FAQ - How Do You Maintain Your Nails

Hi Lovelies!

I have been terribly swamped trying to get everything together for TheBiLDirectory. I am not 100% ready for the site to go live. I mean the website itself is 100% done, but it's all the behind the scenes 'paperwork' that seems to be taking forever. I am just going to 'turn the lights on' and just take it all as it comes :D. If you'd like to get listed, you can read all the info here -- Get Listed on The BiL Directory

So on to today's post. This is probably my most frequently asked question (FAQ), this and my skincare routine. I have avoided both questions mainly because, there is absolutely nothing special that I do to either! I have said this over and over but it seems like no one believes me. I am all about sharing and that is the idea behind my blog, I'd hate for anyone to think that there is some deep dark secret to how I maintain my nails or skin, so I have FINALLY got round to typing up my nail-care post. Expect my skincare one soon.

My Naturak Nails - No BaseCoat, No Polish

First things first. My nails are 100% natural. I don't do acrylics, stick-ons, or wrapping. I did try wrapping my nails for a few months and found that it weakened my nail-bed terribly! Like, it hurt to even TOUCH my nail-bed. So I immediately stopped that. Plus the whole process of getting acrylics, stickons or wrapping done just makes me shudder!! Like how they file the nail-bed with a VERY abrasive emeryboard to get the surface coarse... OMG! just typing it makes me squirm. That canNOT be good for your nails. I know that there are people who love their false nails and by all means I am not trying to tell you what to do, I personally don't like it and that's just my preference. Also my nails are NOT perfect. For example, the nails on my thumb, index and middle finger on my righthand just don't grow as long as the rest. Can't figure out why this is, but that's just the way they are.

NAIL CARE
with
c, o, barry

Take It Off Polish Remover
This is the nail polish remover I personally use to get my polish off. I believe this is readily available all over Lagos. I buy mine at Ebeano Supermarket in Lekki and they've always got it in stock. I don't really go for those 'conditioning' removers or the ones that mention on the bottle that they're 'kind to your nails'. I feel like they take much longer to get the polish off, and I really do not like to spend ages on my nails. I just want something that'll get all the polish off and quickly. I have used this for years and my nails havent dissolved or anything lol. Like I mentioned, I don't really pay as much attention, I just make sure that the remover is for natural nails.


Glass Nail File
Ever since I read a post on Zara's blog about glass nail files, I knew I had to get one. These babies might be more expensive than your standard nail files, but they last forever. Yup, you read that right, you will never need to replace them because they are permanently etched. They are also much kinder to your nails. Since I started using these, I can confidently say I have seen a huge difference in the quality of my nails. This is all I ever use to file my fingernails and I take this with me whenever I go to get a manicure at the salon. And because of this I have had both of them broken at the nail salon :(. Ugh! Like they are actual glass, so you have to be extremely careful with how you use and store them. I have only ever seen them sold at the CasaBella store in the Palms Mall Lekki. I highly recommend these for your fingernails.
Filing My Nails
I also file my nails in one direction at a time. What I mean by this is I don't go back and forth when filing my nails, like from left to right. I file in one direction at a time. So if I am filing the right side of my nail I go anti-clockwise and if I'm filing the left side I go clockwise.
Shaping My Nails
I hardly every use nail cutters. If you notice in my Manicure Mondays posts, sometimes my nails are 'square' and other times they are 'stiletto/oval'. This is because I alternate the shape of my nails as they grow. If I have my nails stiletto/oval and they grow really long then I file them down into a square and when the square grows out really long then I file down the edges and turn it back into a stiletto/oval shape. I really hope I am making some sense lol

Orly Calcium Sheild Nail Builder
I have mentioned this product on my blog before. For a very detailed review please click here. But this stuff really works for me. The results, as with most products, are not instant. I noticed a difference after using this consistently for 7-8 weeks. Like I said, read my full review by clicking the link above.

Seche Vite Fast-Dry Top Coat
This I absolutely CANNOT live without. Just like the image I provided above, I got the professional sized bottles (2 bottles!) and they come with the standard sized polish. I always always always take this with me to the salon. Nothing irks me more than a nail salon that does not invest in a good quick-dry! I know that most of them have got those nail fans, but they just don't do the job. I mean you can seat there for 30-45mins, if you really want them dry enough. Only two (nail) salons out of all the ones I tried actually use Seche Vite and that is QM Lounge on 31 Fola Osibo in Lekki and Blush Beauty in VI. Although the last couple times I went in to QM Lounge, they had run out and have not yet replaced their stock. I honestly cannot live without this and it is one product that is definitely worth the hype! Your nails dry in minutes. Obviously you can't go straight to washing dishes or brushing your hair (random examples I know), you would need to be careful but they are dry enough to get in your car and drive home or eat some food :D lol. This is the one reason why I change my nails as frequently as I do (which is like every 3-4days). Seche Vite is really difficult to find out here but I did see it once on the shelves at Beauty Concerns beauty hall.

Nail Polish
Now the quality of your nail-polish is JUST as important. You need to invest in good quality polishes, not only do they look better, they apply better and last longer. If, like me, you tend to do your manicures yourself a lot, you will know that quality does matter. Always apply a base coat before you apply your polish, especially if it's a dark colour, this will prevent stains to your nails. Nail polishes I love and will recommend are Orly, Essie, O.P.I., Barry M and China Glaze. These are slightly more expensive than most out there, except for Barry M, but trust me there is a reason for this and they are worth it.

My Natural Nails - No Basecoat, No Polish

So how many of you now believe that there is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary that I do to maintain my nails? Apart from my calcium basecoat and glass nail files which I have both mentioned on here before, everything else is standard. Don't bite your nails, don't peel them either. You can file or buff them. And always file your nails in one direction at a time!

Hope you enjoyed this post and please feel free to add in your own tips in the comments section. It's all about sharing on Beauty In Lagos!

What are our nails tips and tricks?

Laters.

Ez xxX