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Nail Polish  Whether you opt for pale enamel or the fashionable colour of the moment, nail polish can accentuate your hand and add the finishing touches to your complete beauty look.
When selecting shapes of nail enamel, take your skin tone into account. Use the inside of your wrist as a guideline. If your skin has a bluish tinge, opt for shades with a cool bases. If you have yellow or olive-toned skin, opt for a warm-based polish.
Avoid coordinating the colour of your fingernails and toenails and never fall into the trap of matching nail polish with clothing and lipstick. A mismatched look is much more modern.
Express Manicure:
To keep nails in optimum condition, run a soft-bristled nailbrush horizontally over them whilst in the shower. This will treat the cuticles, step up circulation and strengthen your nails. Forget pushing the cuticles back manually.
Lock for a cuticle cream enriched with an alpha hydroxy acid complex.
It helps dissolve dead skin cells and keeps cuticles in order.
Remove old polish with an acetone polish. It will temporarily dehydrate the nails so polish locks onto the nail plate more effectively.
Take short cuts to shape your nails. Use nail clippers first, then finish with a nail file. Only work the file in one direction otherwise you can traumatise the nail plate.
The secret to a lasting manicure lies in preparation. Before applying polish, run your hands under warm water and wash with a lanolin-free soap to remove any residues of nail treatment, which can weaken nail polish. Your nails will then be ready for the application of colour.
Tricks of the Trade:
Nails need protection from the sun. Use a topcoat enriched with UV filters. This also protects the nail polish from discolouration.
Never trim your cuticles. They protect the nail bed and act as a barrier against intruding bacteria. Gently push the cuticles back with a wet face cloth whilst in the shower.
If you have uneven ridges in your nails, avoid pearly or frosted polishes as they highlight imperfections.
To make nail polish last, store it in the fridge.
To ensure an even consistency, never shake a bottle of nail polish. Instead, turn it upside down once and then gently roll it between the palms of your hands.
If you're pushed for time, give nude nails a high shine by running a chamois buffer over them in horizontal sweeping motions.
Invest in specialty products such as base coat and topcoat as they have different purpose.
A base coat feels stickily once applied to act as a fixative for nail enamel. It also prevents dark-coloured polishes from staining the nail plate. A topcoat dries hard, locking in colour to give the surface a hard, protective barrier.
To clean up any smudges and imperfections, use an old, clean lip brush dipped in nail polish remover.
If the nail plate is stained from wearing highly pigmented polish,
dissolve two denture-cleansing tablets in a glass of water. Dip a nailbrush into the solution and gently scrub your nails clean. Rinse your hands with warm water.
Perfect polish in 4 simple steps:
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Base Coat Apply a fast-drying base coat, ensuring it goes on thinly to provide an even surface for polish. Leave to dry for 60 seconds.
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Fine Line always apply polish in three strokes (down the centre of the nail and then one on either side). Leave a tiny margin free around the cuticle to achieve a professional finish.
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Topcoat paint on a topcoat to protect the nails.
4 Finishing touch when the nail polish is touch-dry, run your fingertips under cold water to help set the polish throughly.
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