How To Make Your Polish Dry Faster

I recently posted about how nail polish works and how to thin out polish. All this polish talk brings up a favorite nail polish myth: you can make your polish dry faster by dipping your fingers in ice water.

The previous posts talked about how polish drys when the solvents found in the polish evaporate. No matter how many times you dip your nails in cold water it will not help the evaporation process. It might create a thin skin on the top of the polish but what remains underneath it is still wet/liquid.

If you want to make your polish dry faster try one of these methods:

~ Apply gentle heat - try using a blow dryer set on low heat to spead the drying process

~ Use one of those nail drying fans. They do the same thing as the hair dryer

~ Apply quick dry drops or fast drying top coat. Both include ingredients that help speed up the drying process

~ My personal favorite - kick back, relax and watch a good movie while allowing your nails to dry. Tell everyone that you can't do anything since your waiting for your nails to dry and you don't want to smudge them :)

Sorry to say the using ice water to dry your nails is just a myth.

How To Thin Out Nail Polish

Anne-Marie over at the Soap-Queen blog recently blogged a great tutorial on creating your own customized nail polish. She even scented her polish too! How cool is that! Reading her post gave me a great idea for my own blog post. In her tutorial directions she noted that you may need to add a few drops of polish removed to thin down your polish in case it's too thick. This made me think hmmmmm.....I wonder how many other women do this. With the magical powers of Google a quick search revealed that there are many sites that recommend polish remover to make thickened polish easier to apply. While it may work temporarily there's a better way to do this.

Why does polish thicken? Nail polish was designed to harden when solvents in the polish evaporate. Each time you open the bottle it allows small amounts to evaporate directly from the bottle. If you leave polish all over the neck of the bottle it won't seal correctly. This means that more solvents will continue to slowly evaporate even if the cover is on. Over time you will find your polish will thicken and become harder to apply. It may even become dry and clump up.

How do I fix thickened polish? The easiest way is to add the solvents back into the polish. You can find polish thinner at your local beauty supply store such as Sally's or at other online stores. Some nail polish manufacturers make thinning products specifically for their own polish line. For example the company Seche sells Thinner Top Coat and Lacquer Restoration Thinner. This product is specially designed to be used with the Seche line of products. Thinning solutions are added directly to the bottle of polish. Sometimes you only need a few drops to bring it back to it's original consistency. Other times you may have to add a dropper full to fix it.

If polish remover thins out polish then why not use it? Polish removers only job is to break down and dissolve polish. This makes it easier to remove from your nails. Adding polish remover to thick polish will temporarily thin it out. But, it will continue to break down the polish components causing other changes to the texture. You might notice that the polish begins to shrink back from the edge of your nail or the cuticle area. It might start to clump up in the bottle. At one time you may have applied one or two coats to cover the nail but now it takes 3 or more. And the color is streaky (is that even a word LOL). It is a quick way to solve the problem but ultimately will cause more.

If you like to use polish keep a bottle of polish thinner on hand. It doesn't cost a lot to buy and will keep your polish applying like a dream.

Nail Polish 101 - Almost Everything You Wanted To Know About It

Women as well as men have been using a variety of items to color their nails for thousands of years. The Chinese applied beeswax and a variety of herbs to their nails to tint them. Egyptians used a mixture of ground henna to color their nails as well as skin. Social status could often be determined by the shade found on your nails and finger tips....the paler the color the lower your social status. Darker hues were reserved for those higher in social standing or royalty.

In ancient times the only hues found were shades of brown, rust, reds and pinks. Women would also apply oil to their nails and buff them with cloth until they were shiny. It wasn't until paint for cars was invented that paint on nail polish started to be sold. Nail polish has changed slowly over the years. New ingredients have been added to extend wear time as well as provide a wider variety of colors. Here's some basic information about polish as we know it today.

Each traditional polish (meaning not water based) company uses a different formula for their brand. There is no one single recipe that they all use. They do have many ingredients in common. These include:

~ film forming agents
~ resins for strength
~ plasticizers to allow the polish to flex with your nail without flaking off
~ colorants such as pigments, dyes, mica and glitter
~ solvents which keep the polish in a liquid state but evaporate allowing it to harden

Ingredients used allow the polish to dry fast, keep it flexible, extend the wear, prevent the colors from changing or yellowing, provide strength to the natural nail, go on smoothly, leave a high gloss shine and much more. Each company creates their polish recipe based on what they feel their customers desired most. Most people want to know which brand is "the best". There really is no right answer to this. It will all depend upon what type of nail you are applying the polish to (natural or enhanced), what you do with your hands, the amount of water you expose your hands to, your particular climate, etc. Everyone seems to have a favorite brand that works best for them. The only way to find out which is "the best" for you is to try polish from the various manufacturers.

Was that almost everything you wanted to know about nail polish? I don't have all the answers but if you have any questions feel free to ask. Got more interesting polish information you'd like to share with readers? Leave a comment and share it with our other readers.

Ban On Fish Pedicures Expanding

Fish pedicures became the new fad spa treatment in 2008. Tiny carp (Garra Rufa fish), nick named Dr. Fish, are placed in small tanks used for the pedicure treatments. The fish nibble on dry skin on your feet during your "treatment". The fish are used in place of credo blades and other types of foot files. At first the tanks being used where communal so multiple people would soak their feet in the same water. Because this is a new type of treatment in the U.S. there were no rules regarding using fish during a pedicure or manicure. However new regulations were soon put into place.

The first changes put into place put a stop to the communal tanks for sanitation reasons. Each customer needed to have their own tank to soak in. Since multiple customers are not allowed to use the same spa chair for a pedicure without cleaning between uses the same rule applied to the fish. This allowed the water to be changed between customers and the tanks to be cleaned.

As time has gone on the various state agencies have had a chance to take a better look at fish being used in spas and salons. What many are now determining is the fish are being used as a tool to replace items such as pumice stones, foot files, callus files and credo blades. Because they are a tool they must sanitized like all tools. Since any method of sanitizing the fish would kill them many states are banning them entirely.

Some of the states that have banned fish pedicures include Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington. If you ever planned on trying a fish pedicure out now would be the time to do it. It appears that many other states will be banning them in the near future.

Have you ever tried a fish pedicure? I've recently seen several online sources where you can purchase these type of fish for at home/DIY uses. Would you ever buy fish for your own pedicures at home?

Diabetic Foot Care - Part 2 - Info For Diabetics

In my previous blog post I discussed what manicurists should do when taking care of a diabetic client. Pedicures are extremely beneficial if done correctly. What if you are diabetic? What can you do or look for when it comes to choosing a manicurist or pedicure service that's right for you?

~ First you should always let your manicurist know that you are diabetic. This will allow them to adjust the service for you.

~ If you have any open areas, large bruises, blisters or red areas that do not go away please see your doctor first before going for a pedicure. You should NEVER have a pedicure if there is an open area. If you are refused services because of any areas please don't take it the wrong way. The spa or salon is just looking out for your best interest. It may be annoying to have this happen but be thankful since they are doing exactly what they are suppose to do. They are valuing your health over money. Not every place is like this.

~ Make sure that the salon or spa uses a hospital grade disinfectant on all pedicure bowls and instruments. If they offer single use implement packs (they usually contain a file, cuticle pushers, buffing block, etc) then choose that option if available.

~ Ask for your nails to be filed and NOT trimmed. Also never have the nails filed too low. Leave a small free edge to prevent ingrown toe nails.

~ Try a waterless pedicure instead of soaking your feet. Your feet will benefit for the extra moisturizing.

~ Pass on the salt scrubs for exfoliating the feet. The salt crystals can be a bit too rough on your feet. If you have any nerve damage you may not be able to feel that they are irritating your skin before it's too late. Ask for a sugar scrub or even a sloughing lotion instead.

~ Ask that any callused areas be gently filed/buffed smooth. I know it's annoying to have dry, rough heels. But shaving those areas down with a Credo blade or over filing them only creates a situation for problems to start. Ask your manicurist to recommend a lotion containing AHA or other ingredients to gently slough the dry skin away that can be applied daily at home. You will find that apply it daily will be a big help. You can also try using a foot rub or butter. This type of product is usually made without water and contains super moisturizing ingredients such as cocoa and shea butter. Beeswax is also included because it helps to retain moisture in the skin.

~ Gentle massage not only feels great but it helps to improve circulation. If at any time your manicurist is apply to much pressure let them know.

Always remember to speak up if you feel any discomfort during your service. A few small changes will help to provide you with a perfect pedicure designed to benefit you. Have you ever been to a spa or salon that provided special services for diabetics? If so what kind of products did they use? What kind of changes did they make from their regular services? Leave a comment and let other readers know how your pedicure went.

Diabetic Foot Care - Part 1 - Info For Manicurists

I don't know about other parts of the country but here is Massachusetts it has finally warmed up enough for us to put our boots away. It's not warm enough just yet to go barefooted but there are some days where you can get away with sandals or flip flops. This is the time when people start to pay attention to how their feet look. While some people focus on their feet for appearance purposes there are others who do so on a regular basis for medical reasons.

As a manicurist one question we are suppose to ask our customers who come for a pedicure is if they are diabetic. Because diabetes can cause nerve damage as well as affect the immune system it's very important for you manicurist to know about this condition. She or he will then be able to take precautions and adjust the service to meet your special needs.

Foot Problems Common To Diabetics

~ Nerve Damage: diabetics may have decreased sensation to their feet and lower legs. Diabetics may also not feel small cuts or open areas on the feet because of the nerve damage.

~ Dry Skin: high blood sugar levels draws fluids from your skin causing dry patches. There is also a decrease or change in the normal production of skin oils which also affects skin texture. Skin on the feet will often form cracks, fissures and sores.

~ Impaired Immune System: this means any cuts, sores or breaks in the skin will take longer to heal. Open areas may become infected easily.

~ Damage To Blood Vessels: decreased or poor circulation contributes to decreased healing times.

Information For Manicurists

~ Always check your clients feet and calves for any open areas. Under NO circumstances should a pedicure be perfomed if there is an open area or broken skin.

~ Soak feet in tepid (water no warmer then 90 degrees) not hot water. Your client may not be able to feel if the water is too warm.

~ Do NOT cut nails or cuticles. Instead file the nails to shape them leaving a small free edge. This helps to prevent ingrown toenails as well as the possibility of accidentally nicking the skin when trimming the nails. Push cuticles back but do not trim them for the same reason. Any cut no matter how small will take longer to heal and may become infected.

~ NEVER use a Credo blade on calluses even if they are allowed in your state. Gently buff dry areas....SMOOTH DON'T REMOVE!

~ Apply a moisturizing lotion or foot balm. This is very important because diabetics often have extremely dry skin. If performing a massage use gentle, even pressure. Your client may not be able to feel if you are pressing too hard.

~ Always dry feet well especially between the toes. Trapped moisture between toes can cause fungal infection. The skin may also form small splits between the toes because of the extra moisture.

~ If a client should accidentally be cut during a serivce stop the service right away and apply gentle pressure to the site. Dry the area and apply a bandaid. Instruct your client to see their doctor as soon as possible for the area to be assessed and treated if necessary.

As a nurse as well as a manicurist I've seen all to often what happens when diabetics ignore their feet. Regular pedicures are a great way to maintain good foot care and catch problems before they get worse. It only takes a few simples changes in the usual pedicure service to give your diabetic clients exactly what they need.

Do you work at a salon or spa? Do you provide any specialty services for diabetics? If so leave a comment and let our readers know what services you offer.

Racy Red French Manicure

If you read the previous post then you already know that my slightly absent minded 17 year old daughter told me about her Junior Prom.....2 weeks before it took place. After going only a little insane we managed to find a dress and at an incredibly great price. It's was a very pretty two piece dress, you can see it here that laced up the back. Since we did her nails I thought I would post a picture of them.

I used Revlon's Blackberry (previously swatched in the blog) and added a thin strip of silver glitter to the edges. It's sort of like a French Manicure. The thin strip of glitter draws your eyes to the nails and gives them some sparkle. Try it the next time your going out to some place special. It also works out well for shorter nails not just for long nails. Just put a thin line of your favorite colored glitter nail art polish at the very edge of your nail and your ready to go!