Novelty Nail Art

by Dee Dee at www.hotttnailz.com

Dee Dee has a full-time job and creates nail art, profesionally, in the evening from her home!

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Wedding Nails?

by Amber

Are you getting your nails ready for your wedding? I know I am. I got a fabulous catalogue from catalink. It is packed full of ideas and products like a magazine. Unlike magazines though, I got it free, along with several others! Not even the cost of a telephone call.

Unfortunately, this service is only available in the United Kingdom. So come on Brit Girls! Choose some catalogues from catalink. Get some reading material for next time you have to dry your nail polish!

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You Can Stop Biting Your Nails, Here's How!

by: Kevin Hamill

Are you tired of being self-conscious about your hands and nails? I know exactly what you're going through because I've been there. Did you notice I said, "I've been there". That's right, I have finally quit biting my nails. I never thought it was possible, but after years of trying to figure it out, I did it.

As I mentioned, it took me years to "nail" down how to quit this habit. I had several failed attempts, too many to count. I found myself always hiding my nails and truly embarrassed about them. I was even envious of people with nice nails because I was so uncomfortable with my own.

Being uncomfortable about my nails forced me to really think about the problem. I tried all the cover-ups and distractions such as bad tasting nail crème and chewing gum. However, nothing seemed to work on a permanent basis. I would kick the habit for a couple weeks to a month, but I would relapse and be back to square one in no time.

In order to stop this habit on a permanent basis, you have to get to the root of the problem. All the cover-ups and distractions help alleviate the desire to bite and make quitting the habit somewhat easier, but they are not a permanent solution. For a permanent solution, you must ask yourself the following question:

In what situations do I sub-consciously start to bite my nails?

All you nail-biters out there know what I mean! You bring your fingers to your mouth without even thinking about it. For me, as it is for most people, it was stress situations causing me to do this. I was also guilty when I was thinking, panicked, nervous and worried. As you can tell, this covers a lot of situations and feelings, so I was biting my nails a lot.

Even with all these feelings causing me to bite my nails, I have quit this habit. I did it by being conscious of these causes and therefore my emotions. In other words, when I was getting nervous, or panicked, I would be mindful of the situation and somewhat control my emotions. I would realize that I was in this emotional state. With the thought in the back of my mind not to bite my nails, I wouldn't do it. This is the key to quitting this habit. This is the only permanent solution. Try this and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. A spin-off of this method is being generally more relaxed and in control. I found myself being able to handle pressure situations better because I was more in control, not only of my nail biting, but of my entire emotional state.

About The Author

Kevin is a working professional, 35 years old from Canada. He has fought this the nail biting habit for over 20 years and won. sales@stopbitingyournails.ca

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Nail Beautification - How To Do Up Your Nails

by Michael Douglas

Some great suggestions to make your nails glow and look beautiful.

Flashy talons covered with nail art can complete festive look. Green, red, white and lots of glitter is what will make you glitter through party days. Play with colours and let the girl in you bring out the 'creativity, showing off your femininity by wearing nail art on your nails. You don't need long talons to carry the nail art. Nail art can be applied to both natural nails and nail enhancements, short or long. Show off your artistically painted nails, covered with glitter and shimmer; making everyone dazzle with your diamond encrusted nails.

To get into the festive mood you need not go with loud colours, glitter or rhinestones. You can develop your own ideas and themes. You have the choice to stick to floral, line art, geometrics, art scenes, using dried flowers and setting rhinestone on to your nail paint. It is entirely up to you if you want to add a bit of colour or go wild? If you are a flower lover then let the fabulous floral designs create your own personalised garden! The great thing about nail art is that you can choose any design and let your imagination be the limit. All that matters in nail art is lots of practice and patience. So, pick up your brush and start painting now for the big day.

You even have the choice to match the colour, the print of your outfit, or have the same nail theme in different colours - choice is entirely yours! You have the choice of using water colours as nail paint; just remember sealing them with a top coat for that glossy finished look. A perfect way of matching the nail shades with your outfit when the nail polish colour is not available. Mix the correct colour to match your outfit and let your artistic abilities shine by painting the same pattern.

The best of nail colours can be put to shame if the shape and nail plate is not in good condition. The nail polish will fail to give the desired smooth shiny result if the nails are not well kept. In short, the 'canvas' that you are going to paint on must be smooth and well shaped. Smoothness can be easily achieved with a leather buffer used on the nail, point to remember here is that the buffing strokes must be done towards the free edge - i.e. in the direction of the nail growth. Never use steel files or nail cutters to cut nails as they can damage the nail plates resulting in shattering and causing grooves.

Always use a generous helping of cuticle cream to remove the dead skin and hang nails around your cuticles. Use an orange stick covered with wool to push the skin back to give that extra protection.

KEEP IN MIND
A well-prepared clean and clear nail is what you need to start with. Two things that you need to really keep in mind before you start is a good manicure and your choice and quality of nail colour really matters. You have the host of nail paints to choose from, from neutrals and bright to shimmers and glitters. The selection of your paint should be seductive, loud colours that should suit the shortest of nails as well. The top coat, being the final coat, must leave a highly glossy finished look.

There are no special paints, just ordinary poster colours that are used in decorating the nails. Use a stripper brush to make straight or curved lines. A dotting tool or a tooth pick to lay those intricate designs on the nails. Make sure you start painting only when the coats of nail polish are fully dried and there is a base coat underneath to protect your nail plate. Once you have created the design of your choice, allow it to dry and always seal the design with the sealant coat. You could incorporate the designs with dried flowers, rhinestones, bindis, etc.

How to use dried flowers
Manicure the nails, make sure you get rid off the creams and oils stuck on your nails for best sticking results.

Apply a blob of sealing coat to the area you want to place the flower, pick up the flower with the tweezers and gently press on to where you have put the blob of sealing coat and hold in place.

Wait for it to dry. Apply any additional dots with the dotting tool or a tooth pick. Use a stripper brush for those long strokes of paint. Apply a thin top coat to seal the design and dry it well.

Use bindis as nail stickers
Clean the surface of the nail to remove all traces of dirt and oil. Choose the design and size that you wish to use, also whether you want to use it on painted or plain nails. With the help of tweezers lift the bindi and place it on the nail, press it firmly anchoring it with a sealing coat. Apply two coats to seal the bindi in firmly and repeat the process on all the rest of the fingers.

You can mix and match dots or lines to create a pattern around the bindis or even sprinkle some fine glitter on wet sealing coat.

For those dazzling nails
Paint your nails with subdued or flashy colours or you have the choice to leave them natural. If you wish to go with the classic look then pale colour is your best bet. Cover the entire nail with a top coat, use tweezers or the moistened orange stick to pick and place the rhinestone on the wet coat of nail enamel or top coat. Let it dry and finish with another sealing coat. Here, I must add that rhinestones combined with French manicured nails look absolutely smashing, especially for ladies who go for the classic looks. If you don't wish to have sparkish talons then this is the best option for you.

Now, that I have made clear the fundamentals of nail art and know-how for you to master the skill, it's time for you to showcase your designs to the world.
I am sure with 'step by step' you now have the ability to make exceptional designs. You are ready to create some charming , splendid piece of nail art for yourself and your friends. Make a masterpiece on your finger nails by creating unique designs and make nail art big news!




Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For expert tips and advice on health and beauty, makeup and skin care tips, fitness and workout plans, please visit Time4Tips.com

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Brittle Nails - Easy To Break

by: Sharon Hopkins

Nails define your hand in many ways. The shape and the look of nails make your hand look good. By using a good nail polish it can make your hands look better. But if nails are bad then no matter how much you cover it up it will not work. Brittle nails are one of the problems with your nails. These nails happen to be so weak that they break, spilt or tear very easily. It is the dryness in the nails which reaches to such an extent that they tend to break without much hassle. Brittle nails are a common problem faced by many women.

Some of the causes for brittle nails is due to excessive contact with water, detergent, drying out of nails due to overheating in your own house, constantly falling ill and increasing use of nail polish remover. When it comes in contact with chemicals present in detergent or cleansers it makes the nails very weak. Your nails are also affected due iron deficiency. When you go for swimming the chlorine water does not work in your favor. You also lack essential calcium and fatty acids which makes your nail strong and less brittle. Low levels of zinc, iron and also thyroid problems may lead to brittle nails.

Some of the things which you can do to avoid brittleness of your nails

* Massaging your nails with castor oil frequently as this would keep your nails fit and fine

* Whenever in contact with chemicals wear cotton gloves and on top of the rubber gloves as it would protect your nails from getting wet either by sweat or water

* Involving food like salmon, tuna, shrimp, trout, milk in your diet improves your nails life

* Intake of herbs and vitamins as consulted by doctor should be taken

* Keep your nails short if you know they are brittle.

About The Author
Sharon Hopkins manages sites which give information on hair and skin care, such as http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com. From pigmentation of your skin to suntan you can find everything here. Brittle nails could be due to some vitamin deficiency as well as the dryness of nails.

Amber says: "Nails Inc have wonderful products for the treatment of Brittle Nails. I highly recommend them"

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Nail Art: Products, Tools and Equipment

by Amber
Nail art is a very popular way of decorating the nails and can be created in two ways, either by air brushing or freehand. You will need to have some basic tools and equipment in order to be able to perform nail art. Here is a list of what you will need to create nail art:

Nail brushes
Fine detail brush - a fine tipped brush which is excellent for precise detailing.

Fan brush - the bristles of this brush are spread out like a fan, It can be used to create sweeping effects across the nails.

Liner brush, medium (striping brush) - these are ideal for producing thick lines and colour on the nails.

Liner bush, long (striping brush) - the bristles on this brush are very long and narrow, it is perfect for creating long straight lines and flicks.

Nail paints
These are usually non-toxic, water based acrylic paints which come in a wide variety of colours. The paints can be mixed together to created new colours, or diluted to create specialist paint effects.

Glitter dust
An excellent way to create extra special sparkle on the nails, this is a dense sparkle powder which has to be used with a mixer to create fabulous sparkly designs.

Glitter dust mixer This is used to mix with the glitter dust to create beads of product that can be applied in designs.

Marbling or dotting tool This tool has a round metallic head at each end which are different in size, these can be used to create dots of different sizes depending on which head you use and the amount of paint. You can use this tool to mix one colour into another creating a marbling effect.

Water release transfers Transfers are a quick and easy way to instantly transform the nails, with many fabulous designs available. Dampen a cotton bud with water and rub the back of the transfer to loosen the backing, then gently slide it off with your finger and position onto the nail. Lightly use an orangewood stick or cotton bud to smooth it out.

Self-adhesive transfers Simply peel the backing sheet off and position onto the nail – simple!

Foils These are available in various colours and patterns and must be used with a foil adhesive. Place the foil onto the nail facing upwards then rub onto the nail with a cotton bud.

Rhinestones Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, they need to be adhered to wet polish and secured in place with a sealer or top-coat. It is easiest to use the end of a dampened orangewood stick to pick the stones up and place into position.

Flat stones They are also available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours and are used in exactly the same way as rhinestones.

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Physical Beauty - Care of the Hands

by Michael Fortomos

Hands, as one authority on female beauty has declared, "reveal every hidden secret of the soul .... in their shape, texture and color"? We doubt it. But they reveal themselves quickly enough as beautiful or the reverse. What is beauty of hand? It is not so much the shape, just as in hair it is not the color, which counts here. Texture, skin quality and skin tint, the manner in which the hands are used, the nails, these determine their beauty. Nothing will give away your age quicker than the condition of your hands. Let’s take a look at some tips to try and hold off the ravages of time.

Care is what produces beautiful hands. If you are not your own manicurist then visit a professional one every week. Protect your hands against water by using gloves, rubber or canvas. Always have a cut of lemon handy to the sink. Whether you have a "psychic" or a merely plebeian hand, lemon juice removes stains, whitens the skin and cleans the nails. Vaseline, which keeps the nails from growing brittle, also makes up for the drying effect of hot dishwater. Dish washing should always be followed by a vaseline or cold cream application. Always wear gloves when gardening, and use vanishing cream on them before you expose them to the bright sunshine or cold. A cold cream application before retiring and cotton gloves should accompany chapped hands into bed.

Red Hands - When red hands are not caused by some trouble which calls for a doctor's care, use a good rich, cream massage, for it will help circulation if bad circulation is the reason. A mere surface redness may be treated by rubbing in some standard skin food, after washing with hot water and soap, and leaving it overnight.

The Ideal Hand - The ideal hand has smooth, tapering fingers. If you have square or knotty fingers give them treatment for pressing out the ends. A soft, white skin, a firm palm, firm and supple wrists and well-kept nails and fingers are all possible of attainment by manicuring, massage and constant cleanliness. Hands should be neither too fat nor too thin. Regular diet in the first place, then massage and special exercises are correctives. This applies as well to fat wrists. Remember that, like the ideal face and figure, the ideal hand is only relatively so. There is a different style of hand for nearly every style of being, and there are as many different hands as there are face beauties.

Gloves - Tight gloves will make your palms perspire, give your hands a pudgy look, and, if you wear them right along, will turn the hands red and mottled. Red hands often result from continual wearing of tight-fitting gloves. And—if you do not chemically clean your gloves after each wearing—your hands will grow dirty as soon as you put them on. Gloves which are not perfectly clean chap and coarsen the skin texture of the hand, and at times cause infections.

A narrow palm is supposed to be a sign of a feeble temperament, one lacking imagination. A fairly generous palm shows imagination and a nature capable of greatly enjoying physical pleasures. Too large, broad and pronounced a palm denotes egoism and sensuality. Hard, thick palms, out of proportion to the rest of the hand, show an animal nature, void of intelligence. Knotty fingers mean originality, imagination and a scientific trend. Smooth, tapering fingers hint at aptitude in art and sentiment predominating over reason. Square fingers mean a sense of method and order. Spatulate fingers are a sign of ability, activity, tact and knowledge.

THE NAILS
A woman's nails should have home attention, but this should be supplemented by occasional visits to the manicurist. Else it is impossible to keep them in perfect condition. You may use an orange stick or an ivory pusher to push back the cuticle from the nails (after it has been softened by cold cream or vaseline), but do not cut the cuticle yourself. This had far better be left to the professional. If you use the professional cutting tools you may easily cut and scar the surface of the nail, and weeks may elapse before the scar disappears. If the cuticle be cut constantly the edges grow hard and thick.

Manicuring - Always see to it that your orange stick is well covered with absorbent cotton or a bit of silk. When you have shaped the external edge of the nails with a fine pair of scissors, finish with emery or a steel nail file. And always, before beginning to manicure your nails, soak them in hot soap water and cleanse with the nail brush. When you polish the nails, use paste first, and do not apply the powder till afterward. As a buffer you can use the palm of the other hand. A thorough "home" manicuring should be undertaken at least once a week.

There are many very satisfactory nail pastes and polishes on the market. A liquid polish is usually best for the nails, all the more if there is no paste foundation. Carmine, which gives a pleasing pink tint, should be the paste used. Never use the liquid varnishes which produce a sheen without the aid of the buffer. They have a deteriorating action on the nails themselves. You brush your teeth every night. It is just as easy to devote a few minutes to your nail cuticles as well.

The Nail Bleach - A good and simple nail bleach for use beneath the free edges of the nails is made by mixing an ounce of hydrogen peroxide with a quarter ounce, respectively, of ammonia and lemon juice. Before polishing the nails wash out the bleach with hot water. Keep your manicuring tools in good condition, and throw away your orange stick as soon as it roughens. For a buffer, if you do not care to use your palm, buy a buffer frame and renew the chamois skin.

Bruised Nails - A hot water dip, with an overnight application of antiphlogiston, is good for bruised nails. The white nail spots which often result from a bruise will fade out slowly of themselves as a rule. Their departure can be hastened, however, by application of refined pitch and myrrh in equal parts.

Nail-Bite - The only real cure for nail biting is not to bite the nails. The application of tincture of myrrh is merely a reminder not to do so.

About the author: Michael Fortomas is a teacher of Biology and his Free Guide "151 Beauty Tips" is a look at specific tips, old and new, to help women meet the current perception of our societal definition of beauty. Visit 1source-body-health.

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More Gorgeous Nail Art

by Christie at www.christiesnails.com

These are from Christie's 'Glitter' collection. Aren't they just fabulous? A standard we should all aspire to - I know I do!

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Providing Manicure Treatment - A Step-By-Step Guide

By Amber

The following steps are a guide on how to perform a basic manicure treatment with cuticle work. You may wish to add a massage, hot oil, or paraffin wax procedure to this, to make the treatment more specialised.

Manicure preparation

• Prepare your treatment area, place your products close to hand and make sure you have good lighting.
• Make sure your client is comfortable, warm and supported.
• Remove the client’s jewellery and place nearby where they can see all of their personal belongings.
• Wash and sanitise yours and your client’s hands.
• Check client’s hands for any contra indications before starting any treatment.
• Remove any old polish, making sure it is all removed thoroughly around the cuticle area, side walls and under the free edge.
  

Manicure procedure

1. Ask your client what shape and length they would like their nails. Starting with the left hand, file the nails with an emery board. Keep the file at a 45 degree angle and never saw backwards and forwards at the nail.
2. Apply cuticle cream to the cuticle on each finger and massage into cuticles using your thumb in a circular motion.
3. Fill a manicure bowl with warm water and place the left hand into soak, this will soften the cuticles.
4. Leaving the left hand to soak repeat steps 1 & 2 on the right hand.
5. Remove the left hand from the bowl and dry. Place the right hand into the manicure bowl to soak.
6. Apply cuticle remover to the left hand using sparingly. Gently push back the cuticles with either a cuticle pusher or an orangewood stick tipped with cotton wool, using a circular motion.
7. Make sure all the non-living tissue and debris is removed from the nail plate. This will give the cuticles a neat and tidy appearance.
8. Only if needed use cuticle nippers to remove any hang nails.
9. Repeat steps 5 – 8 on the right hand.
10. At this point you may want to perform a hand and arm massage.
11. If the client is having a polish you will first need to squeak the nails using a lint-free pad and nail polish remover. This will remove any oil from the massage so that the polish will adhere properly to the nails.
12. Apply the polish using 1 coat of base coat, 2 coats of the clients chosen colour and 1 coat of top coat to finish.
13. If the client does not want a polish the nails can be buffed to a shine to finish. Do this using a buffer and buffing paste. Place a small bead of paste onto each nail with an orangewood stick and gently buff in one direction from the base of the nail to the free edge.
    

Things to remember

• Always be gentle when pushing back the cuticles. The aim of cuticle work is to loosen and tidy the cuticles on the nail plate, forcing them back too hard can cause damage to the matrix.
• If using cuticle remover, make sure it is properly removed after as leaving it on can cause damage to the cuticles and surrounding skin, so care should be taken when using this.
• Take care when removing cuticles making sure that only excess cuticle on the nail plate is removed and not any living tissue.

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Fabulous Nail Art

by Shirley A. products at www.glamyournails.com

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Colour Theory

By Amber

It is important to have some knowledge of colour theory when working within the nail industry, after all we are decorators as well as manicurists and nail technicians. Clients will often choose a polish colour they are attracted to rather than a colour which complements their skin tone.

The wrong colour against some skin tones can make people look sallow, ruddy or even ill. On the other hand some can make the skin look radiant and healthy and camouflage any skin imperfections.

When choosing colours take into account the colour of your client’s clothes and accessories, make-up, hair colour and skin tone (look on the inside of the wrist for best idea). Also consider their hand condition and age as some colours can help to disguise lines and wrinkles, whereas others will accentuate them.

If someone has short bitten nails, then applying a bright red polish will draw attention to the length and condition and make them look cheap. You may want to try a paler colour, this will give the illusion of length or even try a French polish with a deep smile line as this will make them look longer than they are.

A colour specialist uses many colour swatches to match colours to a clients skin tone, then puts them into what is know as a colour season:

Spring
These people have fair complexions usually with gold undertones and maybe some freckles. Their skin type can vary greatly from creamy or peachy to very pale beige. Using yellow based colours will add warmth and make the skin look radiant and healthy. Avoid colours that will clash with the yellow base such as deep reds with blue tones.

Summer
These skin types have blue tones but usually with a pink or pinkie beige hue. Avoid yellow based colours as these can emphasise any fine veins and capillaries, and make the skin look unclean. It is advisable to avoid gold’s and oranges and choose softer colours than for winter but with the same base blue tone.

Autumn
Usually seen on a redhead, warmer colours are suited to this type of skin. Use strong colours such as yellow or gold based browns, terracotta, peach and bronzes as these will even out the skin tone. Avoid colours like red and purple and blue based pinks.

Winter
Winter tones have a yellow or blue cast to the skin and can be extremely varied. If the client is yellow-based using polishes of the same colour will give them a sallow effect, using blue tones instead will soften the yellow. Both cooler and more vibrant colours can be used, but browns, gold’s and orangey reds should be avoided.

There will always be people who fall in between these categories; it is best to choose the polish colour which suits them the most if this occurs. The three primary colours are red, blue and yellow. Secondary colours are orange (a mixture of red and yellow), green (a mixture of blue and yellow) and purple (a mixture of red and blue).

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Free Catalogues

I just love something for nothing, don't you? I have just found a wonderful site - CataLink.com. It is totally FREE if you live in the UK. Just register and request as many catalogues as you like. There are catalogues from Avon, Beauty Naturals, Fashionworld, Beauty Expert and many, many more. Not only beauty and fashion but literally thousands of catalogues for hundreds of categories. Pop over to their site and order yourself some reading material right now!

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Precision Nail Polishing

By Amber

A professional polish job can been seen a mile away compared to a DIY home done job. What sets them apart, and what makes the professional polish job stand out above the rest?

• There are no brush marks, streaks, snags or splodges.
• It’s glossy and shiny
• It lasts longer
• The perimeter lines are perfect and there are no unsightly splodges on the skin.

A professional looking polish job is achieved by using techniques that the average woman does not know about. Starting at the very beginning you will need a good quality polish that provides both good coverage and a smooth glossy finish. It is always necessary to firstly roll the bottle between your palms to loosen the polish. Do not shake the bottle as this will cause thousands of tiny air bubbles in the enamel, which may rise to the surface and cause a crater effect in your polished nails, which is never a good look!

The application of base coat, polish and top coat are all basically the same, and I find it easier to work from little finger to thumb on each hand. A base coat is important as it provides a nice smooth base for your polish and protects the nails from staining.

The easiest way to apply polish is in three steps:

• Place the brush in the middle of the nail, apply gentle pressure and push up to but not touching the eponychium (cuticle), then with light pressure pull quickly towards you all the way to the free edge of the nail.
• Next turn the finger and place your brush to the left slightly and repeat using exactly the same method, be careful not to touch the side of the finger with your brush.
• Now repeat this on the right side. The whole nail should now be covered with the polish. Gently pinching back the sides of the finger can help to avoid touching the surrounding skin with the brush.

You will need to firstly start off with the base coat, quickly followed by two coats of polish. Make sure all the edges are cover and the surface is smooth, do not keep stroking the brush over the surface as the solvent is evaporating and the polish will become tacky and streaky. Leave a tiny margin at the sides of the nail and at the cuticle, this will make the nails look sleeker, slimmer and much neater. If mistakes such as streaking or a missed area do occur, the second coat of polish will usually rectify this. Finally finish with a good top coat, using the same method and very light strokes. This will help to harden your polish and prevent it from chipping and flaking.

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Body Shop Jewellery

BodyJewelleryShop.com is a premier source of high-quality body piercing and fashion jewellery. I have always had excellent, prompt service from them. They are currently offering free worldwide delivery too! Check out their website below. Amber x

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Nail Salons & Hygiene

What You Should Know Before Getting Your Nails Done
by: Lisa Curiel

I recently came across an interesting article on nail salon hygiene while thumbing through a magazine at my local beauty salon.

In this study, a group of 15 nail salon shadow shoppers was asked to visit professional nail salons and report on their hygiene levels. (Naturally, I imagined myself being one of these lucky shadow shoppers and told to "go for it" at the nail parlor and to spare no expense - can you imagine? I'll take a french manicure, no ... wait! Make that a natural nail manicure, definitely a pedicure, gimme the latest nail fashion and make sure you use the best fingernail polish money can buy. Or maybe I'll just go crazy and add Hollywood nails, no ... acrylic nails, no, wait ... how about some nail tattoos, or some airbrushed nail art ... oh I know! give me some of those fabulous Tammy Taylor nails ... my, how lovely it is to daydream!)

Anyway, over 50 nail salons were visited and, according to the study, more than a third of the salons visited were found to be unsatisfactory, with their main complaints being bad hygiene standards, poor customer service and shoddily done manicures.

Upon entering the salon, the participants were instructed to ask for a complete manicure, tell the nail technician that they had never had a professional manicure done before, then ask the salon professional to describe what the process entailed. After the session was over, each of the participants were asked to fill a questionnaire, reporting on various aspects of their experience - levels of hygiene observed, how long the manicure took and how much it cost and whether the experience was satisfactory or not.

According to the report, 92% of the technicians who attempted to use metal cuticle clippers on the shadow shoppers didn't put on gloves. Even worse, they did not use an implement that was package-sealed, even though half of the nail technicians claimed the instrument had been autoclaved (an autoclave is a pressurized device that uses steam and high water pressure to sterilize equipment). The shoppers also reported several hygiene breaches on equipment such as nail files and buffers, which should either be disposable or cleaned between clients. A few salons had surfaces that weren't cleaned between clients and were covered in dust, or even pieces of skin. In one salon, a technician kept her dirty implements in the cash drawer.

Some of the actual comments from the survey participants regarding the low hygiene levels they experienced were as follows:

"The technician picked up the metal scissors ... used on someone else's feet ... she used them to cut some skin from around her own nail. She then went to use them on me."

"This salon had an overpowering smell that burnt my throat and made me feel ill."

"The technicians washed the handtowels in the foot spas."

"Counters and floors were dirty, instruments reused and technicians did not wash their hands at all."

"The technician had open wounds on her hands. I asked her to put gloves on."

If a salon has overpowering fumes, it may be a sign of poor ventilation, especially where a salon engages in a lot of acrylic nail work. The preferred substance for making acrylic nails, ethyl methacrylate, can be hazardous if used in a salon without proper ventilation. A strong, unpleasant odour could also mean they're using dangerous substances, such as Methyl Methacrylate (MMA).

What To Look For In A Nail Salon

Here are some of the things you look for when visiting a nail salon:

- Use only accredited salons and technicians and look for certifications of competency, which should be displayed prominently in the salon.

- The salon should be clean and tidy, with linen and towels changed between clients.

- All chemicals should be in clearly marked containers.

- Metal tools that could penetrate the skin should be sterilized in an autoclave.

- Non-disposable nail implements should be rinsed, scrubbed in tepid water and detergent and dried, or wiped with 70% alcohol between clients.

- Some nail salons keep implements especially set aside for each regular client. You should ask your nail technician to do this for you, if you are a regular client of a nail salon.

- Nail implements need to be clean and dry. Don't let anyone use an implement on you that's been left sitting in water, even if the water contains disinfectant.

- Don't use a foot spa if you've shaved your legs the night before or on the day of the pedicure, of if you have any cuts on your legs, as this makes you more vulnerable to infection.

- If you are having acrylic nails put on, ask your nail artist to explain the procedure, what products they're going to use and how to care for the nails at home.

- Don't be shy to ask questions about the manicure, the chemicals being used and how the implements have been cleaned.

The salon I normally go to is very professional and clean, the technicians are highly competent and certified and all procedures are explained in great detail when asked. So, I went ahead and pampered myself for almost an hour and got myself some beautiful nails (included in the manicure was a nail bath, filing and buffing and cuticle work) and a massage. Maybe next time I'll go for nail tattoos or those Tammy Taylor nails!

Read the full article at: http://www.beauty-info-resources.com/nail-salon-hygiene.html

About The Author

Lisa Curiel is the editor of http://Beauty-Info-Resources.com, a site that provides articles, resources, news and information about beauty, skin care, hair care, nail care, weight loss and more. Visit her website at: http://www.beauty-info-resources.com for more information.

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