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! Cracked heels , also known as  heel fissures , are a common foot problem, particularly during the warmer months when people like to wear sandals and flip flops.  Some of the causes of  cracked heels  are dry air, lack of moisture, improper foot care, prolonged standing on hard floors and wearing the wrong types of shoes. There are several ways to  heal cracked heels at home ( read this );  using a good foot scrub is one of them.  So today I want to share a simple,  3-ingredient recipe  for an  all-natural foot scrub .  Check it out! Ingredients: 1/2 cup coconut oil 1 cup sugar 12-15 drops peppermint essential oil Method: Place the coconut oil in a medium sized bowl.  Coconut oil melts at about 24  ° C (76  ° F) - To melt the oil, simply immerse the bottom of the bowl in hot water for a couple of minutes. Add in the sugar and essential oil and stir until evenly combined. Store into an air-tight jar. Use  two to three times every wee

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! Today I have another NOTD post for you.  This time it's a mani-pedi nails of the day .  I hope you like it!  This is what I'm wearing on my nails today... I applied two coats of  pink nail polish and then one coat of the silver crackle polish on top.  I applied the silver polish only on my middle and ring fingernails. Oh, and I'm also wearing the same colours on my toenails! Do you wear matching polish on your fingernails and toenails?  If not,  what are your  favourite mani-pedi colour pairings?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Hello everyone! For most of us, well - groomed nails are   essential.   A common concern is how to make nail polish last longer and delay chipping .  I’ve learnt a few tricks over the years and I would like to share them with you… Photos from previous NOTD posts Before starting to apply nail polish, even if you don’t have any nail polish on, rub some nail polish remover on your nails to remove any traces of oil.   I recommend washing your hand afterwards because nail polish removers can dry and weaken your natural nails. Apply a base coat before applying nail polish.   This will not only make your nail polish last longer but will also prevent staining . Always apply a double coat of nail polish.   Apply the second coat only after the first is completely dry . Apply your nail polish in thin layers .   Thick layers tend to peel off. Apply nail polish to the tips of your nails.   Chipping usually begins on the tips of your nails. Apply a clear top coat to seal your

Hello everyone!  This past week I was on vacation and  didn't  have time to blog but now I’m back with more home remedies. Most of us love wearing sandals, but we cringe at the idea of exposing dry heels.  Read on to learn a few simple  home remedies   to cure dry and cracked heels… Before going to bed rub olive oil or sesame oil into your dry, cracked heels .  After applying the oil wear a pair of socks.   Leave the socks on overnight, as it helps the heels absorb all the moisture.   This is one of the best remedy for cracked heels. Massage your feet with coconut oil every night.  Rinse off in the morning. Make a mixture of lemon juice and papaya ; apply it on the cracked heels.  Wash off after 20 minutes. Do not throw away the ripe banana !   Simply mash one ripe banana and apply it thoroughly on the dry and cracked heels.  Leave the mash on for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash it off.   Daily cleansing and moisturising is

Hello everyone! Tomorrow is mother’s day .  You can go the predictable way and give your mom a gift certificate to a spa, or you can take a unique approach and give her a spa experience in her own home.  Pampering your mom for mother's day is a fabulous and thoughtful gift she'll surely appreciate.   At-home spa ideas: facial relaxing warm bath manicure and/or pedicure (Click here for DIY pedicure tips.) Make sure you set the perfect mood for your mom's at-home spa experience!  You can make it visual with candles, use sound by playing soft music, use scented candles or  aromatherapy oils, and activate taste with relaxing herbal teas. What are the benefits of creating an at-home spa? An at-home spa experience allows you to relax at any time and is very inexpensive.  And sometimes people relax more at home.   You can take the at- home spa experience all the way by making your own beauty treatments. These are some of my favourite recip

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

It's almost Spring aka sandal season !   It’s time to show our toes to the world.   Here are some tips for a perfect pedicure . Step 1: Remove old nail polish with an acetone-free nail polish remover. Step 2: Add Epson salt and your  favourite  scented oil to warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes.   This step does more than clean your feet, it also softens dead skin cells in preparation for exfoliation.   Step 3: Dry your feet with a clean towel.  Exfoliate with a scrub.  Check out this post if you want to make your own sugar facial/body scrub.   Massage each foot for a minute or two with a quarter-size blob of scrub.  Start at your heel and work your way out to your toes, ankles, and calves using circular motions.  If you have dry skin, you can also use a wet pumice stone on your feet.  Rinse your feet with warm water. Step 4: Using a toenail clipper , trim your nails straight across, then smooth the edges with a nail file.  Make sur