What to do to make your nails beautiful

AS insignificant as they may seem, a person’s nails serve many benefits including making the hands beautiful and detecting a person’s health status. For fashion enthusiasts, caring for the nails by visiting a pedicurist, sometimes, twice a week, is an obligation not to be handled with levity. So, it is necessary to have a grasp of the right tools to use that will ensure in strong, healthy nails as listed below:

Nail clipper

As the name implies, it is used for trimming the nails. Clippers come in various forms and some even come with a small nail file and sometimes, a pocket knife. They are also available in various shapes and sizes, giving you the option to carry it around. They are a vital tool fr many fashion emergencies including clipping of hanging, broken nails, and cutting hanging strings and threads off outfits. When clipping nails, work in steps and do not cut the nails too low to prevent damage. Also, many people take for granted cleaning clippers, forgetting that the nails are a breeding environment for germs. To clean, soak your cleaning brush in alcohol for a few minutes, then add liquid anti-bacterial soap and scrub. Rinse off and ensure you dry properly.

Nail file

They are used for sharpening the nails, especially the edges after clipping. They may come in glass, stainless steel, metal emery boards or even ceramic materials and perform the basic function of smoothing.

Nail buffer

A nail buffer comes in various forms such as a small rectangular block or a flatter shape and has different sides for polishing the nails. They are the next tool to use after filing. Some products come with an instruction leaflet on how to use. However, because of the effects of buffing, it should not be done too often to avoid weakening the nails which can lead to damage. Allow the nails a few weeks to grow out before using the buffer again. Note that some products do not support buffing the surface part of the nails but just the sides. A nail buffer has four sides for a purpose. For products that do not provide directions, start with the roughest side and work your way to the smoothest part of the buffer. The trick is to smoothen out edges and unevenness till you get a fine, polished result.

Cuticle pushers, cutters and removers

One of the most important rules of nail care is not to tamper with your cuticles, that is, do not cut them. They are the skin at the base of the nails and are there for a reason. However, there may be times when dead skin may hang of the nails and your fingers can’t reach them. That’s what the cuticle cutters or removers are for. Cuticle pushers are used to lean the cuticles away from the nails before applying polish.

Toe separators

They are usually used for spacing the toes, especially during the application of nail polish to prevent spilling. They come in foam, gel and other materials. Apart from for pedicure purposes, they are used by women who wear tight shoes for the better part of the day to stretch their toes out.  They are also ideal for letting injury on the edge of the toes heal as they will prevent the next toes from rubbing into the injury too often.

P.S.: invest in quality products and always endeavour to sterilize your nail care tools at home. Also, when you visit the nail salon, always ensure the manicurist/pedicurist have their tools sterilized.