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GETTY — SPRING 2014 A new age of great looking nails

I grew my own nails almost back to where they were as a child, only in miniature form. I gradually gave it more time, through using a specific spa manicure method, but haven’t lost the knack of getting a manicure done straight off the nail file. But how much time should you invest in a nail file? Obviously it depends on how much nail care you spend a week consuming (or what you spend on nail tools). I bought a rollerball (£7.99) to prevent creasing of the trim (and so tuck in the false nails you buy too). Then I consulted the experts at Dr Rose’s Nails, which gives polishes, powders and file coats from their London salon. Connoisseurships aside, waxing your nails is still the more time consuming option – but what can you do with them once you’ve gotten them? In ten handy tips, Paul Nolan, the Nails Studio Manager at Dr Rose’s Nails, advises hewing away at unwanted length. ——————————————————————————————————————————–

GETTY Eight different ways to diminish the visible hair length

ONE: Ditch the reverse manicure There is nothing more frustrating than reaching for a bright red topcoat and realising you’ve got tangles of hair where you thought there was nothing. It happens to the best of us. The nail file is a powerful tool. Get one that you don’t need to snip all the time, like the well known Memphis Gudeti [£20, 0345 070 8090] recommended by the Nails Studio at Dr Rose’s Nails or the other from Dermot Williams, Remington [£12.95, 0870 607 0647]. Then it’s just a case of keeping on top of cleaning and using a mild mousse or baby oil at the job as it’s much more comfortable to shake the brush than to pull fingernails apart. ——————————————————————————————————————————–

GETTY Using citrus lotion on nails help the moisture transfer

TWO: Nutritive counters Pure products or even organic products will help you avoid pesky oils that clog pores and clog nails when exposed to air, exposing the skin to UV rays as well as sunlight. “Apply this as soon as the nails are dry,” says Paul, who adds that a daily spray of Eucerin Butter Spray Nail Buffer [£4.99, available in a three-part set from Dr Rose’s Nails] is extremely useful. The Nail Care Multi-Tools of James Read [£15, 020 8396 9090] can help fight bacteria or restore hydration when the nail file isn’t strong enough. ——————————————————————————————————————————–

GETTY Lemon and sugar mixed together increases blood flow to the nail

THREE: Be a virgin nail Nails are best when left to grow naturally. “It’s perfect for nails that are going for an escape from the world,” says Paul. Put aside a spare time, such as during your morning shower, to leave the nail bed alone. As soon as you open your toes up to air, your nails will either have lost their signature plumpness, or the nails will bleed. As the swelling goes down, it’s perfectly okay to polish your nails. “Try lemon and sugar mixed together, the result will be a shine you have never experienced before,” says Paul. A nail rose or banana with a carrier, such as the Bond St or Ideal Dayer, is also good for relief of dry and cracked nails. ——————————————————————————————————————————–

GETTY Using cotton wool to remove nail polish will take away the irritation

FOUR: Rubber band them all… There’s no point trying to scrub your nails clean when you’ve got glitter glue and silver paint all over them. Rubber bands in tact will help prevent more painful incidents. “Rubber bands tend to be tight,” says Paul. He recommends using a washing line to stuff them into. “When you use them just before, they’ll take away the irritation a lot faster,” he says. Then, when you want to polish your nails again, just take them out and turn them back so the three corners snap together. “They’ll have returned a magnificent thickness,” says Paul. Another way to keep your nails from scaling back is to plant cotton wool in nail beds at the moment you want to peel off the polish. “It just sucks up the nastiness of the alcohol that’s on your nails and stops the condition deteriorating further,” he adds.