BeAUtY tiPs
Nail Myths Busted
Do you remember when you were little and your mum used to tell you that if you ate carrots you’d be able to see in the dark? We all got pretty excited to gain that particular super power, so we wolfed down our carrots… until we quickly realised that it was all a lie! Well, there are a million and one myths just like that one, but about your nails. So here are a few common nail myths busted… some might even surprise you!
‘NAILS NEED TO BREATHE’ Once your nail has grown it’s no longer alive, so it doesn’t need to ‘breathe’. As long as your nail tech is using high quality products and applying them correctly, there is absolutely no reason to remove your enhancements. In fact, it should be avoided! Whether you keep your acrylic nails on for 3 weeks or 30 years, the damage to your nail underneath will be exactly the same! Even if you don’t have enhancements, keeping a treatment based polish on your nails is just like moisturising your face or conditioning your hair - it will protect and nurture your nail.
‘WHITE SPOTS = LACK OF CALCIUM’ White spots on your nails are very common and completely harmless - they are most likely a sign of slight trauma to your nail, not calcium deficiency. You will usually find that children get a lot more white spots on their nails than adults.
‘GELATIN MAKES YOUR NAILS HEALTHY’ Your nails are actually made from keratin, not gelatin! Putting gelatin on your nails will not affect them at all. This idea was originally thought of by a jelly manufacturer who came up with this theory due to the fact gelatin contains bones, skin and hooves. If you want to use a treatment on your nails, I would recommend Mavaflex Nail Serum by Mavala, which moisturises and strengthens your nails.
‘GEL IS BETTER THAN ACRYLIC’ If anything, gel is worse! Hard gel can’t be removed with acetone, unlike acrylic. This means it has to be filed off rather than soaked, causing much more damage to your nails. If you want long lasting nails without damaging your own, try a gel polish such as Gelish by Nail Harmony.
‘WATER MANICURES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN’ Surprisingly, your skins and nails actually get more dehydrated the more water they are exposed to. The best manicure to have if you want nourishment is a paraffin wax manicure. This silky, warm wax is
applied to your hands and nails to help lock in hydration, and it even eases arthritis pain!
‘STORING NAIL POLISH IN THE FRIDGE MAKES IT LAST LONGER’ There’s nothing worse than your polish going thick and gloopy when there’s still half a bottle left! But as handy as this little trick would be, unfortunately it’s not true. The best way of keeping your nail polishes in good shape is to make sure you screw the lid on extra tight after each use – it’s exposure to air that causes it to thicken!
‘PUTTING WET NAILS IN ICE COLD WATER MAKES THEM DRY FASTER’ Your nail polish dries when the chemicals in it evaporate. Therefore plunging them into any water, even ice-cold water, will just prolong the drying process! The best way of getting your polish to dry faster is to use a drying treatment, such as Mavala’s Oil Seal Dryer, or CND’s speed spray. Even just putting normal cuticle oil over your fresh polish will help prevent smudging, because if you catch them on anything it will smudge the oil rather than a coat of your polish!
REBECCA O GORMAN Salon Manager, The Retreat.
the Retreat, Nails and things. To find out more or to book your appointment please Call 01706 868 898. www.theretreat.me 42
www.rochdalestyle.com