8 Great Tips for Better Colour and Sexy Nails

In presious post I shared some Sarah Jane's (Author of Get Gorgeius Now) nail care tips with you, now, let's take a look at some tips on applying polish.

Here are the top 8 tips for better color and SEXY nails...

Tip #1: Check your polish. Old polish becomes thick and clumpy over time causing uneven application and unsightly bubbles. If your polish HAS become thick, add a few drops of polish thinner and shake well.

Tip #2: Start with clean nails. If your nails have traces of lotion or cuticle oil on them, polish won't stick evenly and will chip more readily. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or nail polish remover to clean the surface of the nail before you paint.

Tip #3: Begin with a base coat. A base coat is vital to any nail polish application as it smoothes out nail ridges and allows polish to go on more evenly. A base coat also protects nails from becoming stained when you wear dark polish.

Tip #4: Watch your brush. As you remove the brush from the bottle of polish, carefully wipe one side of the brush along the bottle's neck. This will remove any excess, bubble- producing nail color from the brush.

Tip #5: Apply in minimal sweeps. Always apply color from the cuticle to the tips in three swipes. One up the center of the nail and one on both sides of the nail. You may need to use more strokes, but keep in mind that fewer sweeps of color equals better results.

Tip #6: Clean up as you go. It's inevitable that you will wind up with some polish on the skin around your nails. Use a wooden nail stick to quickly swipe away the excess as you go.

Tip #7: Finish it off with a top coat. Just as important as the base color, the top coat seals the polish onto your nails and gives a high-shine finish.

Tip #8: Allow ample drying time. Set aside at least an hour of "hands-off" for nails to dry. Remember, even if they feel dry to the touch after time, nails can remain tacky and more prone to nicking your beautiful color job.

There you have it- 8 surefire tips to better nail care. Let's look at a few more techniques you can use for great nails...

Never apply more than two coats of polish. What a lot of women don't realize is that the nail bed is robbed of its breathing capacity when there are more than two coats.

Once you have polish on, never peel or scrape the nail polish off of your fingers. Also, stay away from metal instruments- for example, a tool that pushes back your cuticle- as both of these processes can scrape off the protective cells of the nail surface.

Another nail wrecking habit is nail biting. You should always keep your fingers out of your mouth as biting your nails can damage the nail bed which can lead to a deformed nail shape or uneven nail growth. You can also transfer harmful organisms to the nails this way.

After the nails are beautifully filed and protected with a top coat, apply a hand cream or lotion. Cuticles should get extra attention and moisture with a product like Vaseline Moisturizer, Moisturel, or Aquaphor. You can also apply moisturizer right before going to sleep.

The cuticle, protects the nail root from bacteria. Instead of cutting the cuticle, push it back gently with a rosewood stick or rubber-tipped cuticle pusher.

For those cuticles that are hard, dry and sticking up, slight trimming is justifiable but never remove the whole thing. Strong cuticle growth can be controlled with a cuticle softener or a cuticle remover liquid.

For another hand softening move, turn to Vitamin E. Take a Vitamin E capsule, break it open and massage into the hands.

There are plenty of things you can do for better hands and nails. It's really not difficult, it's just something that needs to be added to your weekly beauty routine.

If you want a complete "encyclopedia" of beauty tips and tricks that you can use to look your best, I highly recommend Sarah Jane's book Get Gorgeous Now.