Why you should never cut your nails, ever
Oh, the luxury of a weekly manicure.
This rates as highly in my beauty book as an in-salon blow dry.
Great hair, groomed nails, what more could you ask for? The beauty of nail polish is that you can update your look regularly and take big risks with colour.
I remember a flirtation with lettuce green on my toes that didn’t quite make muster and with a swipe of nail polish remover it was gone.
There are a few golden rules to keeping nails from running amok:
Cuticles
Don’t cut them, always push them back. You can do this in the shower using a facecloth or washer.
Filing
A file is the only thing you should use to shape your nails. If you cut them you run the risk of trimming off too much length and leaving little room for fine-tuning the shape.
Always file your nails in one direction starting at the outer and working your way around. Using a sawing motion – back and forth – will fray your nails and cause them to peel at the tip.
Paint prepping
Your nails should be squeaky clean with no residue, including hand cream. Nails need to be clean so the polish will adhere. Use a tissue with acetone nail polish remover to erase any oil.
Pro tip
‘‘Don’t forget to paint the tip,’’ says manicure guru Jocelyn Petroni. If you don’t the manicure will start to chip. And always reapply a longlasting topcoat to get the greatest longevity out of your polish. Two of our favourites are Vinylux Top Coat and Dazzle Dry.
Gluggy polish
If you are down to the dregs and your polish has started to clag, get some more mileage out of it with O.P.I Nail Lacquer Thinner.
The season’s hottest colour trends
Robin red: Try Chanel Nail Gloss in 530 Rouge Radical with its distinctive mirror finish.
Navy: Our long-wearing favourite incarnation is CND Vinylux Long Lasting Polish in Midnight Swim in navy.
Grey: It’s the new nude, try CND Vinylux in Field Fox with its subtle pink flush undertone.
Chamois: Perfectly rendered in O.P.I’s My Vampire is Buff.
Get painting.