Top Tips

Whoever invented the gel manicure was a genius. Two-plus weeks of chip free, perfectly shaped nails..yes please! Sadly though, they represent a slightly higher level of commitment than your average manicure. If you don’t remove them in the right way,  you could end up with damaged and weak nails. Fear not! I can help you understand the safe way to remove gel nails and make sure you can maintain healthy nails to keep on enjoying that gel look.

Step 1: Nail file time. The grittier the better. Gentle just wont cut it. Think sand paper (just please don’t use actual sand paper). Start to buff off the first shiny layer of polish so that the nails look matte and scratched. Don’t be afraid to buff. Remember that there are several layers of gel between the file and your nail, so don’t be afraid of damaging your nail, that’s not going to happen.

Step 2: Acetone baby. Get prepared with acetone, 10 cotton wool pads and 10 rough squares of foil. First,  soak a cotton wool pad in acetone, and I mean soak. Fold the cotton wool into a semi-circle and place on your fingernail, covering completely. Wrap over the cotton wool with the foil. Make sure it’s tight. Top tip – make sure the shiny side of the foil is in contact with the cotton wool. Carry on until you’ve completed the whole hand. I find it easier to complete one hand at a time, otherwise things can get tricky.

After about 15 minutes, check to see how much you’re flaking. Some polish will flake right off. Others might require a little more encouragement. What you are looking for is for the gel polish to start lifting and rolling up in the corners. Once it looks like they are ready, grab an orange stick and push the polish off your nail-bed horizontally and gently. Be careful not to dig in on stubborn spots. If it’s not coming away easily, pop some more acetone on some cotton wool and re-wrap the nail. Repeat.

At this stage, your nails will look dry, but don’t worry. It’s only temporary. After a round of nourishing cuticle oil, your nails will be gleaming and healthy.

Once you’ve removed all the gel, I like to take a moment to wash my hands to get rid of any excess gel flakes. Then you can get on with a DIY manicure to get your nails back into shape. File your nails down slightly if you want to lose some length. Then my go-to product is the Nailtiques Formula 2 Kit. This contains everything you need to keep your nails healthy and ready for another gel manicure. Start by applying the Formula 2 polish. Apply 1 layer per day for 1 week before removing and starting again. This will give your nails the nourishment they need to stay healthy and strong. The kit also includes a cuticle oil known as Oil Therapy and Cuticle and Skin Gel. Use the oil daily on the cuticles just before bed and rub the gel into your nail-beds in the mornings. You nails will thank you for it, trust me.

If you take one thing away from this post though, please for the sake of your nails, don't peel the gel off. EVER. I know it’s so tempting. It's occasionally satisfying, but it also can take off layers of your natural nail in the process. It’s not worth it. Yes it might save time, but it will cost you healthy nails. If you want to avoid the hassle, you can always book in with your salon who will remove them perfectly for you.

So there you have it. How to remove your gel manicure the safe way. Give it a try and let me know how you get on.

xoxo

You know and I know that no two hair types are the same. Each comes with its own set of issues and quirks but if you follow a few rules, you’ll find your day to day hair life will be a breeze.

Let’s explore the golden rules of fine hair to start you off:

1: Shampoo

If you have fine hair then you will know this by now; fine hair gets greasy easily. Fine hair tends to be smoother and less porous than coarser hair types, so the oils sit visibly on top of the hair, appearing greasier. The secret to good looking fine hair isn’t how often you shampoo though…it’s where you shampoo that makes the difference. I would always suggest that with fine hair, you shampoo the top area where you feel it’s greasy and avoid the bottom half where it isn’t. Then do the opposite with your conditioner, to avoid a flat look.

In terms of the amount of product you should use, this will depend on your desired look. If you’re after volume, use less conditioner, more shampoo. If you want a softer look…do the opposite. The rule is…the more conditioner you use, the softer your hair and the flatter. Simple.

My top picks for shampoo and conditioner for fine hair have to be Redken Beach Envy Volume Texturizing Shampoo 300ml and Redken High Rise Volume Conditioner 250ml

2: Cutting

Fine hair tends to be a bit more sensitive to the way that it’s cut. With fine hair all the finer details show up when you get a cut. The key here is subtle layers. A good stylist will be aware of this and will suggest appropriate styles for your hair type. The key is good communication here. Let them know what’s worked for you and what hasn’t. Give them examples of the look you want to achieve, how long you’re willing to spend styling it and how you like to wear your hair day to day. The more information your stylist has, the more likely you are to walk away with a cut you love. Communication is key.

3: Styling

The secret here is with the type of products you go for. Finer hair types should opt for ‘hold’ product over ‘oil’ based products (oils, creams or serums). Oil based products will weigh your hair down and make it appear greasy.

When I say hold products I’m talking salt sprays, dry shampoo, mousse, texturising mists. These won’t weigh your hair down. With fine hair – golden rule is use less of the greasy stuff and more of the sticky stuff. My favourites are L’oreal Professional Beach Waves Texturising Salt Spray 150ml and OSiS+ Refresh Dust Bodyfying Dry Shampoo 100ml

I think we can all agree that these days, very few of us have a simple skincare routine. More often then not, we’ve added product after product into our routine, and rightly so, as they all have their own benefits. Where it can get tricky is understanding the best order in which to layer your skincare for the best results. Let me be your guide.

No two skincare gurus are the same and very often we’ll never totally agree on the same order of skincare layers. That said, there is a golden rule that helps cut through all the confusion; lightest to heaviest. The lighter the product, the smaller the particle size. That means they can penetrate deeper into the layers of your skin. We’re talking serums and toners here.  Then you can work your way up to facial oils and moisturisers.

Another top tip that has served me well has to be…less is more. Trust me when I say you do not need more than 3 steps between your cleanser to your moisturiser. Your skin will thank you for it. Don’t confuse your skin. Keep it simple and concise and you’ll reap the rewards.

So if that’s the case, I’m sure you’re thinking…’how hard can it be to pick an order?!’. Well, there’s a teeny thing you need to be aware of…ingredients. There are a few big ones that you shouldn’t mix unless you’re up for a bad reaction.

Acne Prone skins: If you’re fond of spot treatments you need to bear this in mind; benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid shouldn’t be mixed with any retinol products as the Retinol will break down your skin barrier and lead to irritation.

Serum: The ingredient to watch out for here is vitamin C. While it can be a little miracle worker treating the likes of acne to helping with sun protection, it can also be quite drying and irritating when used with too many other active ingredients. The best way round this is to use your vitamin C products in the daytime and saving any irritants like your retinols or acids until after your evening cleanse.

Facial Oils: This one’s a bit obvious. Remember kids, oil and water don’t mix, so make sure you layer your water-based serums on before adding a few drops of oil to lock it in…but only after leaving it enough time for the product to be absorbed first. Let each product soak in completely before adding another product on top. My favourite Decléor Aromessence Neroli Hydrating Oil Serum 15ml

SPF: Don’t skip this step. It’s important for your skins health. SPF should always be the last step of your skincare routine. Adding a layer of moisturiser on top of it can mess with the protection factor of your chosen SPF, and you don’t want that.

So remember my golden rule, lightest to heaviest and you can’t go wrong. At the end of the day, it’s your skin, your rules. Just bear in mind, less is more and take the time to let your products absorb before adding more layers.

xoxo