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Beauty DIY: How To Get Healthy & Natural Looking Nails
Good morning you lovely lot! We’ve got a real treat for you today because we’ve joined forces with Georgina from GG Bridal Beauty to show you have you can keep your natural nails in good shape this winter and even in the run up to your wedding! Over to Georgina…
Natural nails can become out of shape and the cuticles will become over grown and dry easily. This time of year it is best for you to begin some home maintenance to keep them in top form, to stop any hang nail developing and generally to ensure you have good looking nails! Here’s how…
Step 1: Shape your nails using a fine emery board. File one way then the other, no see sawing allowed! Ensure you keep your nails at the same length and if there are some longer nails, shorten them all to match. They will grow faster than you think!
Step 2: Apply some cuticle oil. I am using Phenomen Oil by Jessica however, you can use sweet almond oil which is a 1/3 of the price. Massage into your cuticles to really penetrate the layers of the skin surrounding the nail matrix, at the base of the nail. You should use this at night too, just before you close your eyes!
Step 3: Apply some cuticle softener. I am using Nourish by Jessica. You can buy cuticle cream from any good beauty store. This will soften the cuticle skin and reveal any dead skin that can be removed after soaking.
Step 4: Ensure you massage the cream and oil into the nail and surrounding skin. By doing this you will increase the blood flow to the nail bed, which will enrich the cells in the nail matrix and boost the growth.
Step 5: Give the nails a soak for about 5 minutes in some soapy water, but no longer as too much water on the nails can increase the chance of peeling.
Step 6: Using a hoof stick, or the corner of a towel, push those meddlesome cuticles back gently. This should be performed at least once a week. If you have bitten nails or the skin is very overgrown and dry, you’ll need to start applying oil as much as you can, and soaking them more often. They will improve but nail care means high maintenance.
Step 7: Using some cuticle snips, very carefully snip away any skin that appears white. This is dead skin. If it is still pink then the chances are a snip could cause a bleed. Take great care here as any damage to this area (cuticle/nail matrix) will cause permanent damage.
Step 8: Using a cotton pad soaked in nail varnish remover, give your nails a good “squeak” to remove any oils and leave the nail clean and ready for buffing.
Step 9: Buff your nails using a 3-way buffer. This will give the nails a good shine. You should only do this once a week though as over buffing can weaken your nails.
Step 10: This is how your nails should look after buffering, a natural shine should appear.
Step 11: Last but not least, apply a strengthening base coat. You can get many different types of base coats to suit your nails. I am using a base coat for peeling nails by Jessica. Emily’s nails will receive the correct nourishment for her nail type. Base coat must be worn at all times to protect the nail and remember to seal the free edge! It is a huge myth that the nails should be left the breathe. The nail plate is made of dead cells and keratin. The living part is underneath and at the base under the cuticle!
Step 12: Admire how fabulous your natural and healthy nails look!
A massive thanks to the lovely Georgina Gwilliam for showing us how to have such gorgeous looking nails! Be sure to head over and like her Facebook page for more beauty tips!
Much Bespoke Love
Jess xx
Working from home, ill and feeling sorry for myself. I think I’m going to give this a go this afternoon to cheer myself up 🙂
Thanks for sharing ladies
x
Awww poor you Sophie!! I really do hope that this helped your feel better lovely! We all love a bit of pampering 🙂 x x x
I love to make my nails beautiful. I always use nail art to keep my nails beautiful. Really amazing tips and I really love without color nails rather than colored nails, Such a great tip jesscia thanks for sharing your experience with us
I will use these tips to make my nails pretty, great tips!