Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us couldn’t visit the salon and get a manicure and pedicure. And thus, many people ended up rocking bare nails for a long time. For some, not going to the salon meant their nails’ health suffered.
Knowing primary nail care can help you keep your nails healthy and shiny, and you won’t have to visit the salon frequently. From the color to the shape of the nail, note everything and do your best.
If you are having trouble taking care of your nails, follow the Guide to Nail Care below.
Clean Your Nails
The first step in nail care is cleaning them. While it may sound basic, it is a crucial step. Aside from washing your hands throughout the day, make sure your old nail polish is removed before applying new paint or getting a manicure. Use a nail polish remover and apply it on a cotton pad or paper towel. Use scrubbing motion to get the nail polish off. This will help remove chemicals and prep your nails for the next coat.
Keep the Cuticles Clean
The cuticle is a transparent skin layer located at the bottom edge of your nail bed. The cuticle protects the new nails from bacteria when they grow from the nail root. It is very delicate and can easily dry out and infected without proper care.
It would help if you also kept up with cuticle care in your nail care routine. Use a stick to push the cuticles and hard skin back and then down. You can also trim away any excess dead skin. Remember not to cut close to the skin, or you will bleed.
File and Shape Correctly
The next step in the nail care guide is to trim, file, and shape your nails correctly. This is the best way to care for your nails and make sure they don’t snag on something and break or scratch you. The way you trim and shape your nails says a lot about your personality. You can file your nails into various shapes, such as round, almond, stiletto, square, etc. But if you are doing it yourself, keep it simple.
Use a nail cutter to cut your nails and then a filer to shape them and round off the edges to prevent snagging and splintering.
Keep Them Moisturized
Like your skin, your nails also need to be moisturized to keep them healthy and hydrated. You can either do this by investing in a nourishing cuticle oil or your regular hand cream. This will prevent your cuticles from drying out and peeling. Make sure to remove the hand cream from the nail with a paper towel, or the nail polish won’t adhere to the surface.
And you are done! Now that you know how to take care of your nails, you can get them prepped and ready for nail polish by yourself. However, make sure you apply a base coat on your nail to help prevent staining and messy application.
When applying nail polish on your newly prepped nails, make sure not to use too much and divide the application into two coats. Start by placing the brush in the middle of the nail and then push it left and right before moving up. With that, you have your basic guide for keeping your nails in the best shape and health possible.
If you want more information, reach out to our experts today!