Top 10 Nail Care Tips..

So I have to admit, I am a nail polish junkie. I have sooo many different colours and brands. But there is only so much that you can cover up with polish. So here are my top 10 tips for healthy, happy nails:

1) Never cut your nails. I don't mean you should let them grow so long that you could be in the Guiness Book Of World Records! Throw away your scissors, and become best friends with your nail file. Filing your nails is much better for them as it doesn't separate the nail layers.

2) Invest in a glass nail file. Glass nail files have a more even surface which will prevent chipping, peeling and splintering. Also, they never wear down, are easy to clean and look pretty as well. Of course, there is the down side that they are much more fragile and easy to break. I myself am on my third one, but I keep going back which I think says a lot!

3) Always use a base coat. Base coats will not only strengthen the nail, remove the appearance of ridges through nail polish but also stop staining. My favourite base coat is Trind Nail Repair which I first discovered through a Carmine box. This works absolute wonders. To begin with you have to put it on every day for two weeks, but then using it once a week will maintain the results. My nails are no longer week and prone to peeling thanks to this base coat (which I now have a stock of so I never have to be without!)

4) Always use a top coat. This will lengthen the time your polish stays on for which is going to mean less nail polish remover, and more money to spend on pretty nail colours! The top coat I'm using at the moment is nails inc. kensington topcoat caviar.

5) Try not to use acetone in nail polish removers. Some people find acetone nail polish removers really drying and detrimental to good nail health. To be honest, I don't really mind it. This is one to judge for yourself.

6) Have colour breaks. Constantly having nail polish on means that your nails don't ever get to see light. This often will cause a yellowing of the nail, which is not pretty! To avoid this only put your base coat on once in a while. Or, depending on your nail strength, go cold turkey on all polishes.

7) Lead a healthy life style. You've all heard to saying 'you are what you eat' and if you eat unhealthily, your nails (/hair/skin) is going to be unhealthy as well. Having said this though, chocolate and sweets make for a healthy mind, so I like to think it's important to have them once in a while!

8) Put nail polish remover in your gloopy polishes. This is less of a nail care tip and more of a nail polish tip. We all know that when you near the end of your favourite polish it goes that thick, gloopy consistency. To be honest, I've been caught out a few times thinking I could squeeze enough gloop out for one more wear and had one hand painted and the other not! The best way to revive the last bits of polish are to drop by drop but some nail polish remover in the bottle, then shake. This makes it much thinner and more useable. Don't go mad though, no one likes a watery polish!

9) Cuticle pens / creams are your friend! These will moisturise the nails and keep them healthy. My favourite is Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme (RRP £5.99) because it is insanely moisturising (with the side effect of being a tad greasy, so a little goes a long way) and it smells amaaaaaazing!

10) Treat your nails with respect! We've all done it, utilising our nails as a tool to pick off stickers and make pretty tapping noises on a table! These are sure fire ways to destroy nails, so remember: You abuse it, you lose it!

Hope these tips have been handy (get it? Do you? Do you?!) If you have any questions or tips of your own please share them in the comments section below, or feel free to email me!

Katie