How to: take care of your nails

It is SO easy to forget about taking care of your nails or finding the time for it, but it is essential as the health of your nails can actually be an indication of your overall health too. It is really simple and easy to care for your nails between polishes and if you follow it through you will gradually see a difference with your nails having fewer breakages, growing faster and all in all, feeling stronger. Nails are made up of keratin growing on a nail bed which is rich in blood vessels, therefore, healthy nails should have a pink tinge. The cuticle is the layer of skin which meets the base of the nail. It has a protective function, covering the new cells that will eventually grow to form the nails. This is why... healthy cuticles = healthy nails 

NAIL ROUTINE

1) Remove all your nail polish. I recommend any liquid remover from Sally Hansen, Cutex or Boots own - they're all really good :) 

2) File your nails into your desired shape. Filing is easiest when they have been soaked either after a shower/bath or you can soak them in soapy water for 5-10 minutes. Also push your cuticles back using an orange stick and trim any dry skin with a cuticle trimmer. I personally prefer my nails with a square shape, I tried almond shaped nails but I didn't like them as much and also made my nails more prone to breakages :(

3) Nail Soak! There are so many different soaks that are beneficial for different nail types. Just make up the mixture in a container and soak each hand for around 10 minutes, massage the soak into your nails and then rinse thoroughly. Here's a few to try...

- Lemon juice (yellow nails)
- Milk and olive oil (weak/brittle nails) *my fav!*
- Any essential oils e.g. lavender (dry nails)
- Orange juice (slow-growing nails)

4) Buff your nails using a 4 way buffer - this will help to smooth out any ridges/bumps to give a clean finish when you apply the nail polish.

5) Finally, apply a good base coat which will help to strengthen your nails and also protect them from colour damage. I absolutely LOVE Sally Hansen's range especially this Double Duty Strengthening base and top coat - it's my secret to keeping my nails long and healthy! 

AND FINALLY you are ready to paint and decorate away :) If you're sitting there thinking "ain't nobody got time for that" your nails will honestly thank you for it, so give it a go!