Assembling a Nail Tool Kit

Walk into any drug store or beauty store , head toward the nail-care aisle, and what do you see?

Walk into any drug store or beauty store , head toward the nail-care aisle, and what do you see? A lot of stuff! So many products that you may not even know what half of them are. Do you really said to have dipped their need all this paraphernalia to keep your nails looking good? No, not really. However, a well stocked nail does make home nail care simple - and anything thats easy is more likely to get done.

Nail files

You shouldn''t use a metal nail file because it can rip nails, creating a jagged, tear-prone finish. Coarse-grade wood files are not good either, for the same reason. You want finesse in a file, a type with a fine-grade grit that can glide over nail tips - something that puts you in control and that gently sands nails to the perfect finish. There are a number of fine-grade wood files - sometimes called emery boards - available at drugstores, department stores, and nail salons. Some come stuck on a wood board opposite a coarser grit; some cover both sides of a wood or foam board; and some are sanitizable (can be washed).

Polish remover

Polish remover dissolves the chemicals in nail polish, breaking them down so polish can be swiped off the finger. Acetone polish remover is the stronger of the two types and a better choice for especially resistant nail polish. If you wear any kind of artificial nails that can be melted by acetone, non-acetone polish remover is the only choice.

The acetone found in some nail-polish removers is the same substance used to make plastics, fibers, drugs, and some chemicals. It is also used to dissolve other substances, and is present in vehicle exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, and landfill sites.

To use nail-polish remover, dampen a cotton ball with remover and swipe over each finger, taking care not to saturate nails and cuticles in the solution. In fact, if you can avoid getting polish remover on your cuticles and skin, you''ll be better off for it, since both types of remover are drying and irritating.

Cuticle cream

Cuticle cream, cuticle lotion, cuticle oil, cuticle softener - these are all names for a moisturizing product that is applied to your nails. What''s the purpose? To soften cuticles enough so that you can easily push them back off the nail plate. There are some lovely cuticle moisturizers on the market that contain everything from alpha hydroxy acids to delicious­smelling essential oils - however, you don''t need anything fancy. Petroleum jelly, olive or almond oil, thick hand cream, or baby oil are all just as effective as any cuticle products you can buy.

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