Nails 101 The essentials

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Beauty Uncovered

Nails 101: The essentials

It's time to get to grips with the basics of nail care. Brush up on your nail care knowledge and discover the crucial tips for a lasting manicure.

Meena Ganesh

Meena Ganesh

Junior Beauty Writer

Published 13/11/2010

What's big on our list of beauty priorities? It's got to be nails, and it's not hard to see why: with an endless array of shades to play with and easy-to-preen fingertips to admire, what's not to love? Nail gurus Jenni Draper and Adam Slee offer us their essential tips for talons that are groomed to perfection.

The basics of nail care

Neglected nails are easy to spot: Dehydrated cuticles, chipped tips and discoloured nail-beds give the game away. If you're not hot on nail upkeep or just find that your lifestyle makes it difficult to keep them in shape, you're in luck. It only takes a bit of pampering to restore nails to their former glory.

Jenni Draper, winner of the prestigious Nail Professional of the Year 2011 title, shares her essential tips for nails that deserve to be shown off.


No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Night Hand Cream
The golden rules of nail care

File: Nails should be dry when filing to prevent splitting. Files shouldn't be too abrasive – a fine or medium grit file is perfect.

Jenni recommends: Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File


Buff: Buffing will make nails look healthier, smooth any ridges and make your polish last longer.

Jenni recommends: Models Own 4 Way Nail Buffer


Moisturise: For healthy-looking cuticles, apply a cuticle cream or oil daily. This also makes it easier to push back the cuticle.

Jenni recommends: Mavala Mavapen


Hydrate: This is key when it comes to keeping hands looking and feeling as young as possible. Applying a hand cream at night with cotton gloves is an easy-yet-intensive treatment.

Jenni recommends: No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Night Hand Cream


Nail care no-nos
  • Filing in a see-saw motion – this encourages nails to split
  • Excessive buffing – once a week is enough
  • Being heavy-handed while buffing – this can create friction and heat damage to nails


Make it last

If you're all about nails that are low on maintenance but high on glamour, a tough manicure that holds steady when faced with daily wear and tear is definitely a beauty goal for you to reach.

By following these few simple tips, it's easy to get maximum wear out of your paint job.

1. Always use a base coat. There's one for every nail issue out there – dry, splitting or brittle. A good base coat will also prevent yellowing and make the polish last longer. Try Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener to help strengthen weak nails.

2. Apply two coats of your chosen nail colour, allowing them to dry in between coats. Have a fine brush and nail varnish remover handy for tidy-ups. Beauty Fixation Nail Polish Remover is great for quick touch-ups.

3. When your colour is dry, apply a top coat. Try nails inc Kensington Caviar Top Coat for a quick-drying, shiny finish.


Colour splash

There's much more room to get creative and to take fashion risks with colour when it comes to fingertips. "My advice is to be adventurous – if you like it, go for it! There are some colours that are hard to wear, like yellow and some greens, but if you don't try, you'll never know," says Jenni, whose work has appeared on the fingertips of celebrities such as Kate Moss, Yasmin Le Bon and The Saturdays.

That said, there are fail-proof shades that deserve a spot in any nail fashionista's stash. Rimmel manicurist Adam Slee shares his all-time classic colours.


Red

"Red has forever been a classic colour – it never fails to look elegant. Deep reds are perfect for autumn and winter, while coral reds will make any outfit pop in the summer."

Models Own Nail Polish in Coral Reef

We love:
Models Own Nail Polish
in Coral Reef

Pink

"There is a shade of pink out there for everyone. I love the softer shades of pink, as these tend to suit all skin tones and work all year round."

Bourjois Paris So Lacque! Ultra Shine Nail Polish in Rose Lounge

We love:
Bourjois Paris So Lacque! Ultra Shine Nail Polish
in Rose Lounge

Nude

"I always class a nude or clear polish as an essential – just one coat smartens nails up with a healthy-looking gloss, even in a hurry."

Yves Saint Laurent Base, Top & Care Coat

We love:
Yves Saint Laurent Base, Top & Care Coat




Nail the look

Looking ahead into the world of nail trends, Adam predicts the love for nearly-naked manicures will carry on. "Nude nails will continue to be big moving into autumn/winter 2011, but we'll see pearlized and dark nude shades stealing the limelight," he says. His personal favourites? "I love Rimmel London's Lycra Pro in Posh Trash and Beige Babe."

And for those of a more dramatic persuasion? "Vampy shades are always a strong look for autumn and winter," says Adam. These are more difficult, as you need to be very precise for them to look perfect. Opt for deep purples, like Rimmel London's Urban Purple, and burgundies – they're easier to get right and look just as strong as black."

And there you have it – gorgeous nails that can go from classic and sultry to high-fashion in a few simple moves. All you have to do now is sit back and marvel at your own handiwork.


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Related categories:
Beauty Uncovered
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