Often times people think that clear fingernails is a sign that something is wrong. While your fingernails are a reflection of your overall health, there are external factors that can make you have clear fingernails. By the end of this article, you will understand what things cause nails to turn clear and that it might not be an indication that something bad is happening.

ASK ANA

“Hey there! I was wondering if you could help me with one of my biggest nail problems… I’ve always had extremely transparent nails, we can actually see through them (but that’s only one part of the problem) and as you can guess they’re uncommonly weak, they tend to unwillingly easily bend and thus causing some kind of imitation of brittle nails. I’ve tried different treatments to strengthen them but nothing has ever truly worked. So my question is, would there be something to change in my diet, a keratin trouble of some kind? (since i also have very thin and weak hair) or simply does a magical product i don’t know of actually exists…? Thanks a lot in advance for your precious help! ~Calou

ANSWER

This is a topic that can be very convoluted, so I will do my best to keep it simple. There are many factors that can cause the free edge of your fingernails to be clear. But the most important thing to know is … that your nail plate is made of translucent keratin protein.

The Healthy Nail Plate

Yep, the healthy nail plate is supposed to be semi-transparent. The pink area you see on your nails is actually the life-nourishing, nail bed BELOW the nail plate. The nail bed provides a constant flow of moisture and oil through the nail plate. In fact, there are only two substances that can travel through the nail plate; water and oil. Water can travel THROUGH and AROUND the nail cells.  Certain oils with a small molecular structure can travel AROUND the nail cells. Your fingernail is produced in the matrix right behind your proximal fold, (cuticle line). The lunula (small moon) is the only visible part of your matrix. The reason the lunula is a different color is that those are the keratin nail cells that are plump and still alive. Most people can see the lunula on their thumbnails. As soon as those keratin cells pass the lunula area, they die. They dry out and lose their opacity—becoming translucent, and flatten becoming the 50ish layers of keratin cells that make up our “fingernails.” The color of the free edge that extends past your fingertips depends on how much of the inner cell material stays in the nail plate cells as they continue to grow forward on the nail plate. Usually, they are fairly clear just as they move past the fingertip, then turn white because they aren’t being ‘hydrated’ by a continuous upward flow of body oil and moisture from the nail bed.

Are White Tips Healthy?

So if your nail tips (free edge) is turning white, it’s because your nails are drying out and the whiter they are, the more dried out they are. Hypothetically speaking, this makes me wonder if we’ve got it all backward! Is the reason white tips are so highly coveted because our society has NEVER known how to properly rehydrate their nails?

Are You Average?

Genetics, your health, and natural nail thickness are important parts in determining what color your nail turns as it leaves the fingertip. The average number of keratin layers people have is about 50 layers in their fingernails (100 for toenails). A person with 30 layers may have tips that stay more transparent. A person with 60 layers is going to have more layers to keep hydrated, and if they don’t, the tips become whiter. Once you’ve properly rehydrated your nails with a jojoba wax ester based nail oil like Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™, your nails become the color they are supposed to be. Your nails could be completely translucent, be partially white with spots or bands of translucency, or fully white. All are normal.

Other Factors That Affect Color

Water

According to Dr. Bhupinder Kaur on the MedHelp website, continuous contact with water can make your nails transparent. Washing your hands not only dries out your skin, but it also strips oil from your nails. There are many microscopic channels that make it easy for the nail plate to absorb large quantities of water. A normal nail plate can hold almost 1/3 it’s own weight in water! Remember how I said earlier that water is able to pass BETWEEN the keratin cells but also THROUGH the flattened cells. Nails that have been soaking in water become overly soft, overly flexible and tear easily. Healthy nails have about 18% water. But too much moisture can weaken the nail plate by separating the keratin layers leading to serious peeling and splitting problems.

Solutions

Oil: Since we all need to wash our hands and bathe, to fight the water’s effect on your nails, rehydrate them with a high quality, jojoba based nail and cuticle oil like Simply Pure™. Gloves: Learn to love gloves. I know many of you hate them, but realize that for various reasons you have “decided” to hate them. If you want healthy, beautiful nails, then you need to decide to love gloves. Wear cotton gloves while doing dry housekeeping. Wear dish gloves for as much wet housekeeping as possible; dishes, laundry, heavy cleaning. Cut back on your contact with soaps and detergents. Polish: Nail polish is a strong protective barrier between your nail plate and water. Nail polish doesn’t eliminate water absorption but it slows it down significantly. Just make sure you are using my Fab 5 Technique and completely wrapping your base coat and top coat around your free edge.

Nail Polish Removers

I know I’m stating the obvious, but polish removers are very drying to your nails. If you love polish then you have to love removers. But most of you don’t. You fear acetone. Why? Because someone in the non-acetone industry had an excellent public relations department who brainwashed us into thinking that non-acetone is less drying. We bought into the lie. The truth is that acetone and non-acetone ingredients (ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone) are solvents. They dissolve stuff that water can’t dissolve. Nail polish needs a solvent. According to scientific information, acetone is slightly safer than ethyl acetate & methyl ethyl ketone. And acetone dissolves things faster! You want the product that dissolves lacquer faster because it’s LESS drying.

Work With the Acetone

If acetone is going to dissolve nail polish, then it’s going to dissolve the oil in your nails. Acetone also evaporates extremely fast, taking your nail’s moisture with it. This seriously whitens nail tips and makes them very brittle.

1. BEFORE removing polish, cover the skin around your nails with an inexpensive oil from your kitchen. Let the acetone work on that oil instead of your skin’s oils. My new favorite method is to add Simply Soft™ acetone additive to my acetone which lets me skip the oil slathering process.

2. Use my Soak & Swipe method to remove polish in a few minutes. I’m not kidding. You can remove the polish on all 10 fingers in about 4 minutes.

The manicure clips trap in your body heat, which warms up the acetone, making it dissolve polish 50% faster.

3. AFTER removing polish, gently scrub your nails with a nail brush and warm, soapy water for one or two minutes. This will put water back into your nails.

4. Rehydrate your nails with a jojoba wax ester based nail oil. Keep reapplying oil when your nails feel dry for 2 to 8 hours.

5. When you’re ready to polish your nails again, follow the directions for my Fab 5 Polish Wrap.

When to Visit The Doctor

NOTE: I doubt there is any great medical significance here, but there are three minerals that should be checked to make sure you are not deficient in them.

• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium

These are checked on blood tests but are not done routinely so you will need to ask your General Practitioner to check for them specifically.

Deficiencies in these can cause discolored, brittle or white spots on nails. Make sure you are eating a good diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables.

In Conclusion

There are lots of reason for having clear fingernails. For most people, it has nothing to do with health issues. But, if you tried all of my solutions and are still having issues, it might be worth a trip to the doctor. Most likely they will set your mind at ease by telling you that there is nothing wrong.

The post Clear Fingernails & Health Issues first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

 Callus Treatment

Callus or Callous—no matter how you spell it, calluses can be a nuisance.

But in this article, I’ll explain why they are a necessary nuisance and how to care for calluses.

ASK ANA

“Ana, I don’t know if you have addressed this issue before so here goes: I use your nail and cuticle oil everyday, all of my nails look great except one, my middle finger on my right hand. I think it is because I use my stylus when typing on my iPad™. I hate the crusty look and feel of this finger. I have used clippers to the point of making it bleed. What should I do?” ~Ruth Ann 

ANSWER

I actually learned something while researching this article—the importance of triangular writing utensils.

Huh? Read on… it will make sense in a minute.

All through my high school and college years, I had this thick skin on the side of my right middle finger as well and never really understood why.

Since I haven’t written a term paper in over 20 years, I haven’t had the problem. I spend more hours typing and only write on the occasional post-it note.

Pressure of writing implement on the middle finger causes a callus

Now, with the last two years of nail structure education under my belt, the answer is ridiculously obvious to me.

Don’t Rub Me Wrong

This thick skin is the first major callus that all of us develop when we start to use a pencil. In high school and college, we can spend hours writing.

The body’s protective response to any motion that is rubbing our skin is to create a callus.

Also, pencils and a lot of ball point pens are a hexagon shape which creates a sharp, angled pressure point against the skin.

Spur Me On

You may have also noticed that you have a bump on your bone near this callused skin, that is not on your other hand.

Years of writing irritation caused your body to lay down extra bone to protect your finger in this area as well. This is a bone spur. You can see this really clearly in my photo to the right.

According to WebMD, a bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think of something sharp when they think of a “spur,” but a bone spur is just extra bone. It’s usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, or nerves in the body. Common places for bone spurs include the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.

A bone spur forms as the body tries to repair itself by building extra bone. It typically forms in response to pressure, rubbing, or stress that continues over a long period of time. [Source: WebMD.com]

Since this bone spur doesn’t create a lot of pain, it’s not a medical issue, but I’ve noticed that it can be very tender. Especially when I’m at a 2-day conference taking notes without a life-saving callus! It hurts to write.

Matrix Damage

Depending on where you hold your pencil, it may sit on your matrix (right behind the cuticle line).

If you notice that the side of that fingernail is weaker, or has a tendency to peel, it’s because the continuous pencil pressure has damaged the growing nail cells.

Cut And Regret

Since calluses are a protective, thickened build up of skin cells, they get hard and dry out.

It’s tempting to want to cut or file that skin down. Don’t do it.

The body’s response is to protect the skin from damage. Cutting the callus will simply trigger the body to build the callus thicker. It becomes a vicious cycle and often times a painful one.

Instead, keep the callused skin moisturized with regular application of a high quality, jojoba based nail and cuticle oil.

Solutions

• Try to write with triangular pens or pencils if writing for a long period of time. You can also invest in triangularly shaped pencil grips for current pens and pencils.
• Add a triangular grip to your iPad stylus or try different stylus holding positions, like in the photos to the right.
• Keep callused skin softer with consistent application of a high quality, jojoba based nail and cuticle oil.

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post ASK ANA: Callus or Callous Treatment? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Do you hate polish chipping within a few days of polishing your nails? Who doesn’t?

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How I discovered why my polish was chipping after showering
• Why five layers of polish can be your best friend
• The fastest way to remove polish with a minimal acetone drying effect

How to Prevent Polish Chipping

We are all looking for ways to have our polish last longer and for a polish that doesn’t chip.

For me, it started with a Google search in 2010, “How Do I Keep My Polish from Chipping in the Shower?”

The solution came several months later after I had done over 200 hours of exhaustive research. I didn’t find the answer, but I did find the pieces of information necessary to create the answer.

The quick answer is that nails absorb 1/3rd their weight in water. When water is absorbed through the underside of your nail, it breaks the polish-to-nail bond. The long answer is here:  “How Do I Keep My Polish from Chipping in the Shower?”

I created the Fab 5 Polish 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, that’s all I need!

The result, is that I can easily wear my nail polish for 7 to 10 days without any chipping! And nail polish that doesn’t chip is especially appealing when I’ve spent a few hours creating gorgeous nail art—I want it to stick around!

The Fab 5 Wrap Overview

1. 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. (OPI ridge filler is a good base coat.)
   2. Two Color Coat: Keep an orange wood stick available to wipe polish off of skin before it dries.
   3. One Top Coat Wrap: Apply 1 coat of your favorite quick dry top coat, wrapping completely to the underside of exposed nail tip. (I normally use Seche Vite top coat.)
   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. Oil: Apply your favorite nail oil to skin and nail polish.

The Fab 5 Wrap Details

1. 1. Clean Nails: Wipe your nails with rubbing alcohol and a lint free pad as your first step. If your nails are long enough, use a Q-Tip brand cotton swab with rubbing alcohol to clean the underside of the nail. This removes the surface oils and dirt from your nails.
   2. Basecoat Wrap: Use a good base coat, wrapping it around to the underside of your nail (not just capping your tips).
      * Base coat is formulated to bond to the NAIL surface.
      * Color nail polish is formulated to bond with base coat—not nails.
   3. Color Coats: Apply 2 coats of colored nail polish.
   4. Topcoat Wrap: Completely wrap your nails with topcoat all the way to the underside.
      * A good topcoat is also formulated to bond ONLY to nail lacquer (polish and base coat) and add a high gloss shine.
   5. Clean up your polish along the eponychium (“cuticle” line) using acetone and a makeup or artist brush.

1. 1. Rehydrate your cuticle lines and surrounding skin with a high quality, jojoba wax ester based, penetrating nail and cuticle oil like Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™ hydrating oil.
   2.  Apply a new layer of topcoat daily or every-other day, wrapping it around your tips. Apply nail oil two times per day or more.
      * TIP: The ingredients that make a good topcoat bond to nail polish and have an incredible shine make it a horrible base coat! Steer away from any product labeled as basecoat AND topcoat. It will do neither one well. ~Ana

Polish Removal

After 7 days, remove your polish with acetone. Acetone is actually less drying to your nails than non-acetone because it dissolves the polish quicker.

I find that my Soak & Swipe Manicure Clips do a better job than the traditional foil wraps.

Nail Oil Mini-Hydration Cycle

1. Apply a high quality, penetrating nail oil to your nails about once an hour for the next 4 to 8 hours. 
2. Or, do an intensive mini-hydration treatment with latex gloves. I have the instructions in my hydration treatment article.

Start over with a fresh Fab 5 Polish Wrap Manicure and enjoy!

The post PREVENT POLISH CHIPPING – Fab Five Polish Wrap first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Marie Claire’s Pure Nail Oil™ Challenge Results

Marie Claire’s story is a fun one. She was one of the fortunate people to win a Bliss Kiss™ Simply Pure™ hydrating oil pen during one of the random contests we host on our Facebook Page.

In January and July, I used to host a huge 3-Day Get Naked Challenge with prizes and offer a big sale to help everyone get involved. Marie Claire decided to jump in and take the Challenge.

Side Note: The 3-Day has now evolved into a “30-Day Challenge” every January and June, where we teach you skills and techniques to help you learn to acheive longer, stronger nails. This also includes an Intensive Hydration Treatment using hydrating oil, balm lotion and nitrile or latex gloves for 2 to 12 hours.

The results of Marie Claire’s peeling nails after 14 days look too good to be true. But as they say—a picture is worth a thousand words.

Marie Claire’s Thoughts

“One day, I decided to remove my manicure and I observed that my pointed finger was a tad bit bent, discolored and chipped.

Ugh, I couldn’t stand the sight of the thing! It was irritating my eyes and my heart was weak 🙁

But thank God, that Simply Pure™ hydrating oil pen arrived quickly and worked instantly.

I was AMAZED and SHOCKED to see how quickly the oil got absorbed into the nail plate and the Crisp™ scent was just heavenly. I couldn’t stop sniffing it . . . I even had the urge to lick my nails. (My Puppy was definitely enjoying it though.)

The Get Naked Challenge had a time span of just three days, and by the end of the last day, my nails looks so awesome! I’m not even kidding.

I love this Simply Pure™ oil pen! It’s amazing!!

I love Ana and I love her product!” ~Marie Claire

You can read all of Marie Clair’s Simply Pure™ nail oil Challenge results on her website: PolishedIAm.blogspot.com

Oil is the glue that holds
nail keratin layers together. ~Ana

Ana’s Thoughts

I get warm fuzzies all over when I read testimonials like Marie Claire’s! 😀

Notice Marie Claire’s massive, frayed peeling, especially on her index finger. Within 3 days it was completely gone and within 14 days, you would never know she had an issue with peeling!

Simply Pure™ has essentially helped glue those layers back together to be smooth.

I wanted to get a little more insight into Marie Claire’s experience, so I asked her a few questions by email.

“I’m really happy I won this nail oil pen from you, because little did I know it would come in soooo handy!  This thing is a life saver, I’m not even kidding.  I was sooo happy to see the results!!

OMG, I wanted to cry when I saw how ugly my nails got, it was frustrating and ugly.  After I removed my mani, my index finger went so bad and it was a bit soft. Ick.

I couldn’t stand it, so I pulled out the pen and I couldn’t stop applying the oil and I couldn’t stop observing how it worked. I have to admit, I learned a lesson.  And I’m spreading the word.”

Tell me a little more of your story. Do you do a lot of swatching? What made you interested in the oil?

“Without the Simply Pure™ oil, I still have no idea where my nails would be.  Ahaha.

I actually started getting involved in doing nail care stuff a while a back. I am newbie to blogging. I don’t do a lot of swatches, but what I do mainly is just paint my nails for fun and showcase them on my personal Facebook page.

Unfortunately, however I had to stop for a while, because of the results of terrible dry nails.

But since your nail oil rejuvenated my nails, I’m back in the ball game! I stumbled across your Facebook page, and I was more intrigued in the nail art you shared up until one day I decided to enter in your giveaway, and then I won the pen!

At first, I had no idea what it was for, until I got it and started to review other people’s post about it.  I really didn’t know that it would come in handy until THAT DAY arrived! I took off my manicure and saw how beat up my nails were.”

What was your experience while you were doing the 3-Day? Surprised, shocked, happy?

“When I ordered and first started the “3-Day Let’s Get Naked Challenge,” I had already researched some Simply Pure™ hydrating oil before and after articles, so I was really intrigued when I first applied the oil. I kept looking at it, to see how it was progressing.

I had to do chores around the house, but left it for later because I didn’t want to get my nails wet!  LOL (and I don’t like wearing gloves when doing the dishes)

All in all, it was an awesome experience and challenge to try.  I made sure I read the instructions on the pamphlet, ensuring every time I oil, to rub above the cuticle to increase blood flow. I still rub behind my “cuticle” line (eponychium) even if it’s not oiled or anything. I think it has become a habit.

It was really fun doing the “Let’s Get Naked Challenge”, because I wanted to get rid of my ugly nails.  I just couldn’t stand it.”

The Cause of Peeling Nails

Peeling nails are usually caused by too much exposure to water and acetone. The nail has the ability to absorb 3 times their weight in water.

Those water molecules are pushing apart the nails’ keratin layers. The nail is quite resilient and has the ability to rebound. The water evaporates over about 60 minutes.

Photo courtesy of the Jojoba Co.

Photo courtesy of the Jojoba Co.

A lot of water, strong soaps, and acetone strip our nails of the natural body oil that is delivered from the pink nail bed. Our body just can’t keep up.

Jojoba wax ester (photo #3) has an almost identical molecular structure to human body oil (sebum – photo #1).

Pure Nail Oil™ contains the highest percentage of Jojoba of any nail or cuticle oil on the market. It has a synergistic relationship with the other ingredients.

Pure Nail Oil™ has the unique ability to absorb into the nail plate and help bring it back to the required perfect blend of 18% water and 5% oil.

Polish Is Your Friend

The best thing to do after an Intensive Hydration Treatment is to get those pretty nails protected with polish. Polish also helps seal the keratin layers of your peeling nails and protect them.

I have step by step directions for my Ulitimate Nail Care Routine here. Polish on the top and bottom of the nail tips will restrict the nails from absorbing water.

It will also trap the moisture and body oil (sebum) that is constantly being pumped up through the nail plate by the nourishing pink nail bed.

These TWO actions— Intensive Hydration Treatments and polish manicures—keep your nails stronger and more flexible to deal with life’s boo-boos.

Acetone Is a Necessary Foe

We need acetone. It’s a necessary solvent.

Did you know that acetone is actually LESS drying than  “non-acetone” removers?

Rather than fighting the drying effect, you can use an acetone additive or apply a cheap kitchen oil to your skin before removing polish.

After removing your manicure, do another an Intensive Hydration Treatment for 2 to 12 hours. This reverses the surface drying effect of acetone. ~Ana

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post PEELING NAILS – Marie Claire’s Pure Nail Oil™ Results 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.

How Do I Stop the Hard, Dry Skin On Hands Around My Nails?

ASK ANA

I have a question for you from a member of a polish discussion group I am in.

“I moisturize constantly, and the skin around the tops (as in closest to my knuckles) and sides show that, but no matter what I do, the skin directly to the sides at the TIPS of my fingers is rough. Usually looks fine unless it starts to peel, but it feels terrible when I touch it (doesn’t hurt, just feels wrong) and the OCD part of me wants to pick it away. I never noticed it before I started moisturizing. I assume it was unnoticeable because the entire area was dry. Does anyone else have rough skin around the tips of their nails despite moisturizing? Is there a solution? It’s a real bummer.”

What is the cause for this? This area will sometimes harden for me as well. With use of Simply Pure Nail Oil™ it is less often, but it does happen from time to time. ~Christian

ANSWER

Christian, thank you so much for asking this! Great question.

I actually had to sit and think about this one for a minute because no one has ever asked, and it’s not in Doug Schoon’s book, Nail Structure and Product Chemistry

I get this dry, hard skin on my hands as well. My guess is that anyone with nails longer than nubbins does too. There are two reasons.

It’s Friction Baby

1. They’re calluses.

Our skin has an amazing ability to protect itself in areas that experience a lot of friction, pressure or irritation.

EVERY time we put pressure on our fingertips, we press that skin into a mildly sharp edge of our fingernail.

Try it—put 2 fingers together and press. Watch what happens to your skin—it moves up and around the outside of the nail. This means that every time we touch something or pick something up, we are putting a “cutting” type of pressure on that skin.

Nanette Silverberg, MD, a dermatology professor at Columbia University, says, “Friction strips the skin’s moisture and enhances the dryness.” [source: WebMD.com]

The body’s response is to thicken the layers of skin in that vulnerable area. I noticed that the callusing is harder on my right hand fingers than my left. This makes total sense since I’m right handed.

So in a sense—these calluses are not wrong—they’re a very good thing. We just don’t like the way they feel.

It also explains why we don’t really feel pain when nipping that skin off. It’s just hardened layers of dead skin.

But what happens when you’ve nipped that skin away? It feels really tender until that skin thickens up again!

Hum, that makes me question….what are we doing to ourselves?

Will the Real Moisturizer Please Stand Up?

2. It’s darn hard to moisturize that area.

Our fingers have a lot of trouble really getting into those small areas around the nail to moisturize with lotion.

And in reality, lotion doesn’t “moisturize” anyway, no matter what they say on the bottle. It creates a barrier on your skin that is not absorbed.

In my 45 plus years, I’ve only found one thing to help that skin stay softer— Simply Pure™ hydrating oil and Simply Sealed™ Lotion Stick.

Just like our nails, there are two things that keep our skin soft and flexible or “moisturized”—water and sebum (body oil).

Now, sebum really isn’t an “oil”—it’s a wax ester. Jojoba is a wax ester also.

It actually can be absorbed by the skin and nails. Simply Pure™ contains the highest percentage of jojoba on the market today.

Since Simply Pure™ has an “oil” consistency, it can seep down under the nail edge and soften those calluses, especially if you consistently apply the oil “under” your nail tips.

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post Ask Ana – How Do I Stop Hard, Dry Skin On Hands? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Peeling Nails

Becky’s Pure Nail Oil™

Challenge Results

Becky’s Thoughts

Sebum (body oil) is usually the glue that holds together the 50 layers of keratin that make up your nail plate.

We wash that oil away every day. The average person washes their hands 15 to 20 times per day.

Md-Health.com recommends several strategies to restore peeling nails. Many of them are incorrect.

WRONG: When your nails become very weak it’s important to give them a rest.

There is absolutely no reason to give your nails a rest. I wrote an entire article on the subject. In fact it’s more damaging to give them a rest because they’ll be exposed to more damaging water.

WRONG: Hold off on using nail polish, getting manicures or having acrylic nails applied until your nails have had a chance to grow stronger.

Nail polish actually protects your nails from water. It provides temporary strength as well so your nails can grow longer. Getting acrylic enhancements doesn’t solve the peeling. It just covers it up very well.

WRONG: Applying a nail strengthener and moisturizers to the nail area regularly can make this process go more quickly.

Nail strengthening and moisturizing polishes simply do what any other polish will do—provide temporary strength. They aren’t going to make anything go more quickly since your nails grow at a constant rate whether you use strengthening polishes or not.

RIGHT: Just make sure you read the ingredients on any nail strengtheners you use as some have been linked to higher incidents of breast cancer.

Some ingredients have been linked to breast cancer but since your nail plate can’t absorb any of the ingredients, it’s really a non-issue.

RIGHT & WRONG: You can also massage your nails with vitamin E, jojoba oil or alpha-proxy acids to help restore them.

The jojoba is the best idea since it is molecularly almost identical to sebum. But the vitamin E molecule is too large to enter the nail plate without the help of jojoba. Alpha-proxy acids have branched molecules making it difficult to enter the nail plate.

Becky’s Peeling Nails

I’ve included some close up shots of one of Becky’s nails so you can see clearly how well Pure™ works on the the nail plate.

In the Before photo, you can see extensive peeling on her tips. Her proximal fold of the eponychium (cuticle line) is actually a little hard and dry.

Although the Day 21 photo is a little fuzzy, since I zoomed in so much, you can see that the peeled layers on her tip are still present. But they don’t look like they’re going to catch on anything and peel more. This is because Pure™ has gotten under those lifting areas and glued them back down.

Her proximal fold of her eponychium actually looks softer and moisturized. The hard skin along the sidewalls is considerably decreased as well. As Becky said, “This is the wonder of Pure™”

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

The post PEELING NAILS – Becky’s Pure Nail Oil™ Results first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

“My Nails Made It Through the Airport!”

Where do I start? …

I’ve never been very interested in fingernails. I like keeping my toenails painted, but never my fingernails.

I used to keep my nails pretty short because they were so brittle and broke easily, and I thought my fingernails looked funny with polish.

To be completely honest, I’d never heard of cuticle oil before Ana told me about it.

No Expectations

I don’t know that I really had any expectations when I first tried Pure Nail Oil™.

I do know that I did not expect to be completely blown away! I had no clue a nail oil could completely change my nails!

My Results

When I first applied the oil, I could feel a difference immediately! Who doesn’t like a little instant gratification?

Within a week my nails began to bend–NOT break–and my hangnails healed.

I was able to perform Herculean feats like button up my pants, bring in groceries and pack a suitcase and make it through the airport without breaking a single nail!

Even the fine lines in my skin all but disappeared.

I was shocked.

I know, it sounds like the hyped up promises on a makeup commercial made by hungry, 20-year-old airbrushed and photoshopped models who are feeling guilty for eating that last piece of celery.

But my results speak louder than words—without Photoshop.

A Good Problem

But don’t let that fool you. This oil isn’t perfect–there IS a problem with Pure™.

With consistent use, your nails are going to get too long!!! I’ve actually had to trim my nails because the got too long to type or text comfortably—they were delightfully obnoxious.

Never would have thought I’d have this problem!

Kid Friendly

My boys (5 and 7) ask me to oil their nails whenever I whip out my Pure™ oil pen.

They love the smell and will sniff their fingers with appreciative “Ahhhhh’s” when they exhale. (It’s a good thing this oil doesn’t have a bunch of icky chemicals I can’t pronounce!)

The Competition

When I ran out of my first order, I tried a couple of other cuticle oils with similar ingredients. They were okay, and my results were “meh.”

When I switched back to Pure, the contrast in the feel in my nails hooked me for life.

In Conclusion

In a nutshell, Pure Nail Oil™ has:

• Increased my nails’ flexibility
• Eliminated nail peeling
• Healed my ugly, owwie hangnails
• Made my hands look younger (this still blows me away)

I don’t know what magic goes into Pure™, but bottom line: THIS STUFF WORKS!!! Try it.

Pure™ is worth every penny and then some! 🙂  ~Kirsten

The post My Nails Made It Through the Airport – Kirsten’s Pure Nail Oil™ Challenge first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

My Nail Strengthener —Simply Pure™ nail oil

When I created Simply Pure™ hydrating oil in 2012, I didn’t track my progress. That was a big oops.

I just didn’t know that something miraculous would happen.

Let’s Get Naked!

When I hosted my first “Let’s Get Naked” Challenge on Facebook in January, 2013, my fans encouraged me to “go naked” with them.

I had been using a soak off gel overlay for about 9 months and I was getting a little tired of the time it took to reapply—mostly because every time I removed my polish, it started to dissolve the gel.

But Your Nails Are Strong

Most people think I must have strong nails. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

My nails are really thin! 

Most of my life starting in college, I’ve used a hard gel overlay to give my nails the added strength they required to grow long.

My Greatest Mistake

After the birth of my 4th child, I was too tired to keep up with the gel maintenance.

I cut my nails short, let the hard gel grow out (because it’s very difficult to dissolve it with acetone), and stopped painting my nails. This was the biggest mistake I made as a mother.

Caring for my nails was my sanctuary—it gave me quiet time and it helped me feel prettier. And I gave it all up.

The Challenge

Since I wasn’t ready to go back to hard gel, when my fans asked me to “go naked”, I felt like it would be a great opportunity to go back to using Simply Pure™ hydrating oil as my only nail strengthener and document the growth process.

It Takes Two to Tango

Simply Pure™ hydrating oil AND weekly manicures allow my super thin nails to grow without breaking.

I rehydrate with Simply Pure™ by doing an overnight hydration treatment, then remove dirt and surface oil with rubbing alcohol before applying a new manicure using the Fab 5 Method.

The Fab 5 Method

•  2 base coat wraps
•  2 color coats
•  1 top coat wrap

1.) Pure Nail Oil™ gives my nails flexibility to bend when I whack them against something hard. 

2.) The Fab 5 layers actually strengthen and protect my nails with 8 layers of polish—5 on top and 3 below. For more info about the polish wrapping, click here.

Ana’s 111 Day Challenge

Ana’s Results

The 4 Month Progression

If you liked this article . . . please share!

The post NAIL STRENGTHENER – Ana’s Simply Pure™ Nail Oil Challenge first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.

Yellow Stained Nails 

ASK ANA

“I have a question …How do I get the whites of my nails super white? They get yellow so fast and I need an easy, “cheap” way to get them white again.I use base coat, but I work a multitude of construction jobs- from construction to welding. My nails always look yellow ( and I smoke too). I tried denture tabs, bleach… nothing works. I am at the point of sheer embarrassment that I may just cut them all off- but I like my long nails with clear coat.” ~Monica

ANSWER

Monica, I’m happy you’re using basecoat.

The major downfall for your nails is the smoking. I’m betting your smoking hand is worse than the other?

As you know, the tar residue is sticky, so it sticks to everything. This is why your nails stain so fast.

Here’s an article I wrote about yellow stains. It might help: https://www.nailcareheadquarters.com/yellow-nails-how-to-prevent-staining/

The best option, besides quitting (which I’m sure you’ve heard a 100+ times) is to conceal it with a manicure.

Several of my smoking customers have said that using Pure Nail Oil™ has decreased the staining. My sense is that the oil fills the top layers of keratin, making it difficult for the nicotine to penetrate the top layers of your nail plates.

I find that my a high quality ridge filling basecoat covers my polish stains quite nicely. Yours is probably more intense though.

Ophilie from Tartofraises has a natural manicure technique to make natural nails look nicer….it’s basically a soft french manicure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voWMHfMDP2A

The other option would be to find a soft pinky-beige polish that you wear all the time and is so soft that others don’t notice small chips or edge wear. Your biggest challenge will be that the nicotine will stain the polish as well. Hope that helps! ~Ana

The post ASK ANA: Yellow Stained Nails – How Can I Get My Nails Whiter? first appeared on Nail Care Headquarters.