Hot Nail tip: Metal Nail files can be too harsh for natural nails, so opt for cardboard or crystal files instead 

Myths and truths  about  Nail Polish.

Do your nails even need time to breathe? It is worth to buy that expensive nail polish? Vitamin enriched Base coats really works?  These are just some of the doubts that hover in the minds of women who are trying to found out what is best for their nails. And no wonder: many people still have the habit of doing their nails using products that might  leave their hands and nails looking flawless in the first days, but over time end up with damage and unhealthy nails. In the text below experts reveal all the myths and truths about nails polish and its scenario

1)   Is that true that dark colours can cause yellowish on the nail plate?

There is no relationship between the pigment in the nail polish and the yellowish, "says dermatologist Valcinir Bedin, regional president of the Sao Paulo of the Brazilian Society of Aesthetic Medicine. The colour does not penetrate the nail. If you removed the nail polish and noticed that your  nails are yellow,  "the lacquer  will only change the colour of the nail if it is sick," so, it might be a lack of vitamin or maybe a hidden health problem.

2)   Is that true that our nails need a break to breath?

This is a myth. "The nail is composed of keratin, a tissue whose cells are dead, So, they don’t need to ` breathe` or take a break from nail polish.  Explains Valcinir Bedin.  The opposite happens with the skin cells that need nutrition. But it always good take a look at your nails when removing nail polish  in order to check  if they have any changes in colour or texture/thickness of the nail . be careful with nail polish removers, specialists recommend  using cream cleansers with vitamins in its formulation  and nourishing cuticles oils, to protect and moisturize the cuticles.

3)   Is it true that  dark nail polish helps strengthening  the nail plate?

Another myth. Enamels red, green, black or brown do not strengthen your nails. "No component of enamel penetrates the nail, leaving them stronger or weaker, except in cases of diseases of the nails, such as fungus, ringworm," explains dermatologist Valcinir. What happens is due to its thickness, dark nail polish create a thicker layer on top of the nail making the nail plate slightly more resistant to breakage.

4)    Can hardening base coat be applied daily?  

Myth: There is always a reason behind the nails are fragile and need it to identify the correct treatment. Do not use them indiscriminately. The main causes of weakness of the nails are improper diet, excessive acrylic application to enhance the nails and lack of vitamins. The doctor may recommend products to harden the nails, which usually have formaldehyde or retinoic and glycolic acids. "Be sure to apply those strengthening products only on the nail plate, because in some cases they can cause irritation and allergic reactions if in contact with the skin," explains Valcinir Bedin.

5)   Is that true that adding essential oils to the nail polish is good for the nails?

Myth: The truth is that mixing essential oils or even the argan oil, in nothing will improve or worsen the health of nails. "This sort of mixtures only thins the nail polish, facilitating the application," explains dermatologist Adriano Almeida, professor of postgraduate studies in dermatology Healthy Skin Foundation, Brazil.

6)   Question: Are the expensive nail polish ones, the best because they treat and protect the nails?

 This is a myth. The high prices of some nail enamels have more to do with the label itself than due to its quality.  There are several options that is more affordable and presents a high standard quality. It is worth to pay attention to the presence of allergenic substances such as toluene. More expensive brands usually charge more because of the uniqueness of colour and the thickener agent, which makes the enamel thinner or thicker liquid.

7)   People with sensitive skin should avoid wearing sparkling nail polish?

Truth: The shimmering agents added to this type of  polish are usually  more  aggressive, with substances that cause skin allergies more easily, Another common cause of allergies are derivatives of toluene, a solvent used in nail polishes. Check the presence of this substance in the bottle before you buy the enamel if you have sensitive skin or allergy to nail polishes.

8)   Is it true that mixing glue  to nail enamel can prevent chipping ?

True!  Some say that dripping a drop of potent glue  in the nail polish bottle can prolong the life shelf of the nail polish and makes the nail polish last longer flawless on the nails.  The dermatologist Valcinir Bedin explains that, if applied only to the nail, composed of dead cells, this mixture does not cause harm but, if the mixture runs  to the edges, can damage the cuticle, leaving it dry and causing allergies

9)    Are base coats with vitamins  good for nails?

This kind of product works well for the cuticles but will have no action on the nail. "The nail consists of dead cells, which do not absorb this type of nutrient," says Valcinir Bedin.

10)                Can children wear adult’s nail polish?

Not really . The best age to allow children to use nail polish is when they are past the thumb-sucking stage. Children usually stop sucking their thumbs between the ages of 4 and 5. Nail polish is appropriate for children to wear only if it is designed for children (toluene and Dibutyl Phthalate free)  and if  applied under adult supervision. However, if applied an ordinary nail polish, parents should be aware that some nail polishes have dangerous chemicals like toluene, a solvent to create a smooth polish. This chemical can cause nausea, dizziness, and headaches. The ideal nail polish for children would be those made of minerals, such as mica and iron oxide, in a water solvent for sparkle. These natural ingredients are healthier for children to wear.




Source: Beautiful with brains/CareFare.com/ig.com.br

Learn how to keep your cuticles looking healthy and beautiful

Remove the cuticles in the name of beauty may have adverse consequences. Cuts and cracks on and around the cuticles are filled with bacteria . Many skincare experts are convinced that trimming cuticles, increases the chances of inflammation or infection of the fingers. To maintain your cuticles beautiful, you have to moisturise them at least once a day with proper cuticle care products such as cuticle oil or cuticle cream.
Do not bite your nails or the skin around the nail. Furthermore, protect your hands from damage when performing manual tasks by wearing gloves and avoid using your nails as tools to start or poke objects. Moreover, it is very important to avoid getting to much contact with cleaning products,, such as dishwashing detergents and other household cleaning products,"If you are having a professional manicure, be attentive to how the professional care for your nails and cuticles. Many nails techs get very excited when trimming the cuticles and attack the excesses of hard skin with sharp cuticle nippers. Ideally, skin protection (hypochinium) should never been trimmed or cut but hydrated yet.
Just cut the cuticles even in case of ingrown nails that can cause a more serious inflammation of the finger. For beautiful hands and healthy cuticles, see this step by step:
1 - exfoliate your nails carefully, massaging them in a circular motion, so those silly dead cells can be detached. After this procedure, the fingers will become hydrated and no handing nails (the skin around the nails) will turned up.
2 - Try buffing and polishing your nails. They get smooth and it helps the nail polish adhesion too. Buffing removes lumps and bumps, polishes and shine nails. This can be indicated for man manicure as well, who like to keep their nails looking healthy and groomed.
3 - Push the cuticles without cutting them. Use a cuticle softener and a wood spatula. Avoid metal sharp or pointed cuticle pushers which can pierce or cut the cuticle;
4 - The last step is to rub them with a cuticle cream or oil for nails and cuticles.

References: minhavida.com.br / beauty and EZ Flow training program

China Glaze Magnetix

China Glaze, which makes nail lacquers sold at salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide, has announced the launch of its limited edition Magnetix nail lacquer collection. Infused with iron powders that move when exposed to a magnet, China Glaze Magnetix uses magnetic force to create three different designs — starburst, repeating arrows or diagonal lines.

Available at brazilian nails too :)

OBS: The manufacture claims that you can use it at home,yes you can after practising a lot.  It sounds easy to apply but actually requires a little bit of technical skills to apply it properly.

Airbrushed designer nail tips!

For those fashionable girls who like to match their bags with their nails or just for bring some 
fashion to the nails too!!
I have done these Louis Vitton nails tips yesterday for a client of mine and I absolutely love them.
Note: Her  cuticles  need some moisturizer but nothing that a good cuticle cream  with AHA in it can`t fix after a couple of  weeks of application!

Tricks to make your nail polish last longer

Some tricks can care and protect the nail polish over a week and maintain beautiful nails.

Round corners
round the free edge in the corners or use round tips
Square corners increase the chance of nail curl up and thus break easily. File the corners and prefer well rounded tips. If you don’t like round tips just slightly round just the corners a little bit.

 Take time to file them properly
One of the main enemies of beautiful nails is peeling, that little tip that chip and brings together all the lacquer.  To avoid it, the trick is to file the nails with a lot of patience until they are very smooth.  Use the finer grid of the file.

Buffing your nails It will removes imperfections, bring s to the nails the highest shine and helps the fixation of the lacquer. "But is indicated only do this once a month, because excessive polishing may deteriorate the keratin of the nails.
Keep nails short or polish over acrylic nails 
Llong natural nails are more likely to break on the side and spoil the whole production. The shorter, more will last besides they are very practical.  Short nails it is recommended for those who work with computers on a daily basis because the keyboard tends to wear down the nails polish. Although, for those who loves long nails and also love having their nails perfectly painted, there is good news! You can use nail polish over your acrylic nails and they hardly will chip because the acrylic holds the nail polish on it. So, it doesn’t matter if your acrylic nails are long or short. Isn’t it great? 
Always use base coat!The base coat has always been a great friend of who constantly have their nails done. In addition it creates a layer that protects the nail of the dyes - thus avoiding yellowing of the nail - it helps keep the product better. "It is indispensable. And if it has formaldehyde, it will help to make the nail stronger and healthier.
Apply thin layers
If the coat is too thick, it will lift and chip faster. Thus, apply thin layers to avoid ruin your nails before that important event you done your nails for. 

Apply top coat

The product is transparent and forms a shield over the polish nails, avoiding the famous "chipped." This product is also indispensable. And if your nails after few days lost that shine from the first day, just apply a new coat of top coat and the shine is back!  It is a good trick to make your nails looking like they have just seen your manicurist. 
Wipe off excess of nails polish from the front and side walls
please don’t apply you nails polish and live the mess behind. It is not just ugly but also avoids chipping as well. Give one last quick check with the stick. Just be careful not to touch your nail, otherwise you will ruin it. And this is not good.

Wear gloves when doing household cleaningThe contact with cleaning products is inevitable in everyday life, and they help to fade the colour of the nails polish, take the shine out and help chip the tips too.  "Complaints are always related to alcohol and detergent. The ideal is to use gloves and always moisturize hands and nails properly. Also if you can buy a good cuticle oil and apply top coat every time the shine start to fade away. Those simple actions will greatly extend the life of your lacquer.

Taking care of your acrylic nails

As a nail technician I couldn`t let it go. Sometimes clients blame the nail tech for the lifting of their nails but sometimes it also happen for other reasons. Please read it if you have acrylic nails or are thinking about getting some :)
 How to prevent lifting and breakage of the nails

What causes the lifting of nails on some clients and not on others?

• Misuse of Nails. Using nails as screwdrivers or other such tools is not recommended and can cause lifting
• Poor circulation, certain medication, or experiencing stress or has a poor diet, you may find that this may cause a breakdown in the bonding process.
• Nervous Habits:  Caution your clients that picking and biting nails can cause lifting.
• Occupational Hazards: Typing, keypunching and similar activities can cause pressure on the nails. 
• Filing friction and heat build-up by drills or files.
• Diseased Nail Plate: State Licensing Boards have determined that this problem is beyond the scope of the technician's practice. Professional medical attention is required.
• Household cleaning products such as dishwashing liquid
• Lemons and Limes and other Acidic Juices
• HIDDEN CAUSES. (1 ) Heart Medications, (2) Diuretics and too much Vitamin B-6, (3) Medication for sugar diabetes (Insulin), (4) Thryoid Medications, (5) Allergies and sensitivity to the product itself. (6) Bacteria in the client's system.
• Nails that have been thinned and damaged from previous nail services are not a good base to apply too. They will tend to be more flexible and less likely to bond as well as an undamaged nail.

Some clients let the time elapse between appointments. We recommend that the time lapse between visits should be approximately 2 weeks. After this period the nails may start to lift and become unbalanced by the extra nail growth. 

Some clients even go as far as picking off broken nails or picking the product around the cuticle area. This will severely damage the nail.   

Non-acetone remover may be safe for extensions but if your client is constantly changing her nail varnish the product will eventually weaken. Tell them - one or two changes between visits is fine. Nail colour does not chip on extensions like it does on the natural nail: multiple nail colour changes are not necessary.

Detergent abuse is another common cause. Teach them the importance of wearing rubber gloves whilst washing up and other household chores.

Purchase a nail oil to nourish, protect and improve circulation. Twice daily use of nail oil will not stop lifting but will reduce it. Some nail oils are available with antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. These oils will not stop the client from obtaining a bacterial infection if lifting is present, but daily use will certainly reduce the risk. I recommend Essential oil plus from EZflow. It has antifungal properties plus Jojoba and Aloe Vera essential oils in its composition.

Source:  http://www.nail-solutions.co.uk/lifting.htm and EZflow  Nails Systems NZ. 

Guide to the perfect manicure & Pedicure at home

Tips for filing your nails, avoiding  blisters on your polished nails and  preventing stains and nails peeling.

Doing your nails at home can be fun unless  you get  blisters on your polish nail, your   nails tend to become ingrown or  polish  starts to peeling off. To avoid these and other dramas, the Brazilian top manicure Gisele Camargo from the nail salon Pic Nic Rikki, teaches the right way to do your manicure at home

How to choose the nail file 
The thin nalis files  can give you the best  finish  avoiding that rough feeling when you touch them. Buffers are good for taking the ripples off, that eventually appear on the surface and add some extra shine to the nails. Choose different textures for different purposes from the roughest one to the smoothest one.

Avoiding  ingrown toenails
If you suffer from ingrown nails… stop cutting them. Gisele explains that the side of the nails should never, under any circumstances, be cut. The best thing to do is to file the nail without depth, following it natural shape.

Applying a  base coat
It is important to apply it before any color. The base facilitates the removal of enamel and also prevents the nails from staining with dark colors. With advanced formulas on the market, it is easy to protect your nails and still treat them with empowering products. such as Base for weak nails.

Blistering enamel coating  

Blisters can happen on your  polished nail when  product is too thick or because of  very hot weather. The trick? Wash your hands with cold water before starting the nail enamel - with the lower temperature, it is unlikely that the blisters will  appear. Keep an eye on the validity of your nail enamel throwing away those ones that have already expired.  Try to store them  properly in a cool and dark place.

Yellowish nails, no!
By removing your nail enamel your nails reveal an ugly yellowish? It may be lack of base. If you apply a dark nail polish   with no base, your nails certainly will be an ugly yellow colour  when you remove that polish nail. Now, if the problempersist  even with a nail enamel on, the problem may be the brand  of the basecoat you are using, which reacts with the nail polish   - if  in doubt, switch to another product. In addition, the mixture of cosmetics with polish nails  - in particular, sunscreen – may also makes the nail colour change.

White stain?  Give it a time ...
If you ever  had the experience of  removing nail polish   and finding your nails with white spots, then it's time to take a break. Excess of nail polish  and nail polish  remover or acetone is the problem. The solution? Let the nails "breathe",  free from chemicals for a few days. Apply a moisturizing cream to nails and cuticles, that will help in the recovery process. Try not to use acetone because it is  very aggressive and its continued use causes dryness and flaking, leaving the nail weaker, use another nail polish  remover preferable that contains natural ingredients.

My hot tip!!!!
Want beautiful nails for over a week? A good choice is to use the Minx, which is anadhesive craze in Europe and the USA. They are used exclusively in salons, and can last up to a month. But you can buy online do it at home, won`t have the same result as when you have it done at a salon but at least you will give a break to your nails and still have them very pretty! There is variety in colour and accuracy in the design of the prints. Animal Print is the most!

Want Nail polish strips that instantly give you extraordinary nails

I know it sounds too good to be true but it is true. Those nail polish adhesives were made to facilitate our lives. Nowadays it is so hard, we are so busy, we have full time jobs, we have children, we have social, commitments, financial goes to achieve and many other things ...oh my God, we really need things to make our lives easier.....

Anyway, Give it a go.........those strips are made of solid-film material with an adhesive back that is activated by friction. The warmth from friction creates conformability, allowing the strip to fit over the compound curves of your nails and seal onto the nail bed. This is a good option for someone who doesn`t have any manicure skills to do it herself or doesn`t have time to visit a manicure or maybe just  want to save a couple of dollars to spend with something else.  

Well known brands as  Incoco, Sephora e Minx have a complete range of those polish nails strips and the models go from: Assorted colours, chess ,striped, flowers, cow print, flags, alligator skin, bridal nail, metal colours and  French nail style. 

Price goes around NZ$17.00

My Review about this Innovation: I used it and I like it but have to admit that it possible to notice some failures as it is hard to match your nail size perfectly. It’s easy to apply and easy to remove as well, just peel them off! 

Minx nails says that to have a professional look (like these ones in the pictures)  it should be applied by a certified professional, but then I don`t see the point of applying those strips instead of going to see a nail technician anyway. 

Sources:

http://www.sephora.com

http://shop.incoco.com 

http://www.minxnails.com/dnn/