Excerpt from Face-to-Face with Doug Schoon, Volume II
Available on Amazon and iTunes- July 2017

In this article, I’ll explain what a Russian Manicure is and why you never want one if your nail professional doesn’t have the correct training and appropriate license.

Since knowledge is power, I’ll also give you tips to help you become a better consumer when visiting a salon.

What Is It?

Some people around the globe are teaching a highly risky technique that goes by several different names including, the “Russian” or “Equipment” or “E-File” manicure. 

It doesn’t matter what it’s called, they are essentially the same.

The process is to use an electronic file with very fine bits to file off the living skin around the nail plate. They also file off the dead cuticle skin on the nail plate.

The skin that everyone incorrectly thinks is the cuticle is called the proximal fold of the eponychium.

The proximal fold, lateral side walls, and the hyponychium create the 4 required guardian seals to protect the nail bed and matrix from harmful germs and bacteria.

We never want to cut or sand down live skin!

I believe the Russian manicure techniques are a potential threat to the entire nail industry.

Here’s Why

These are procedures that can be “invasive” and they promote the intentional cutting and/or abrasion of the living skin surrounding the nail plate.

Those who teach these Russian manicure techniques don’t use the term “abrasion.” Instead, they use nicer marketing terms like “buffing” or “polishing.”  

Also, they claim to be removing pterygium, which would be incorrect. The pterygium is on the underside of the nail tip.

What these nail technicians are doing is removing the skin from the proximal nail fold and side walls.

To claim that the “nails look prettier” in my view is a poor reason to jeopardize a client’s health when safer ways to perform a manicure exist.

Cutting/abrading damages the skin and creates the very problem manicures are supposed to solve.

The result is more damaged skin that later must be cut or abraded away. It’s like a dog chasing its own tail!  

Many people report the skin around the nail plate grows back thicker after the Russian manicure, so the nail tech needs to continue the method regularly, just to keep up.  

The Crushing Danger

Nail salons are already under intense scrutiny and don’t need the media or salon-bashing activist groups using this as another reason to avoid salons.

This is a troubling concern.

Many people will be frightened by such techniques. This will make more people afraid of nail technicians and their services rather than enjoy the many positive benefits that salons offer.

Some nail techs justify their actions by claiming to use only sterile or disposable implements. They naively believe this prevents infections. Wrong!

Whenever the living skin is cut or abraded, the damaged area is more susceptible to infection for many hours or even days. The potential risk of infection will remain until the body heals.

One proponent of these methods argued to me, “I’ve never heard of that happening.”

Well, of course not!

Not many people would openly admit they cut a client’s skin and caused an infection.

Schools and teachers who promote these methods don’t check back with their students on a regular basis, so how could they know about when the methods they teach are being misused?

I’ve seen these types of nail tech inflicted infections occur many times.

Also, when this thin skin is damaged, it becomes more susceptible to irritation and may lead to permanent allergic reactions to nail coating products.

How?

Many people who use this nail preparation technique place nail coating products directly onto or up against the damaged skin. This also drastically increases the client’s risk for adverse skin reactions.

Some teachers say the bits are not abrasive and are smooth. Think about it. If they were not abrading the skin, then they would have no effect.

It is true that these bits may be less abrasive than the bits uses to file down acrylic nail enhancements.

But, any bit spinning at thousands of RPM and placed against the skin surface will abrade the skin.

This abrasion can reduce the skin’s effectiveness as a germ and bacteria barrier. It also makes it easier for infections and adverse skin reactions to occur.

Fools Rush in Where Angels Fear to Tread

Another person asked me, “if it’s such a risk, why are so many doing it?

Just because some people do this technique doesn’t mean it’s safe.

This method should NOT be taught to the masses via Internet videos or online classes. Yet this is what’s being done weekly.

Too many people are “jumping on the bandwagon” without considering the consequences to their clients or their business.  

Nor do I think so-called Russian manicure certification classes are the answer.

Many students of these courses often disregard important precautions and will return to the salon and do it “their way.” Then they will teach other nail technicians “their way” and those nail technicians will also do it “their way.”

Soon, the precautions will be forgotten and this could have unforeseen consequences that could harm clients and may be disastrous for the reputation of the nail industry.

Interestingly, many people who do these services claim they do it the safe way and others do not. Isn’t that the “pot calling the kettle black?”

Are You Licensed?

Even more importantly, using an e-file to smooth this skin is considered microdermabrasion. In many regions, microdermabrasion is restricted only to those with special licenses beyond nail technician licensing.

For instance, in the USA an esthetician license (or sometimes a cosmetology license) is required to perform microdermabrasion.

Ready To Fall?

I can walk on a rope that is one inch from the ground. I won’t get hurt if I fall.

But what if I try to walk on the same rope five feet above the ground? I could get seriously injured!  

An expert tightrope walker doesn’t worry about falling from five feet—they are experts.

The low rope allows a lot of room for error for non-experts, while the high rope allows “little room for error”.
When high-speed bits are used and manicures become motorized, this allows little room for error.

The skin around the nails is nothing like that on the palm of the hand or bottom of the foot. It is much thinner and easier to damage.

Besides, even calluses should not be filed smooth, since this also increases the risks of infections. A protective layer of callus should always be left behind.

Some e-file experts do understand how to prevent injuries. But this is not such an easy thing to teach to non-experts, especially after just a few hours of instruction (or even a few days), which is what most classes offer.

In Conclusion

NEVER intentionally cut or abrade the skin around the nail plate. That’s trouble waiting to happen!

Doug Schoon, Author of Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

NEVER place any nail coating product directly against the skin, especially damaged skin!

This is, even more, trouble waiting to happen. It increases the risks of skin irritation and permanent allergies to these products.

Better Solutions

Protect and pamper the skin around your client’s nails—don’t invade it.  

Teach them that their dry skin can be hydrated with a high-quality nail oil blend. It’s a simple and non-invasive solution.

Continue using the appropriate methods to properly remove the cuticle.

Explain to your clients and friends why they should avoid this Russian manicure technique as well.

We need you to help spread the word. Thank you! ~Doug Schoon

For more critically important advice about nail care, order Face-to-Face with Doug Schoon, Volume II, available on Amazon and iTunes- July 2017

The post The Russian Manicure – Is It Dangerous? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Are you frustrated with tedious polish removal?  Especially gel polish removal?

Are you tired of staining your nails yellow?

In this article, you’ll learn:

• Why scrubbing is the worst way to remove polish
• How warm acetone works faster
• How the Soak and Swipe™ method can reduce long-term yellow staining from polish

The Need For Speed

In today’s article, I’m going to share with you that there is a better way!

Trust me, this is one of those things that will change your life forever.

Yep. Nail polish removal just got way easier!

Besides, using a peel off base coat I’ve discovered that the fastest way to remove polish is using my Soak and Swipe™ method.

Some of us don’t want to use a peel off basecoat. If you’re busy like me, you want your manicure to last as long as possible without chipping.

This is obviously a desire for many of us since the new lines of polishes are touting up to 7-10 days of glossy wear.

See It In Action

For those of you ready to start before even finishing this article, here is my quick video tutorial and the written directions. I’ll explain how and why this technique is so amazing later in the article.

What You Need:

• Cotton balls or makeup remover pads
• Cheap kitchen oil
• Acetone
• Manicure Clips

How To Start:

• Cut cotton makeup pads into quarters or unroll a cotton ball into a long strip and cut into nail sized pieces.
• Apply cheap kitchen oil to your skin up to first knuckle. This helps minimize the drying effect acetone has on the skin.
• Thoroughly saturate one piece of cotton with acetone. You want it almost dripping.
• Apply cotton to nail
• Apply manicure clip, and press firmly closed. This helps increase the warmth of the acetone.
• Continue the process with remaining 4 fingers.

How To Finish

1. Check the first nail. Do you see the polish getting pulled into the cotton? Regular polish will dissolve quickly. Glitter and gel polishes will take longer to dissolve.
2. Remove the clip.
3. Saturate another piece of cotton and press it on the cotton on your nail. With firm pressure, slide the cotton off from cuticle line to tip of nail. The polish should swipe right off. It’s a total game changer! I can already hear you giggling at how fast that worked.
4. Continue with remaining fingers.
5. Repeat the process on the other hand.

Why I Love This Technique

Staining

Color in polish is created with different dyes and pigments. Some polish companies use cheaper pigments that can stain the nail plate. I can also attest to using the salon brands and ending up with nails stained bright blue, purple, or pink.

When you experience yellow staining over multiple manicures, that’s because of the compounding effect of removing polish.

When this happens to me, I can see nice transparent nail growth past my cuticle line and the yellow staining deepens as the nail becomes the free edge.

In the photo to the right, you can see what I mean. See how the nail is nice and transparent near the cuticle line, but it gets more stained as it goes toward my tips?

That’s just staining from polish.

Scrubbing

When the lacquer has hardened on your nail plate, the pigments are trapped in the resins. What happens when you are scrubbing to dissolve the lacquer? Those pigments are released from the resin.

Ok, so that’s not such a big deal. We can live with that. Right?

But what are you doing when you scrub? You’re driving the pigments into the top surface layers of the nail plate.

Besides the fact that scrubbing takes a long time and sucks the oil out of your nail plate, you can see it’s just not a great option.

Warming Acetone

In Doug Schoon’s book Nail Structure and Chemistry, he says that “nail enhancements will swell and break apart more quickly if the solvent is slightly warmer than body temperature. Slightly warming product removers/solvents can significantly reduce product removal time…Warming solvents should be done with great care and caution!

Many solvents are highly flammable, including acetone and alcohol. To safely warn the solvents, place a partially filled plastic bottle containing the solvent under hot running water. Never warm solvents on a stove, in a microwave, or with an open flame.

Most salon solvents are far too flammable and may catch fire. Also loosen the cap so that pressure doesn’t build up in the bottle, causing it to crack or burst open. Finally, cover the dish and hand with a damp cloth while soaking to reduce vapors in the air.”

The takeaway from this is; don’t blow up your house! You’re risking your safety and perhaps even life when warming highly flammable solvents like acetone. It’s a hazardous task and I don’t recommend it.

So, how perfect is this Soak and Swipe ™ technique?

The clips warm the acetone and covers it to reduce vapors in the air. Yay!

Why Acetone?

Doug also says, “why do some nail technicians avoid acetone? Probably because they’ve heard untrue things about this beneficial substance. What is the truth about acetone? Acetone is one of the most important solvents in the world….Just because a chemical is absorbed through the skin doesn’t mean it must be unsafe.

In the case of acetone, it is almost impossible for dangerous amounts of acetone to penetrate the skin. Unless you soak your fingers every day in a bowl of acetone for long periods, it is very unlikely to cause serious harm or damage.” ~Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

Icy Fingers

I originally learned soaking instead of scrubbing by Deborah Lippmann. The thing I hated was how cold my fingers became.

Since acetone evaporates quicker than water, it makes your skin very cold. The process became a love/hate relationship.

When I figured out that manicure clips make polish removal incredibly fast and comfortable, I knew I needed to bring them to my Bliss Kiss™ customers.

The Solution for Gel Nail Polish Removal Too!

Manicure clips are also very helpful for those of you who love gel nails! They are easier and way quicker to apply than the traditional foil wrap method. 

1. Just make sure that you file off the shiny surface of the gel so the acetone can penetrate the gel.
2. Also, soak long enough that the gel completely slides off with the pressure of your fingers.

Do those two things and you’ll see how easily the Soak & Swipe manicure clips remove gel nail polish.

Although manufacturers’ instructions say to use an orangewood stick to push the flaked gel off, they are wrong.

Even Doug Schoon agrees with me. His electron microscope damage can be seen in his article about safe polish removal.  

In Conclusion

Nail polish removal is a necessary although annoying part of polishing our nails with gorgeously colored lacquers.

Isn’t it wonderful when knowledge and products come together to make our lives easier? Little things like this just make me happy.

I hope this helps you too.

Now, get busy and remove that polish!

The post Nail Polish Remover Tips first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Does Picking at Polish Cause Damage?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words . . .

The Answer?

Uhhhh—big fat yes!

Really? I Did That?

We all have little things that we get OCD about…especially when it comes to our nails.

Whether it’s picking, biting, or nipping, it can be hard to stop. Mine is picking.

If polish starts to chip, I have to fight myself really hard to not keep working at it.

In the photo above, I didn’t win—in more ways than one.

A corner of my polish started to lift and I absent mindedly kept working on it while watching a movie.

The polish was lifting anyway—it wouldn’t do that much harm—right?

When I removed the rest of my polish I was shocked to see what I had done.

My entire nail plate had been as smooth as the right side (under the arrow) when I applied my polish. But the peeled area now felt fuzzy and it took four months for all that damage to grow out.

Only For My Readers!

I snapped this photo, thinking it might be a good illustration for an article. I just about freaked out when this image was uploaded and viewed on my 27 inch iMac screen!

There’s nothing like a ginormous photo to smack you upside the head!

The Cuticle

On a tangent, the large picture also has a great shot of the cuticle. The cuticle is the skin on the nail plate that we want to remove before applying polish, if you don’t want it to chip near the cuticle line. Remember, polish doesn’t bond to skin. I have a lot more information about the cuticle at The Cuticle — Should You Clip, Push, or Scrape?

The Solution

It seems like a no brainer—stop picking. Many times this is easier said than done.

The better solution is to remove that polish properly as fast as you can.

I carry portable polish remover pads with me everywhere. They have a pad and enough acetone in the aluminum lined pouch to remove polish from all 10 nails.

I’ve found them in US drug stores near other polish removers and OPI has some too.

In Conclusion

So many people tell me, “Well, I pick my polish off and it doesn’t do any damage.”

Hummmmm—Really?

After my brain dead moment, I did not buff down the peeling layers to make the nail smooth. That would have thinned my nail even more causing it to be weaker. Ridges are the thicker, healthier part of our nails. We want to keep them.

Instead, I applied my favorite high quality, jojoba wax ester based nail oil to help bond some of those layers down. Then I applied ridge-filling base coat to smooth out the nail.

We learn from our mistakes. All I have to do is think of this picture when my polish starts chipping.

I hope many of you will learn from my mistake and remember to treat your nails like jewels.

Have a Question You’d Like Ana to Answer?

If Ana features your question in an “Ask Ana” article, you’ll get an email from us within a week asking you for your shipping address. Woohoo! This is our way of thanking you for asking a great question and helping deliver more value to our NailCareHQ readers, Blissettes and the Bliss Kiss™ community. Info@MyBlissKiss.com

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post Does Picking Polish Cause Damage? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Do you know where the cuticle is? Are you supposed to push, clip or scrape?

The correct answer might surprise you. It’s “Scrape.”

This is probably one of the most important articles you will read about nail care.

In this article,  you’ll learn:

• What and where the cuticle is
• Some important nail anatomy names
• How to remove the cuticle properly

We’ve Been Duped

The entire planet has been taught the incorrect definition for the “cuticle”.

The tight band of skin at the base of your nail plate is NOT the cuticle.

That band of skin is called the “keratinized proximal nail fold ” or “nail fold”.

So where is that elusive cuticle if what we’ve been taught is incorrect?

The cuticle is a thin layer of dead tissue riding on the nail plate to form a seal between the nail plate and proximal nail fold to prevent pathogens from infecting the matrix area.

The cuticle should NOT be confused with the proximal nail fold. ~Doug Schoon, Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

The Proximal Nail Fold

Please, please, please…DO NOT CUT THIS SKIN!

The proximal nail fold (PNF) is a required guardian seal that prevents germs and bacteria from getting to the nail matrix, where new cells are created.

I always know when people are clipping and nipping. Their entire cuticle line is red and inflamed. Basically, their PNF is infected all the time.

If you go to a salon for a manicure, please do not ever let your nail technician cut this skin.

The best way to keep the PNF skin soft and tight to the nail plate is with a high quality, jojoba wax ester based penetrating nail and cuticle oil.

Where Does The Cuticle Come From?

How the cuticle is created is fascinating to me and sounds like it should be painful.

But it isn’t.

The Death Grip

The proximal nail fold is living skin that covers approximately 20% of the nail plate, right over the matrix.

The PNF is a very important guardian seal preventing germs and bacteria from getting into the matrix.

Not surprisingly, the tissue that sits upon the nail plate is very different from the proximal nail fold.

The underside of the proximal nail fold is a thin layer of specialized cells called the eponychium which has a strange, sticky texture. This is why it is so important to NOT dig a tool underneath the proximal nail fold, including electronic file bits.

As the nail cells are created and pushed forward, the nail plate literally rips the layer of eponychium cells with it.

It is these cells that are the cuticle.

Cuticle cells also tightly grip the proximal nail fold. This creates a nice, tight guardian seal that prevents bacteria and germs from damaging or destroying your nail matrix.

For some people, the proximal fold releases from the cuticle on its own.

For people like me, that death grip is too strong. My cuticle will pull the PNF and stretch it out very thin.

In the photo above, you can see both examples. One half of the proximal fold has released on its own and the other half is still being stretched.

Most people can’t see their cuticle since the skin is so thin, but this photo captured it perfectly.

Breaking the Cuticle’s Grasp – Push Back

Should you push back your proximal fold?

I do, but it’s completely up to you.

When you release the grip, your proximal fold is able to stay nice and tight. As long as you don’t push too hard with your fingernail or a tool, the healthy seal under the proximal nail fold stays intact, and your matrix stays healthy.

You don’t ever want to push so hard that your fingernail or tool goes under the proximal fold.

My Experiment

I did an experiment to figure all of this out. I stopped pushing back my nail folds for 3 weeks to see what would happen.

The proximal folds were stretched an additional 3 millimeters! I also started getting those painful, thin, shredded hangnails that tear, bleed, and get infected––just like the ones in the photo above.

When I released the PNF from the cuticle, the band of skin remained stretched out.

Within 24 hours that skin was drying out, getting hard, and I had a strong desire to clip it.

Ah-ha!

I had finally figured out why people clip their proximal folds!

Geeky…but that was an exciting discovery for me. Before my experiment, I’ve always pushed back my proximal folds, I’ve never had the desire to clip.

I started oiling and massaging that skin several times a day. Within a week my proximal folds were back to normal and looking beautifully healthy.

The Solution?

Simply use your fingernail to gently push back the proximal fold to break the death grip about every 4 to 7 days.

If your nails are really short, you can use an orangewood stick. Just be gentle.

If you keep your skin hydrated with a high quality, jojoba wax ester based penetrating nail and cuticle oil, then it will be easy to push back your nail folds.

This can also be done in the shower. Just make sure you are wearing one coat of base coat when showering.

Why? Many of my readers know that my #1 Rule is “Never Shower Naked”.

Do We Really Need to Remove the Cuticle?

It depends. Do you always have bare nails? Then the answer is no.

Do you wear polish, gel, acrylic or other nail enhancements? Then the answer is yes.

Since polish and nail enhancements don’t bond to the skin on the nail plate, the cuticle should be properly removed with gentle scraping.

Proper Cuticle Removal

Again, some people are able to scrape the cuticle off with their fingernail in the shower.

Others like to use a cuticle remover.

How Cuticle Removers Work

The best ingredient to dissolve human protein cells is “lye“. You’ll also find it labeled as potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or caustic potash.

Lye is largely used in the soap making process. All cuticle removers contain lye.

Personally, I love using a cuticle remover. Some people hate it.

Currently, I use our Bliss Kiss™ Simply Gone™ cuticle remover.

I’ve used Blue Cross™ and I hate it for 3 reasons. It’s too watery, it eats my live skin, and causes those tiny strips of shredded skin below the proximal fold. You can see some of those hangnails in the photo farther up in this article.

What I LOVE about our Simply Gone™, is that it is a thicker consistency like hair conditioner. It doesn’t run or drip so I can put it exactly where I want it.

Lye Dissolves All Skin

The cuticle is dead skin.

The proximal nail fold is live skin.

Cuticle removers have no preference.

The directions on all cuticle removers tell you to apply it to only the nail plate and do not let it touch your skin.

As many of you know, that is easier said than done.

I have much more control with a cream or gel type of remover. Watery removers wick all around on your live fingertip skin.

What’s In Your Toolbox?

Orangewood stick?

Plastic cuticle tool?

Or metal cuticle tool that follows the curve of your nail plate?

Doug Schoon prefers that people use the orangewood stick. I think it’s most likely because the metal tool is widely abused.

If you use too much downward pressure near the proximal nail fold, you can cause damage to the matrix. This damage is often seen as white spots in the nail plate. These are nail bruises.

Personally, I like the metal, spoon-shaped tool. It’s faster.

As a busy mom and businesswoman, I don’t often get the luxury to do my nail care the slow way. I also use the tool correctly, which I explain in more detail below.

For those of you with a flatter C-Curve or if you have fragile nails, you’ll love the plastic cuticle/PNF pusher on our Squeeze Pens.  (If you’re not sure if you have flatter C-Curves, take the Nail Type Quiz!)

Depending on your budget, try different tools to see what you prefer. You might just find that using your own fingernail works well too.

The Solution?

For two years I have been looking for a solution to the strong, dissolving power of cuticle removers without damaging my skin. And I finally found it.

Simply cover your skin with a layer of a liquid latex barrier, or watered down white glue (25%/75%) if you have a latex allergy.

Let it dry and then you are free to apply cuticle remover safely.

From Start to Finish

1. Apply your skin barrier and allow to dry.
2. Apply the remover following the manufacturers’s directions.
3. Using a cuticle removal tool–gently, gently, gently–scrape back and stop right at the proximal fold. Glide the tool against the surface of your nail plate. The remover solution will have dissolved the cuticle so downward pressure is unnecessary.
4. The cuticle will build up on the back of the remover. Wipe that onto a paper towel.
5. Turn the tool 90 degrees to your your nail plate, and slide the tool along your proximal fold to scoop away the remaining cuticle and remover.
6. Once you are finished, remove the barrier and rinse your hands with water.

In Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article helpful.

Just remember, with all of your nail care and nail enhancement product use… if it hurts… stop.

The post The Cuticle – Should You Clip, Push, or Scrape? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

How To Dry Nail Polish Fast

ASK ANA

“What do you think of the “trick” to harden polish…it involves dipping the painted nails into ice cold water.

Something tells me it may not work and could ruin a fresh manicure.” ~Kelli

 

ANSWER

I love how your brain thinks Kellie.

The Nail Scientist Speaks

I actually asked Doug on this one and his short answer was:

“It is true, but dumb. The water doesn’t have to be cold and this won’t properly dry the nails.” ~Doug Schoon, Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

Harden vs. Dry

Source: thenailluxxe.wordpress.com

The key word here is “harden” not dry.

The water helps harden the top layer of the polish. But when you take them out, the rest of the polish is soft and waiting to be dented.

The Nail Luxxe actually tested this myth and you can see the results of her painful test in the photo to the right.

The key is also to understand how polish “dries”—by evaporation of the solvents. This is impossible when immersed in water.

So if you have a hardened top layer from the water dip, it’s more difficult for the solvents to evaporate underneath.

The Solution

The best solution to getting polish to dry quicker is to paint each layer thinly. Finger #1 should be dry by the time you paint finger #10. If it’s not, you’re painting too thickly.

Some polish brands may require 3 layers when painting to achieve full opacity.

You will be far happier with the extra time it took to polish your nails 3 times and have each layer dry properly, than painting two thicker coats, and be frustrated with dents and smudges.

What’s Your Pleasure? Lick or Smell?

Although many prefer to lick the polish to see if it’s dry, I prefer the smell test . . . smell the polish on your nail right after you polish it. This is the aroma of the solvent that needs to evaporate.

After you have polished all 10 nails, go back and smell nail number one.

If you still smell the solvent, wait a few minutes before starting the second coat. Repeat the smell test before applying the third coat or topcoat.

Never touch two polished nails together to see if the polish is dry.

This is just asking for dents.

Role Reversal

NOW, topcoat over nail art, is the only time where my advice FLIPS.

You must paint quick dry topcoat over nail art very thickly so you are able to smooth out the topcoat WITHOUT letting the brush touch the polish underneath.

Since topcoat “re-wets” the nail art underneath, the brush can not touch it.

This is where “quick-dry topcoats” become important. You want that polish to dry quickly since you have to paint it on so thickly.

Otherwise you might be sitting around for 20 minutes waiting for it to dry. Who has time for that?

Hope that helps! Huggs, ~Ana

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post ASK ANA: Does an Ice Bath Dry Nail Polish Fast? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

The Nail Salon Manicure – Is It Hurting You?

ASK ANA

“Ana, I have a question that has been plaguing me for a while now.  I have had several salon manicures from several different salons.  They all have the same techniques when doing manicures.  I have noticed that they go against just about every rule I have learned (mostly from you).

They used the roughest grit files, they file the sides of the nail, they file in both directions, they don’t cap the nails or paint the underside of the nail.  It feels like I am worse off getting a salon manicure.  I always notice my nails are in worse shape than when I went in.  It goes without saying I don’t get them very often, especially not now that I know just how wrong their techniques seem to be!

So the question I have is why do they do them so wrong and what is the RIGHT way to do them at home?

Thank you so much and I am absolutely loving my Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™ hydrating nail oil!  My nails are stronger and seem thicker than ever before!  Oh, and it is only been 13 days since I have started using it!!!  My nail polish has lasted longer than ever using your wrapping technique!!  Thank you so much!” ~ Danielle

ANSWER

Danielle, thank you for this really important question. This is completely why I do what I do.

There was very little proper information when I was researching everything several years ago and I found it extremely frustrating.

The short answer is that there are very few regulations in the nail schools.

So a lot of places just teach the way they have through the decades and teach what’s necessary to pass the state board tests.

Doug Schoon’s book, Nail Structure and Product Chemistry, is not a required textbook. (I hope it will be someday).

When I asked Doug why, here is his email response.

“Ana, my book is not required in the nail school curriculum. In fact, few schools even know about my book- which I fault Milady-Cengage for entirely… and I’ve complained to them about this for years. They have done a very poor job promoting my book to anyone, let alone schools.

There is no standardized teaching, even in the US, let alone the world. The Milady Nail Standard comes the closest to achieving this and is a pretty good book. Since I am a contributor, I make sure that the key information is correct in the Standard, but it is an instruction guide.

It doesn’t focus on troubleshooting and problem solving. For a deeper understanding, nail professionals will have to read my book.” ~Doug Schoon

Shouldn’t They Know Where the Cuticle Is?

From what I’ve learned from Doug is that very few schools actually teach the Nail Structure portion of his book.

Most licensed nail techs still don’t know that the casual name “cuticle” is in fact the proximal fold of the eponychium. The cuticle is really a thin layer of skin on the nail plate.

It’s my opinion that when someone graduates from nail school, they are a Nail Technician.

When they search out more thorough education and truly understand all of the content in Doug’s book and his DVD Inside Doug Schoon’s Brain, then—and only then—can they be a “Nail Professional.” 

Many graduates and licensed techs don’t know that the acrylic enhancement technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last 10+ years.

For example, the ingredients NO LONGER need a “roughed up surface” to create proper adhesion—but nail techs are still sanding down 1/2 the nail plate.

MMA

Acrylic nail enhancements are created with a perfect blend of monomer liquid and polymer powder.

Although banned by the FDA several decades ago, methyl methacrylate  monomer (MMA) is showing up again in nail salons in the United States.

Why?

Price—MMA is available for about $15-$20 per gallon compared with about $200 for the legal monomer.

MMA is completely safe when used in medical and dental products. It has even been safely implanted in the body as bone repair cement.

MMA monomer is fine for making bulletproof windows and shatterproof eyeglasses, but not artificial nails. There are 4 main reasons that MMA monomer makes a poor ingredient for artificial nail products:

• MMA nail products don’t adhere well to the nail plate (hence the shredding of the nail plate by over filing.)
• MMA makes extremely hard nail enhancements—if it breaks, it’s taking your nail plate with it.
• MMA is extremely difficult to remove—it won’t dissolve in acetone.
• The FDA and most state boards of cosmetology say not to use it due to the massive allergic skin reactions that consumers reported in the 1970’s. [source: Nail Structure and Product Chemistry]

Health Risks

Podiatrist Dr. Robert Spalding, author of “Death by Pedicure,” states that “at this time, an estimated one million unsuspecting clients walk out of their chosen salon with infections—bacterial, viral and fungal.”

And no matter which salon you go to, there is always a risk of infection. He claims that in his research “75 percent of salons in the United States are not following their own state protocols for disinfections,” which includes not mixing their disinfectant solutions properly on a daily basis, not soaking their instruments appropriately, and using counterfeit products to reduce costs (for example Windex substituted for Barbicide), says the doctor.

And the problem is that there is no way to really “verify an instrument has been properly soaked and sterilized,” without watching the process. [source: TotalBeauty.com]

Speed vs. Quality

Nail Tech

For most Nail Technicians, time is money. The faster they can get you out, the more clients they can service each day. They will use lower grit files (damaging), and file faster.

Nail Professional

A Nail Professional will block the proper amount of time she needs in her calendar to create the manicure you desire while having a pleasant conversation with you. She’s interested in you as a person and your life.

She’ll teach you that the cuticle is actually the eponychium. She’ll teach you that massaging nail oil into your manicure can improve the life of your manicure and keep your skin soft.

Most likely she knows your birthday and may even send a card. The relationship she creates with you is most important to her as well as giving you her best work.

She’ll be hard to get an appointment with because her loyal customers don’t leave. … and …

She won’t come cheap.

New Knowledge – Experimenting On Myself

Like many of my fans and customers, I’m a Daughter, Mom, Wife, Sister, and Friend with a passion for pretty nails and the plethora of glorious, sparkly, rainbow of lacquers available to us today.

But I also have an insatiable appetite to know, “Why?”

Fab 5 Nail Wrap

No one knows about the Fab 5 Nail Wrap because I created it. I wanted my polish to stop chipping in the shower. When I learned that nails can absorb 1/3rd their weight in water—combined with my experience of my sharp C-curve practically disappearing when my nails are soaked—I started thinking about the lacquer to nail bond.

I realized that no matter what I did to the top of my nails, the bottom of my nails were going to absorb water. This would always destroy the lacquer to nail bond.

The solution—paint the bottom too.

Inventing a Nail Oil

Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™ hydrating oil was created because I am allergic to almonds yet all cuticle oils have almond oil. My research taught me the importance of cuticle oil for keeping skin soft and that it could help brittle nails.

I studied ingredient lists of every cuticle oil on the market as well as home-grown recipes on the internet. I paid attention to the ingredients chosen repeatedly.

I also noticed how many cuticle oils contained ingredients I couldn’t pronounce, so I decided they weren’t necessary.

Little did I know—when I went to my kitchen to whip up my first batch of oil—that I was going to be creating a “nail oil” rather than a cuticle oil. I had some essential oils around my house and figured vanilla, lemon and pomegranate sounded good—so I added a few drops of them to my oil concoction.

Inventing the 3-Day Hydration Treatment

I applied the oil to my skin and nails. In 5 minutes it was gone. I reapplied. Periodically, I’d rub my nails checking if they still had a slippery feel.

When it was gone, I reapplied. By day 3 I noticed that my nails were staying oilier longer.

Unknowingly, I had created the 3-Day Hydration Treatment that would change the lives of women around the world.

The Right Way to Create a Nail Salon Manicure at Home

Nail Preparation

I will be creating a series of videos to demonstrate my steps to caring for my nails.

My hopes are that people will learn from what I publish and say, “That makes sense.” Forget the marketing and advertising—does it make sense?

But for those of you who just can’t wait for the videos….

1. File Nails before Removing Polish ~ The color will help you see your final shape better. 20 strokes with a 180 or 240 grit file will remove one week of growth.
2. Protect Skin  ~ Apply any inexpensive kitchen oil to your skin completely around your nails. (You’re protecting your skin from the drying effects of acetone.)
3. Remove Polish  ~ Use my Soak and Swipe™ technique in the video above. (Saturate that cotton! Let it dissolve the polish for 60-90 seconds if you’re wearing 5 to 10 layers of polish.When you see the color seeping into the cotton, use another piece of saturated cotton to remove the piece on your nail with one clean swipe. If there is still polish on the nail, use a new, clean, saturated piece of cotton. Yep, I go through A LOT of acetone.)
4. Wash Nails with Warm Water, Soap and Nail Brush.
5. Mini-Hydration Cycle with Nail Oil  ~ For 4-24 hours with 4 to 8 hours being the norm. (This reverses the drying effect of acetone to your nails.)
6. Remove the Cuticle  ~ Using a cuticle remover (or after a bath or shower), gently slide a cuticle removing tool across the surface of your nail plate. Polish doesn’t stick to skin.
7. Rinse Nails ~ with Warm Water, Soap, and Nail Brush. (Your nails will be filled with water and very soft if you wash too long.)
8. Apply Nail Oil ~ Continue applying your favorite jojoba wax ester based nail oil periodically until your nails have returned to their normal shape. (1 to 2 hours.)
9. Prep Nails for Manicure ~ Wipe dirt and surface oil off nails with rubbing alcohol and a lint-free wipe. Use alcohol saturated Q-tip swab to clean the underside of the nail plate.

What? No Buffing?

You’ll notice that filing down ridges IS NOT part of my nail prep regimen.

This is because ridges are the healthy portion of the nail. The valleys are the weak portion. Buffing down ridges is a HUGE NO-NO!!! I explain why in much more detail in this article.

The Fab 5 Wrap

I created the Fab 5 Wrap to help prevent my nails from absorbing water. Does it stop my nails from absorbing water if I’m doing dishes without gloves for 30 minutes?

NO!!!

But it does stop my nails from absorbing water in a 15 minute luxurious shower! And as a Mom to 4 active children and an entrepreneur, I need a little indulgence!

1. Two Base Coat Wraps: Apply 2 coats of ridge filling base coat, wrapping completely to the underside of exposed nail tip. Any polish that gets on your skin will wash or peel off.
2. Two Color Coat: Keep an orange wood stick available to wipe polish off of skin before it dries. Do not wrap the color because it’s difficult to remove.
3. One Top Coat Wrap: Apply 1 coat of your favorite quick dry top coat, wrapping completely to the underside of exposed nail tip.
4. Clean Smudges: Dip a small makeup brush or art brush in acetone to clean up polish on skin and create a clean line near your eponychium (“cuticle” line).
5. Rinse and Oil: Rinse acetone off—Apply nail oil to skin.

The Perfect Marriage

The Mini-Hydration cycle between manicures with the Fab 5 Wrap technique is a marriage made in heaven.

(Ok, well maybe not that extreme—but pretty darn close to me!)

Nail oil absorbs into your nails brilliantly but soap and water wash it away. The Fab 5 Wrap traps the oil into your nails.

Your nail bed continues to nourish your nail plate with m

oisture and sebum (body oil). Polish traps all of that wonderfulness in your nails keeping them strong yet flexible.

But then the polish must be removed and we start over. Acetone—dissolves polish and takes precious oils with it. The mini-hydration treatment—reverses the damage.

It’s simple. It takes extra time—but it works—and it’s worth it. To have healthy nails in the 20th Century, you really can’t have one without the other.

Hydrate—Protect—Dissolve—Repeat.

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post The Nail Salon Manicure – Is It Hurting You? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

What Kind of File Do I Use?

I only use cardboard nail files when I want to take down a lot of length quickly. Either that, or I cut them before filing.

I like to use a crystal nail file on my nails for finishing work. Because crystal nail files are about a 600 grit (they’re really fine). I have two sizes of crystal files A small, travel-size file in my purse and a full-size file at my nail table.

This ultra fine grit gives you much smoother tips when you’re filing. Smoother tips mean less fraying. Less fraying means less peeling, tearing, and breaking.

In Conclusion

Filing different nail shapes can be challenging and takes practice.

I find that using higher grit files are more forgiving because they don’t file too much too fast. You have a lot more control.

Remember, while you are practicing, it’s ok if it takes you 20 minutes or more to file your nails. You’ll get better over time and you’ll file quicker.

The post Nail Shapes – How To File Nails Square and Squoval first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Do you know how to chose a nail file for proper nail care?

Or are there just too many choices and the “grits” make no sense?

By the end of this post you’ll understand which type of file is best for you and your nails.

Guest Author: Kayla Shevonne

Different Types of Nail Files

The most crucial factor to know regarding files may be the term “grit.” Much like sandpaper, a nail file’s surface is known as its “grit,” with the the amount of abrasive grain particles that can fit into a square inch.

The grit number informs you whether the file is fine or coarse, and therefore how rough or gentle it will likely be to your nails. The lower the number, the harsher the file is going to be—and also the more damage it may cause towards your natural nail.

So a 400 grit file has far more particles than an 80 grit file.

The Nitty Gritty

Here is a quick rundown of a few grit levels:

NOT Safe For Natural Nails

80 grit: This is extremely coarse and should NEVER be used on natural fingernails. Some could use this on artificial nails but even so, it’s still a tad too rough.

100 grit: This as well, is a rough file. 100 grit can safely be utilized on artificial nails only.

Safe For Natural Nails

180 grit: This is actually the lowest grit appropriate for natural nails. If your nails are damaged or vulnerable to damage, you might like to choose a finer grit file.  I use the 180 grit on my own nails to file them down.

240 grit: This is a softer grit file and is frequently used to obtain a smooth finish or buffing artificial nails.

500 grit: A file with this grit is extremely soft and usually only used to polish the surface of acrylic or gel nails. This is a great nail file for one last swipe against the edge of your natural nails to remove any burrs caused by stronger filing with the 180 grit file.

Crystal file:  A crystal file is made of either glass (less expensive) or crystal (more expensive). The positives are ultra-fine textured grit permanently etched in the glass. Since the surface is 100% nonporous glass, it can be disinfected and sanitized.

The negatives are that the file should be dampened before using, which isn’t always convenient…and… it breaks if dropped!

The Worst Nail File!

The Metal File: This kind of file is fairly common because they are available in nearly every manicure set.

However, if you use this type of file, please STOP! Get rid of it right now.

Different files probably take up more room inside your purse—but please—replace the metal file with one that is kinder to your nails.

Metal files are EXTREMELY hard on natural nails and can only cause more damage than what you’re going to use it for.

In Conclusion

The very best file to use on natural nails is 180/240. It’s sufficiently strong and will remove length, but not so strong that it shreds your nails. It very helpful to look for files that have the grit number printed right on them so you can easily grab the right one.

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post Nail Files – Which Is The Best Nail File For You? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.