Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Having gorgeous nails can make you feel like a million dollars and give your outfit that extra edge if you are on your way to an important meeting, going on a hot date or going for a fun girls night out.
Doing your nails also doesn’t have to be for going out, staying in and doing your nails can be such a pamper session, especially for moms that don’t often get the time to do things for themselves.
If you want your nails to look gorgeous they will require a little bit of maintenance, here are some awesome tips for gorgeous nails:
Clean & Moisturize
The starting point for gorgeous nails is simply to look after your hands and nails.
Make sure to clean your hands and nails daily. Avoid using a metal nail tools under your nails to clean them as this will damage your nail and cause it to separate from your skin. This causes an irregular white arching nail tip. Clean your hands and nails with soap and water using a nail brush or even a toothbrush.
Don’t scrub your nails too vigorously – you want gently clean and exfoliate them without being too harsh.
Your hands and nails will dry out from using soap and water so make daily use of a good quality hand and nail cream. Keeping your nails moisturized will help to prevent them from becoming brittle and breaking.
Keep Your Nails Trim & Tidy
Make sure to have an emery board on hand all the time. If your nails have any sharp edges they will be more prone to breaking. File your nails in one direction.
Don’t use a metal file as this will damage your nails. Make sure to buff them too as this will help to keep them looking great, but keep in mind not to buff too much, especially if your nails are quite soft.
Your nails will become stronger and healthier if you keep them trim to start with, so set aside some time every 2 weeks to trim your nails. Over time you will be able to keep your nails longer.
Take Care Of Your Cuticles
Use cuticle oil daily and massage it into your nails and cuticles – this will help to keep your nails healthy and looking great. Never cut your cuticles – they protect your nails and hands against infection! If you do want to do something with them gently push them back using a wooden stick after your shower or bath before you use your cuticle oil.
Get Regular Manicures
Yes a manicure is a pampering session for sure and your hands and nails will look great afterwards, but it isn’t just about getting your nails done pretty. Having your nails professionally cared for regularly will help to keep them in better condition.
It will revive your skin and nails, so here’s your excuse for a regular pampering ladies!
Prepare Your Nails Properly
Preparation is key when it comes to painting your nails if you want them to last a long time without chipping or getting damaged! Before painting your nails put some vinegar on a cotton ball and wipe over your unpolished nails. Your nail polish will be brighter and stay on longer.
Use A Base Coat and A Top Coat
Putting on a base coat will protect your nails against the effects of nail polish which could damage your nails. It will also help your nail polish stick better and prevent your nails from being stained.
Putting on a top coat will seal the color and give your nails a glossy and gorgeous look.
Look At Your Diet
If your nails are brittle and damaged, but respond to treatments consider looking at your diet. If you have a calcium deficiency no amount of cream or cuticle oil is going to repair your nails and get them looking gorgeous.
Add calcium rich food to your daily diet to help rectify this, you could also consider taking supplements.
Be Gentle and Protect Your Nails
It is not going to do any good coming home from a having a manicure and sticking your hands into hot soapy water to do your dishes! Make sure to be gentle with your nails. Protect your hands with gloves to keep your nails strong and healthy, as well as protect any nail polish or nail art you have.
Get Fun & Funky
There are some amazing trends coming out with nail art, there are designs and styles for every occasion. Just have a search online or on Pinterest for acrylic nail design ideas to get some inspiration going. You can have nail art professionally done or you can search how to do your own designs.
You can also spend some time being creative and designing your own nail art.
There is nothing funkier than themed nail art.
Read The Labels
Make sure to check all your nail products ingredients list. There are plenty of nail products made with ingredients that are not good for your nails, so don’t assume all nail polish is safe.
Ingredients such as toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate are toxic chemicals and can contribute towards your nails being brittle and weak.
Make sure to use acetone-free nail polish remover.
Spending a bit more on quality nail products will not only ensure that your nails look gorgeous but will also ensure that your nails don’t get damaged in the process.
GREAT tips Lynne! Perfect!
The only thing I can add is that if you’re not into acetone-free nail polish remover like I am because it takes me a lifetime, it’s okay to use regular nail polish remover BUT moisturize afterwards then it’s fine. It evaporates quickly but does dry out the skin a lot! This is not technically a tip, I’ve just never been able to get acetone-free remover to work for me but I know loads of ladies who prefer and swear by it!
Lovely article love the tip on the vinegar will try it I was so impressed grew my nails for December and did my own French tips I have learnt the correct way to clean them too
Great article @lynne.
I am very bad when it comes to my nails. No wonder they are always in bad shape.
I like to paint my toenails but my fingers nails I usually keep in their “natural state”.
I work so much with my hands every day i.e. typing, washing dishes, cleaning, and I hardly ever get a moment to sit and do something for myself.
I would love to have my nails done at a professional salon but here I go again with my broken record… I don’t have the budget to do this. When my heart thinks about spending R300 at a salon for my nails, my brain takes over and tells me to rather spend that money on formula and baby wipes or some groceries.
Maybe one day when my ship comes in, I’ll be able to spoil myself more often.
I know exactly what you mean. When I have extra time or money – that hardly ever happens – my nails are the last thing that I use it for. I know that a persons nails can actually make a big difference to overall appearance so maybe I should consider doing something about my nails.
Not looking forward to breastfeeding hair and nails…
My nails turned brittle and flaky when I started breastfeeding my son. I tried so many different things and nothing seemed to alleviate the problem. I just hope it will be better this time around.
Thanks for the article never have time for my nails but will definitely try it out
I wish I had the time to pay any attention to my nails, I admire others but havent focused on sorting mine out.
Will give it a try to find some time to sort them out in the near future
I know what it feels like when you had your nails just done… you feel like a different person,, on top of the world! It’s like getting a new perfume. I would like to spoil myself with a manicure every month but it is so pricey so i end up doing my own nails. I just never get the chance to do it anymore. The one thing I hate is when your nail polish starts coming off and you have to go to an appointment and you are running late. Lately time hasn’t been on my side and I always ended up with nails looking like….you know what lol. It is very interesting to read that you would find all these harmful ingredients in nail polish, like formaldehyde(isn’t that what they use to embalm dead people?)…creepy! thank you for this article. I think I’m going to do my nails now. Cheers!
I would love regular manicures…. Unfortunately, they are very expensive. So I will definitely keep these tips in mind. I haven’t taken care of my nails since my son was born. Just really haven’t had the time. Maybe, now that he is starting to by himself more and more, I will look into this again.
I stopped having my nails done as it just chips off or becomes destroyed by other activities. I do dishes and gardening and sewing and baking, and use glue *way* too often, so it always ends up with a piece of hot glue pulling off the paint, or food colouring staining my beautiful french manicure.
I sometimes try to paint it on Sunday evenings, and then it looks beautiful for a day, but the I remove it my Tuesday morning because I look sloppy with my chipped nails. I only have it done for special occasions, and then I try not to touch anything except for bunnies and babies 🙂
I love the fact that great nails do not have to be long nails! Some of my mommy friends manage to work with long nails and they do it so naturally. It looks beautiful true.
Me, on the other hand, struggle to get anything done, but that does not have to mean that you have to leave your nails neglected.
Reading this article, I’m just reminded again of how much our diet place a role in all areas of our life!
Great read.
What will also help for busy ladies when you have a bit of time, perhaps when watching tv is that you use your thumbnail to push back cuticles, preferably after a bath when your skin is still soft and massage whatever lotion you on face on your nails as well even the olive oil that you cook with
I have found the Sorbet range of nail polish and polish removers. It is great products and last longer than other I have used before.
I always have my toe nails painted but I use my hands too much to paint my nails.
My nails can never grow they always breaking… Im so going follow these tips
I adore having my long french acrylics…I’ve had them for 7 years now and I can’t imagine life without them. Believe me, you adapt to them quickly and then you will wonder why you never tried long nails sooner. Also always have my toenails in French tips…wearing sandals all year because I live in Southern Florida lol. Love this article!!!!