PERSONAL CARE
Fresh tips
A fresh, beautifully done manicure helps you look neat and put together. Also, you save a lot of money
1. File your nails Make sure they are completely dry (filing wet nails can cause splitting). Rounded nails (mirroring the shape of your cuticle) that extend just over the edge of the fingertip always look elegant.
2. Soak your nails Apply a rich hand cream. Then, soak your nails in warm, soapy water for five minutes to soften the cuticles. (One hand at a time if you want to flip through a magazine or play with your iPad.)
3. Push back your cuticles Push back your cuticles with a wet nail stone. If you have a hangnail, trim it; otherwise, don’t clip cuticles (they protect nails from infection).
4. Apply a basecoat It helps the colour go on smoothly and
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last longer. Try OPI Natural Nail Base Coat. Or, if your nails have ridges, Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat.
5. Brush on two coats of colour Brush on two thin coats of colour, waiting a couple of minutes after each hand. Use three strokes on each nail— on either side of the nail, then a swipe of colour across the tip to prevent chips.
6. Apply a top coat Singleton likes CND Air Dry, which helps cut drying time. Don’t forget to swipe the top coat across the top of each nail as well, as you did with the colour.
7. Clean up any smudges Clean up any colour outside the edges of your nails with an orange stick wrapped in a thin layer of cotton and dipped in polish remover.
Quick nail tips Don’t shake the nail polish bottle, instead roll it between your palms. This mixes the polish without causing air bubbles. Before polishing clean nails, soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover and swipe across nails. This will remove any excess oils or soap than can cause peeling once polish is applied.