Total Elegance - Basic Every Day Nail Care

Nail Care

BASIC EVERYDAY NAIL CARE

Beautiful, well-groomed nails are an important part of your overall look. Attractive nails and hands enhance your appearance, whether you spend your days in a kitchen or in a boardroom. Depending on your lifestyle, a basic manicure will last one to two weeks.

A healthy nail grows approximately half a centimeter a month, so it will take three to four months for a nail to renew itself from the cuticle to the tip (free edge) and about six months for a nail to completely renew itself from the nail bed. Illness or poor diet can slow nail growth and even stress can have an effect on your nails.

ON NAIL LENGTH AND SHAPE

To determine the best length and shape for your nails, you must first consider your lifestyle. Nail length must be practical as well as flattering, allowing you to go about your daily routine normally. Next, consider the size and shape of your hands and fingers.

Very long nails might overpower small delicate hands. Conversely, large hands with wide fingers will probably look even larger with short nails. Everything is a question of balance, finding the right proportion to suit the individual’s needs.

When deciding on nail shape, there are several things to keep in mind. The most important point is that the shape of the nail helps to determine its durability. Think for a moment what happens when the pointed fingernail hits a hard surface, tip first. The small pointed tip receives the entire shock and will probably break. A somewhat rounded or even squared tip, however, allows the shock to be distributed over a large area and can save the nail from breakage.

Fingers look longer and more slender with straight-sided nails that have slightly rounded tips. This shape is the most flattering for short nails too, as it will help hands to look more graceful. To achieve perfect rounded tips, merely file the corners into gentle curves, always from the outside towards the center, making sure to avoid the sides of the nail.

Square tips create the illusion of width and should therefore be reserved for either narrow or medium width nails. The best length for square tips is medium to long, as short square nails can make fingers and hands look stubby.

Pointed nails are pretty to look at, but are weak at the sides, inviting breakage. This shape is recommended only as a corrective technique for people with very strong nails that curve downward.

A BASIC MANICURE

Remove any old polish with an Acetone-free Remover. Acetone is dehydrating and damaging to the nails and skin, so always choose non-acetone polish remover.

Shape your nails with an OPI Black Beauty File. Do not use a metal file, and remember to keep the sides of the nail straight. Never file your nails when they are wet, as when wet they are at their weakest and the layers are more likely to peel.

Soak your hands in OPI Swiss Blue Antibacterial Soap or go and have a shower to soften your cuticles. Push back your cuticles gently with an OPI Reusable Cuticle Stick. Never trim or pull the skin around the cuticles.

Buff your nails with a Fine Sanding Block to remove surface oils and dirt that have not been removed from the soak. Don’t over buff the nail surface as over buffing can damage the nail.

Massage OPI Avoplex Cuticle and Nail Treatment Oil into the cuticle and around the nail to help stimulate growth and feed the nail. For a really smooth, shiny surface use the Avoplex Oil with a Satin Buff 3 in 1. The Avoplex Oil also helps prevent peeling and splitting of nails. A Scandinavian nail product company has extensively researched nails that are massaged with oil, and have found that they are seven times stronger than those that aren’t massaged with oil.

Apply OPI Natural Basecoat to protect the nail plate from staining and help the polish last longer. A basecoat provides a bond between the natural nail and the polish to help the polish adhere to the nail.

Apply your colour choice of OPI Nail Lacquer in three strokes, the first in the middle, then one either side. Don’t flood the cuticle or sides. Always apply two coats for a true colour. OPI Nail Lacquers are designed for a quick drying two-coat application. If your nail is damaged, don’t polish it. Keep the nail exposed to the fresh air to heal. If you find your nail lacquers are getting a bit thick and gluggy, restore the life back to it by adding a few drops of Orly Nail Polish Thinner. Never use Nail Polish Remover to thin out lacquers, as the nail lacquer colours will become very transparent.

Use NSI Airshield Top Coat to strengthen the nails, prevent the lacquer from chipping, and add a smooth high gloss shine to your nails.

Finally, after your polish has dried completely, massage OPI Moisture Replenishing Lotion over hands and up your arms. Avoplex Lotion contains UV blockers and leaves a non-greasy surface. For best results, use every day.

All OPI, NSI and Orly products mentioned above are all available from the TOTAL ELEGANCE MOBILE SERVICE.

Look after your nails because remember – beautiful, well-groomed nails are an important part of your overall look!

Finger and toenails are made up of mainly keratin, sulphur and some protein. Keratin is the substance skin cells form and it provides a waterproof layer on the surface of our skin. A healthy nail is usually smooth, naturally shiny and pinkish in colour. Problems with nails are usually due to a nutritional deficiency or a particular disorder. The following nail problems can be dealt with using the suggested nutritional support.

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