If you’re settling in for a night of self-care and your nails are in need of a lil lovin, before grabbing that trusty old nail file of yours, make sure to check out these nail do’s and don’ts...
✅Do keep your cuticles moisturised
Cuticles, they’re a bit confusing aren’t they - what are they and why do we need them? Well, that soft squidgy lining protects the nail bed from all the bacteria our hands pick up throughout the day. For this reason, unless the cuticles are overgrown or as requested by a client, we opt to push them back rather than cut them away. Keeping your cuticles in good condition, that means moisturising on the reg with cuticle oil, will prevent them from cracking and peeling which can lead to nail bed damage.
🚫Don’t bite your nails
Nail biting is an addictively bad habit that can be a nightmare to break. Not only does nail biting cause damage to the nail bed, but it also exposes you to all the bacteria that’s hiding up under your nails.
✅Do take vitamins to keep your nails on fleek
Many of us suffer from naturally weak or brittle nails, but that doesn’t mean we’ve got to live with it. There are plenty of supplements you can take to promote healthy nail growth including Vitamin B12, Iron, and Folic Acid.
🚫Don’t skip the base coat
When giving yourself an at home mani it’s tempting to skip the base coat and go straight to the colour, but this can discolour your nails and shorten the lifespan of your manicure.
✅Do apply a top coat, as well as that trusty base coat
The secret to a long lasting manicure is to seal the colour with a high quality top coat, our favourite is Seche Vite which we use in-store.
🚫Don’t peel off your polish or Shellac
Just like nail biting, it can be oh-so-tempting to start picking away at your Shellac once it starts to lift. But this removes layers of your actual nail and can cause long-lasting damage, so it’s best to head back to the salon to get a proper removal.
✅Do book in for the real thing
Speaking of Shellac, make sure you book into a salon that’s using the real deal, just like we do here at ISLA. With its rise in popularity, Shellac has become somewhat of an umbrella term for all gel manicures - but that’s not the case. Many salons which claim to be using Shellac are actually using poor knock offs which aren’t healthy for your nails. Your manicurist should only be using high quality gel products, such as CND or Gel Bottle, plus a UV lamp.
🚫Don’t allow electric nail files to be used on your gel manicure
Electric nail files are bad news for your nails and can leave lasting damage that can take a long time to repair. You won’t find any electric files here at ISLA, we do all our work by hand, ensuring to protect your nails and promote healthy growth. For more information see our story highlights over on Instagram.
✅Do consider how your diet is affecting your nails
Our diet affects everything from the way we look to the way we feel. That includes our nails too, and there are plenty of ways to tell how your diet is impacting the health of your nails. Very pale nails point to anaemia which means you need to increase your iron intake, whilst nails that break easy could be a result of a calcium deficiency.
Still got some nail related questions? Slide into our DM’s over on the ISLA Instagram and we’ll be happy to answer! Don’t forget, here at ISLA we only use the very best quality products and our nail techs are trained to give your nails the extra TLC they need to promote healthy growth and keep those talons in top condition.
✅Do keep your cuticles moisturised
Cuticles, they’re a bit confusing aren’t they - what are they and why do we need them? Well, that soft squidgy lining protects the nail bed from all the bacteria our hands pick up throughout the day. For this reason, unless the cuticles are overgrown or as requested by a client, we opt to push them back rather than cut them away. Keeping your cuticles in good condition, that means moisturising on the reg with cuticle oil, will prevent them from cracking and peeling which can lead to nail bed damage.
🚫Don’t bite your nails
Nail biting is an addictively bad habit that can be a nightmare to break. Not only does nail biting cause damage to the nail bed, but it also exposes you to all the bacteria that’s hiding up under your nails.
✅Do take vitamins to keep your nails on fleek
Many of us suffer from naturally weak or brittle nails, but that doesn’t mean we’ve got to live with it. There are plenty of supplements you can take to promote healthy nail growth including Vitamin B12, Iron, and Folic Acid.
🚫Don’t skip the base coat
When giving yourself an at home mani it’s tempting to skip the base coat and go straight to the colour, but this can discolour your nails and shorten the lifespan of your manicure.
✅Do apply a top coat, as well as that trusty base coat
The secret to a long lasting manicure is to seal the colour with a high quality top coat, our favourite is Seche Vite which we use in-store.
🚫Don’t peel off your polish or Shellac
Just like nail biting, it can be oh-so-tempting to start picking away at your Shellac once it starts to lift. But this removes layers of your actual nail and can cause long-lasting damage, so it’s best to head back to the salon to get a proper removal.
✅Do book in for the real thing
Speaking of Shellac, make sure you book into a salon that’s using the real deal, just like we do here at ISLA. With its rise in popularity, Shellac has become somewhat of an umbrella term for all gel manicures - but that’s not the case. Many salons which claim to be using Shellac are actually using poor knock offs which aren’t healthy for your nails. Your manicurist should only be using high quality gel products, such as CND or Gel Bottle, plus a UV lamp.
🚫Don’t allow electric nail files to be used on your gel manicure
Electric nail files are bad news for your nails and can leave lasting damage that can take a long time to repair. You won’t find any electric files here at ISLA, we do all our work by hand, ensuring to protect your nails and promote healthy growth. For more information see our story highlights over on Instagram.
✅Do consider how your diet is affecting your nails
Our diet affects everything from the way we look to the way we feel. That includes our nails too, and there are plenty of ways to tell how your diet is impacting the health of your nails. Very pale nails point to anaemia which means you need to increase your iron intake, whilst nails that break easy could be a result of a calcium deficiency.
Still got some nail related questions? Slide into our DM’s over on the ISLA Instagram and we’ll be happy to answer! Don’t forget, here at ISLA we only use the very best quality products and our nail techs are trained to give your nails the extra TLC they need to promote healthy growth and keep those talons in top condition.