Experts have officially said you should use white polish to create natural-looking nails.
You know the drill. A friend’s nails are nice, so you just have to wait until the new year before you buy some white polish to pamper them. I mean, trust me on this: it’s only once a year you can get such gorgeous neon polish on your hands. They’ve just never been that great — weird, unruly digits — so a new hue or two wouldn’t hurt.
But two months into 2019, and the one-color-at-a-time upgrade remains the same. Can you blame me? So I started wondering what exactly it takes to properly treat those silly little nails? Because if you’re rocking the totally unnatural flat and hard ones, you probably don’t give a damn.
Read on for tips and tricks from the experts to keep your nails healthy and beautiful all year long. (We’re talking statement nails, KKW.)
Read the skin
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Skin color plays a major role in your overall nail health. Corina Zehner, DDS, a nail health expert and founder of Bond Girl Academy, recommends looking for a nail polish with fair or pale colors. Matte skin, with more color in it, can be a bit lackluster, and those with darker skin tones don’t get that mild glow it provides for a healthy manicure.
“A major nutrient deficiency could come into play — red or maroon colors in nail polish may increase bacteria counts in the area to worse than usual, with the transfer of the bacteria to the nail,” she says. Also, go for polish with vitamin C, calcium, and riboflavin to protect your nails. These are all building blocks for healthy skin, and they also enhance your nail health.
Wipe them clean
Sometimes you forget to wipe your nails down after putting them on, so a clean, dry surface is a must. Sandi Galindo, owner of Nail Parlor in Albany, NY, recommends two big dabs of acetone and a spray of nail polish remover. If there are any dirt or oil spots or pimples, she recommends a cloth. For nails that smell like nail polish, you can add a little rubbing alcohol.
“The cleanup helps to kill bacteria on the nail bed and also helps prevent the staining of the manicure,” Galindo says.
Embrace gel
I keep hearing how these gel nails are the next best thing to my favorite red. I wouldn’t be surprised. “Gel is an amazing stand-in for traditional acrylic nails,” says Ruby T. Cooper, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at North Shore University Hospital. “Acrylic manicures are too harsh on skin, and replaceable gel gives you your nails’ natural look.”
Build it up
Taking your time is key for great nails, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the job done. Kristina Fritsch, PR director at CND, an internationally known nail polish brand, recommends starting on a thin base coat and finally add a medium or thick base coat. Her advice for ensuring a great manicure: “Prevent interference with your nails by ensuring they are clean and dry between rounds of manicures. Don’t cut off your nails or let the polish touch your nails.”
Use wood
There’s a saying in nail art circles: nails > claws. No, those claws are not cute. But having feet that look and feel like they belong to a human animal can be pretty great.
Nail art expert Greg Williams recommends using a strong, wood base coat to shape and define your nails. Then, top with a light base coat — and voila! You’ve got nails that look like real nails.
Change it up
Before you go playing it safe with the same safe, simple manicure, experiment with small and bold details. Colors, textures, shapes, and a variety of nail-bed ingredients like almond shells and powdered artificial texturizer are all part of the on-trend nail art landscape.
“For the colorful set, textures — shiny, smooth, and even textural nails — are super popular, as is balancing texture with texture’s counterpoint, which is definition with a matte finish. Nails also are sometimes infused with botanical or medicinal root oils and essential oils, and molds with natural gems such as blackened black lava beads and Brazilian or sea minerals,” Cooper says.
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