle oil or cream to keep your nails and cuticles hydrated and strong. This can help protect your nails from damage and keep them looking healthy.
It is also important to use the right tools when applying and removing nail polish. Use a nail file to shape and smooth your nails before applying polish. Use a nail buffer to remove ridges and bumps from your nails. And use a cuticle pusher to push back your cuticles safely.
When removing nail polish, use a non-acetone remover. Acetone is a harsh chemical that can be damaging to your nails. A non-acetone remover is gentler and can be used more often.
Comments
MarylandGirl: My nails look awful 😘 but after this they look amazing
Thelma62913: No matter what I do, or don't do, when I give myself a manicure, my nails chip within a couple of days. But when I get them done professionally, they last much longer. So I either go months without my nails being done, or I get them done.
Courtney: I appreciated the tips about using the base coat as well as a top coat. I never thought about this when applying polish.
peony: Good points. I usually leave my nail without makeup for months even
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