This Valentine's Day I want you take a moment to look after yourself, and more specifically, your nails. What's that, you're too busy? Well, good thing I put together a few tips on how to care for your nails on the go then, isn't it!
USE CUTICLE OIL DAILY
Just about everybody has been banging on about cuticle oil for what seems like ages, from beauty magazines and nail technicians and there are a couple of reasons why (and no, it's not just so your nails look Insta ready!). Cuticle oil usually consists of a number of oils which all have different jobs to do from nourishing the surface of your nails and skin to helping other oils penetrate deeper. Applying cuticle oil daily helps to tighten the skin around your nails and keep your nails flexible so that if you knock it, it bends as opposed to snapping. It's also essential for getting the most out of your manicure by keeping the nail polish from cracking once the solvents evaporate.
If you want to use your cuticle oil on the go, apart form the ingredients I would also consider packaging. The traditional bottles look cute on your vanity table but the more you use them the greasier the cap gets which can lead to spillage if you keep them in your bag. Fortunately, there are brands out there who thought of that and came up with great solutions such as roller ball applicators (Apothaka SOS Recovery Nail & Cuticle Oil* £19.50) and oil pens (Leighton Denny Slick Tips Pen* £12). Dr. Paw Paw (£6.95) has a lip stick like applicator and really is amazing if you have chapped lips or cuticles and I use it pretty much on a daily basis during winter. The smell is barely noticeable, maybe a little bit on the plasticky side if anything, but man, this stuff is good so I'm OK with it.
ALWAYS APPLY (AT LEAST) A BASE COAT
Have you ever said or heard someone saying 'I am not going to put anything on my nails for 2 weeks because they need a breather'? Yeah, here's a thing...your nails were never breathing. They were dead to begin with! On top of that, by leaving them bare you are exposing them to the elements making them even more vulnerable.
On the plus side, there are number of things that you can do to keep them in their 'healthy but dead' state. One of them is making sure you always have (at least) a base coat on that is wrapped around your free edge AND underneath. Why? Your nail plate absorbs water when it's in contact with it for a prolonged time (such as a shower or bath) washing out natural oils which can lead to chipping, peeling and brittle nails. This is one of the reasons why I never have bare nails (and also because they look boring af). Having a layer of base coat on can help prevent the speed at which the water is absorbed therefore keeping your nails in tip top condition.
Yeah, that's all great but how is that 'nail care on the go'? As most base coats dry in a matter of seconds I have been known to use it on the train (and omg, if looks could kill!) but often I just pop it on before I'm about to go out and by the time I get to the front door my nails are dry. My go to is always OPI Nail Envy, £19.50.
ALWAYS KEEP A FILE IN YOUR BAG IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
So you've snapped a nail and it was annoying and catching all day so instead of waiting to deal with it when you got home, you chewed it off. And since you did such a marvelous job of it, it's still catching. And bleeding. Hey, I'm not judging, we've all been there!
Having a file in your bag is a great way for such emergencies so you can salvage as much as you can of your broken nail and not make it grow at a funny angle. I tend to keep a glass file such as Leighton Denny Small Crystal Nail File*, £12.50 or NCLA Femme Fatale Glass File*, £8, in my bag as I find it a bit more sharp and hygienic than emery boards, especially knowing that I can just wash it and it's good to go.
Having a file in your bag is a great way for such emergencies so you can salvage as much as you can of your broken nail and not make it grow at a funny angle. I tend to keep a glass file such as Leighton Denny Small Crystal Nail File*, £12.50 or NCLA Femme Fatale Glass File*, £8, in my bag as I find it a bit more sharp and hygienic than emery boards, especially knowing that I can just wash it and it's good to go.
KEEP A HAND CREAM HANDY
Cold weather and constantly washing our hands takes a toll on them. If your hands are dry to the point that you can virtually give yourself a scrub by rubbing your hands together then (they definitely need an actual scrub) hand cream is going to be your best friend. Most hand creams are small tubes that easily fit into your bag and there are dozens of them on the market that would suit your particular needs and fragrance preferences. If you are looking for something non greasy that absorbs quickly Liz Earle Hand Repair, £10.50 is for you. It has a delicate herbal scent and it's not particularly oily so you can pop it on and get on with your day. It's available online as well as in larger Boots. If you are looking for a light cream that has a fragrance kick then Body Shop range is going to blow you away (especially the Mango one, £5). Alternatively, for a tropical papaya and grapefruit burst with a light texture try Orly Pucker Creme Rich Renewal Cream, £7.20. For me personally, I like a hand cream that gives you a bit of a sheen as well as being moisturising, so my go to is Leighton Denny Time Repair Anti-ageing Hand Therapy*, £12. It's also the one I tend to use during photo shoots as it catches the light beautifully.
INVEST IN A PAIR OF GLOVES
So ideally, once you applied all of your favourite products (and spent your hard earned money on them) you want to make sure you can keep benefiting from them for as long as you can. Which brings me to my next point, gloves. Leather ones, mitts, finger-less ones you name it, everyone can find something for themselves. If you can't live without your phone and love to scroll through your Instagram or you do business on the go no matter the weather, there are number of companies that make gloves that work with touch screens such as M&S Touchscreen Gloves.
Nice hands and nails, as most things in life, require care and commitment so while you're preparing your lunch for tomorrow or picking out your work outfit, be sure to pop a few of your nail care bits into your bag and you'll see the benefits in no time!
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