Nail Reconstruction....

Hey Ladies....If any of you know me for a while, you will know that I love love love long nails...I always get a french manicure and I love tips!  However, when I take all of the stuff off my nails, its not pretty!!

What do you use?  They look horrible!  I'm talking brittle, broken, and torn to shreds, it actually looks like I was biting them because I was nervous or something!  Well, I have a few tricks that really help out the "reconstruction" of your nails....it makes them look healthy while the weak nail grows out and the new nails grow in...

First- DO NOT rip them off.  I am notorious for doing this.  I do this because I get tired of my nails looking chopped up, especially when I need to go for a fill-in but do not have time...they start to lift.  Its terrible.  Instead, buy some pure acetone, you can find this at beauty supply stores all over.  Its like $3.99 for a bottle.  In a GLASS bowl, fill enough of the bowl with the acetone, place it on the table with some paper towel or new paper to protect your table (it is pure acetone!) and put those pretty fingers in the bowl.

Next- make sure you have a good nail file.  I buy the ones at the beauty supply store for like $1.99, they are heavy duty, usually the tan or black colored ones.  Once your fingers have been soaking for at least  5 minutes, check on it...it will look like gel on your nails now.  Carefully start to file off the gel like substance.  Once you file that off, continue to soak.

Once you finish soaking and you have removed all the acrylic off, check the damage of your natural nail.  You might have some grooves on the nail bed from all of the harsh filing with the file or the machine during your fill-in visits.  That is OK, it will grow out.  Just be sure when you are filing away the chemical on your nail, you do not over file.

Next- Clip off any nail that is damaged.  Naturally, you will have short nails for a while, which is OK.  You are allowing your natural nails to breathe.   Shape your nail after you clip them down, and then buff them out with the "Purple Square". You can also find this at the beauty supply store.  Its the same square they use at the nail salons after they are done with the manicure.  This helps smooth things out and allows you to keep a polish on the nail, neatly.

Now after all of this, you might want to consider using a clear polish to help keep them hard and help grow them out a bit longer, to clip off while your healthy nail is growing in.  I personally like "Nailtiques" Formula 2, it's a nail protein and is wonderful for weak, brittle, pealing nails.  I will use this for at least a month as directed and my nails are healthy in no time.

Here is the best part, in a little squeeze bottle, I put regular "GOYA" olive oil (any olive oil will do, GOYA is what I always have!) in the squeeze bottle, its tiny, like the ones in the nail salon.  I put this on religiously, everyday!  It helps keep my cuticles moisturized.  Moisture is probably the most important step while repairing the health of  your nails.  It really works and helps with healthy growth!  I even do this step before I go to bed,  after every hand wash and even while at work.  Try it!  Once your nails are back to normal, get a simple manicure and keep it up until your ready to try something new like the Gel!  I love it!

Enjoy!
JV