NAIL REHAB
Everything you need to know about how to restore your nails a gel disaster.
“Having damage from gel nails is a reality, just like a bad haircut,” says Essie celebrity manicurist Michelle Saunders. “The good news is that [nails] replenish and grow ( just like hair) no matter what you do to them.” So after a couple of back-to-back gel appointments, treat your nails to rehab.
POST-GEL PROBLEM
#1: THERE ARE WHITE SPOTS OR LINES ON YOUR NATURAL NAIL, AND/OR THE NAIL PLATE FEELS UNEVEN
Post-gel damage is typically caused by the removal process. First, break the seal of the gel with a nail file before applying a cotton ball soaked in pure acetone to the nails. Then, secure the cotton in place with foil. After 10 minutes (or more), the gel should flake o with the help of a nail file. Avoid scraping with a metal cuticle pusher for this step.
It takes about three to six months for nails to grow out completely. Give your nails a break from gel to allow the nail plate time to recover.
POST-GEL PROBLEM
#2: YOUR NAILS ARE CONSTANTLY BREAKING ONCE THE GELS COME OFF
“Your nails have become used to that protective coating of gel (which keeps them from breaking), so your everyday lifestyle could cause breakage,” says Michelle. If your nails are snapping, consider cutting them down to a short, manageable length.
POST-GEL PROBLEM
#3: YOUR NAILS ARE PEELING AND FLAKING
Nails are dead skin, particularly a protein called keratin (also in your hair). “[Nails] can become dry and brittle ( just like hair after too much colour or styling),” says Michelle. According to dermatologist
Melanie Palm, nails also lose moisture faster than the rest of the skin. Rehydrate them using cuticle oil such as Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil R99 and hand cream such as Avène Cicalfate Hand Cream R160, especially after washing your hands. “[Avoid] extremes of dry or hydrated,” says Melanie. If the nail is super-dry, it can become brittle, and if it’s too hydrated, it can become soft – both situations make nails more prone to damage. “Use cream at night to keep hands moisturised, wearing cotton gloves to enhance penetration,” says Melanie. “Every time you peel the gel o without breaking the bond, it removes a layer (or more) of your nail plate, which causes flaking.”
Nail Care Base Coat in As Strong As It Gets R139 Essie;
Daily Keratin Treatment R408
CND Rescuerxxx;
Moisture Rehab Nail Treatment R129 Sally Hansen;
React Base Coat R199
Morgan Taylor; Natural Nail Base Coat R225 OPI
The evolution
There’s a brow for everyone, from ’30s pencil-thin to a more natural, defined brow in the ’40s and trendsetter Marilyn Monroe’s arched, groomed brow. In the ’60s, we saw a dual trend as pencil-thin brows made a comeback, and Audrey Hepburn’s thick straight brows became a thing. During the age of disco, in the ’70s, brows got higher and thinner thanks to the art of going tweezer crazy. But with full, fluffy, bold and natural back on the rise, the bushy brow returned in the ’80s. Then there was that what-onearth-were-we-thinking moment in the ’90s when the pencil brow re-emerged and, it’s safe to say, our brow game hit rock bottom.
Thankfully, by the 2000s, the skinny, pointed, groomed brow was a hit. Around 2010, Insta-worthy brows were etched out, defined and polished and took the beauty industry by storm, which brings us to the present day, when high-impact overgrown, bushy, fluffy and laminated brows reign supreme.
The brows
Marlene Dietrich barely had any, Frida Kahlo had a monobrow, and today, Cara Delevingne makes a statement with hers. Who would’ve thought pencilthin eyebrows would become a thing of the past? (And, thankfully, we’ve evolved from the tweezer-happy teens we once were!)
Eyebrows frame the windows to the soul. They can be iconic, understated, grow freely or you can pluck them into obscurity. But they draw attention to the eyes and can be the most crucial touch of natural makeup on the face.
There’s more to brows than preventing sweat and debris from falling into your eyes. You smile with them, furrow them when you frown and bunch them when lost in concentration.
Eyebrows have been objects we’ve marvelled at for thousands of years
and reflect different cultural values, geographies and periods.
eyebrows Through The ages
As long ago as between 3 500 BC and 2 500 BC in Ancient Egypt, where both men and women donned makeup and followed cosmetic trends, the eyebrows were a style choice and not just practical fixtures on the face. Egyptians wore thick, bold brows to honour the Egyptian God of Good Health, Horus.
The Ancient Greeks and Romans followed a few trends too. Amongst them was a love of the unibrow, a symbol of beauty. In the Tang dynasty in China, which ruled from 618 AD to 907 AD, women would shave off their natural eyebrows to easily apply makeup.
Some say that in the 18th century, the grim practice of trapping mice and using their fur to form artificial brows became a solution for a fuller brow. The brows of The Roaring Twenties were needle-thin. And in the ’60s, Sophia Loren started a trend with her deftly applied, pencilled look. Today, the jury is out, as numerous trends sweep the world.
The essential fashion accessory
Kryolan professionals say, “In the 2010s, bold eyebrows made a long-awaited return. If women’s brows had survived zealous over-plucking in the ’90s and early 2000s, they left them to grow freely, following the bold example set by Cara Delevingne and even, to an extent, Kim Kardashian.
“Today, many women are tweezing less and adding a touch of texture with waxes, gels and brushes. We’re seeing defined but bold and natural looks. The ombré brow is popular too, which features a thicker look. Faded on the edges and done right, it can look like art. But we advise you to be cautious, as it can appear a bit too much if overdone. Overall, there’s more freedom of choice today, as we see numerous eye-catching trends.”
Whether you choose to go au naturel or groom your brows into shape, they frame your face. They’re a personal choice that can speak volumes about your personality, and that makes them as eternal as fashion.
Over time, we’ve transitioned from long and thin to arched, sculpted, full and bushy. We’re thankful to the eyebrow gods for allowing the miracle that is our arches to grow back, and today when you think of sought-after brows, you visualise them as fluffy and natural-looking. And thanks to makeup, you can change them every day!
“That what-onearthwere-wethinking moment in the ’90s”