Nail Care Tip #3

It’s time for another nail care tip! This time it’s about nail polish remover, the different types and which are the best to use. There are two main categories of nail polishes remover – acetone and acetone-free. Nail polishes with acetone are much better for getting tough varnish off, so if you’re doing intricate nail art of you’ve put some strong, long-lasting polish on then this is probably the one for you. However if you have sensitive skin or if your nails need a little more TLC, then the acetone-free remover is best. Both these types may come with additional features though; some contain ingredients designed to soothe the skin around the nails, some have extra stuff to help strengthen and repair your nails, and some have great scents for those who can’t stand the usual smell of nail polish remover – it’s all about looking at the choice on offer.

Nail varnish remover also comes in different forms. There’s the traditional liquid remover, which you apply using a cotton pad or something similar. You can get wipes which will give you less for your money, but may be more convenient and less messy – I also find they don’t tend to have such a strong smell. You can also gets tubs filled with foam where all you do is stick your finger in and twist it until the polish is off. I’m not too familiar with this particular type of remover, but it offers obvious advantages in terms of ease of use and storage.

I personally use Cutex Nourishing nail polish remover (shown above). It’s strong enough to remove my nail polish, although probably with a little more work than the Ultra Cleansing one. Because I use it often though, as I’m always changing my nails, I opted for the nourishing type just to give my nails that little bit of extra potential. It contains Vitamin E and a nail whitening formula. As far as I know Cutex make nail polish removers in the following types: Nourishing, Ultra Cleansing, Moisture Guard, Acetone Free, Regular, and Strengthening, and also make nail polish remover pads.

Nail Care Tip #2

In order to lighten the mood following my previous post, let us move on to nail care tip #2 – filing your nails.

If you want to keep your nails in tip-top shape, it follows that they’ll need filing at least every once in a while – but sometimes seeing the way some people file their nails makes me cringe! You should only file in one direction, towards the centre of the nail and up. DO NOT use a sawing, back-and-forth motion as this will tear and break your nails. Start off slow and try to keep to slow, long strokes to get a smoother finish. If possible, soak your hands before filing, although you must remember to dry your hands before the actual filing. Never file your nails when they’re wet as this will make them prone to breakage.

As for the files themselves, glass ones are the best, although a bit more expensive than the usual cardboard emery boards. Try to avoid metal ones as these aren’t great for your nails. You can get multi-sided files which have different levels of roughness, so you don’t have to use a really rough file just for a little bit of smoothing. You might also choose to buff your nails which will make them look extra smooth and shiny, but don’t do this too often as it can thin your nails.