Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Hello everyone! As we all know, a  nail file  is a tool used to gently grind down and shape the edges of nails. Nail files may be emery boards, ceramic, glass, crystal, plain metal files or metal files coated with corundum. The surface of a nail file is referred to as its  grit . The smaller the grit number is, the coarser a nail file is and vice versa. I’ve put together  a list of nail file types available  to help you select the best nail file for your nails. Emery board Emery boards are the most accessible nail files. Their biggest downfall is that they cannot be cleaned as their base is cardboard. Emery boards are available with different grit sizes. The   coarser side is used to file down the nails, whereas the finer side is used to shape them. Double-sided nail file These nail files have two grits, a lower and a higher grit. A double-sided emery board with a  180/240 grit , is strong enough to remove length but will not damage your nails. Anything less than 180 grit could da

Hello everyone! We've all had it happen: after perfecting our  manicure , we look down and realize our nail polish has chipped. It's frustrating and annoying to see all that hard work go to waste. While many of us may blame  nail polish  formulas, the problem could actually be the application technique . With these simple tricks, you can extend the life of your manicure and prevent chips . Always wipe each nail with remover before applying polish.  Then wash your hands with soap and water to get rid of any remaining oil. Do not file your nails in different directions.  If you're treating your nail file like a saw, you're making your nails more prone to peeling and breakage.  Buff your nails.   This will remove any residue and get rid of ridges. Apply a base coat.  Polish will adhere best to nails prepped with a base coat. Not only does a basecoat protect your nails from stains, but it also fills ridges and strengthens nails. Do not shake the bottle.  Simply roll your n

Hello everyone! Long nails are perceived by many as being classy and stylish.  However, long nails may not be worth the looks. Below are six (6) reasons to opt for short nails instead of long ones. 1.  Practical Short nails give you the freedom to do all the things that you love without restrictions - you can easily do your chores, pull your zipper, buckle shoes, play with your pet or young children and wear contact lenses.  People with long nails know the pain of trying to do the simplest, everyday tasks.  Typing on a keyboard, opening containers, and even fiddling with buttons can prove to be difficult with long fingernails in the way.  2.  Fuss-free The last thing you need on your worry list is the possibility of breaking a nail.  Keeping long nails also pose a health hazard to you and the people around you.  Constantly poking yourself in the eye -  not fun! 3.  Hygienic Health and hygiene go hand in hand.  Fingernails can harbour dirt and germs, leading to the spread of infections.

Hello everyone! Healthy nails are essential for any fabulous manicure and pedicure .  However, many women, and men, don’t have the beautiful, healthy nails they could have, simply because they’re making one or more common nail care mistake .  Keep reading to find out what you should and shouldn't do to have beautiful, healthy nails. These are the six most common nail care mistakes ; I also added links to previous related articles:  Don’t use a back-and-forth motion when filing your nails. - Read this:  Tips for strong and healthy nails Don’t over-buff your nails.  - Read this:  Make them shine...with a nail buffer! Don’t trim your cuticles.  - Read this:  Tips for healthy cuticles Don’t forget to moisturise your cuticles.   Don’t skip the base coat.  - Read this:  Three methods to whiten yellow nails Don’t leave nail polish on for too long. Check out the infographic below: Source -  urbanewomen.com Do you make any of the above mentioned nail c

Hello everyone! In today's post I will tell you everything you need to know about removing a gel manicure at home ! One downside to gel manicures is the removal.  You can’t just use a regular nail polish remover.  It’s also very tempting to pick and peel off the polish once the nail starts to grow out or the gel begins to lift.  DON'T DO IT!  This will essentially damage and weaken your natural nails.  Salons do offer to remove the polish for you but, this would cost you time and money. Fortunately you can remove the gel at home yourself, the same way your nail technician would!   You will need: For the soak-off method - nail file / emery board nail buffer pure acetone 10 cotton balls 10 small pieces of foil an orange stick For the file-off method - 2 nail file / emery board (a course one and a finer one) nail buffer The soak-off method: NOTE: Choose a well lit and ventilated area!   Soak 5 cotton balls in acetone and lay them on

Hello everyone! Check out this list of things you can do to maintain strong and healthy fingernails.  P.S. -   If you want more detailed information,   check out the related posts linked at the end of this post!  Stop biting and picking your nails. When  filing , always  file  in a single direction.   Never saw  back and forth! Make sure you’re using the right file; you don't want to use a grit that's too high for your nails. Use an acetone free nail polish remover, acetone will dry out your nails. Give your cuticles a much needed massage .   Use cuticle oil or olive oil to massage your cuticles and nails after you have removed polish. Let your nails breath!   Try to give your nails a break from nail polish, at least for 24hrs once a week.   This will also help keep that dreaded yellow stain at bay.  Buff once every couple of weeks. If your nails are extra brittle and prone to breakage keep them short and use a  nail strengthener  consistently!

Hello everyone! Nail polish is not the only way to get your nails to look smooth and shiny .  Nail buffers are also used to smooth and polish the nail. Most buffers have three sides and the three together create that salon finish in only a few minutes.  If you want to give yourself a manicure or a pedicure, a three-way buffer is essential.  Using a nail buffer is also great for men who don’t want to wear nail polish! before and after buffing! Here are some tips… Step 1: Remove your nail polish.  Use an acetone-free nail polish remover on a clean cotton ball.  Wash your hands thoroughly to remove any traces of polish remover. Step 2: Trim your nails with nail scissors/clippers/file.  Do not use the buffer to sand away large amounts of length. Step 3: Use the roughest side of your buffer on the top surface of your nail.  Only buff until you've removed surface ridges .  Avoid overusing the gritty side of the buffer because it can weaken and thin

One of the most common and irritating stress relieving habits is definitely biting nails.   Biting nails can lead to broken skin on the   cuticle which can lead to infection.  When biting your nails you are also transferring bacteria and germs from your fingernails to your mouth!  Nail biting is a bad habit that is not easy to quit. WOW! These are my brother's NOTD ;) Here are some tips that can help... Identify triggers It could be boredom, or stress or a particular time of day. Love your nails Get a manicure and paint the nails to make them look at their best.   Artificial nails These will protect your natural nails for some time until they grow out. Make them taste bad Apply a clear, bitter-tasting   nail polish   to the nails.  This is one of the most popular methods used to try to break the habit. Keep you hands occupied In case the problem is stress or boredom related try another activity that uses the hands. Increase calcium and magnesium intake