Nail Bits: Essential Nail Care

Hi all! Hope everyone is having a great weekend and enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon just like me!

Just like most girls who are into nail polishes, I paint them on a very regular basis and I have a slight inclination towards the darker colours. The effects of the nail polishes on me resulted in very dry, weak nails that kept peeling/ breaking and staining due to the dark colours. That was probably how my nail condition was 1 year ago - since then, I made sure I took care of my nails even when I kept up my manicure habits. And this is how it looks right now:

I'm proud to report that 1 year into proper care of my nails, they are strong and healthy looking right now. The shot above is how my nails look like right after removing my polish. Sure, they may not be the best looking nails around, but if you've seen how it was back then, you would have understand why this is such a proud moment for me. :o)

So, I really just wanted to share how I take care of my nails on a regular basis:

Cuticle Oil:

I always moisturize my nails with cuticle oils before I re-apply any polish. I normally apply it onto my nails and massage it into both the cuticles and the nail bed. Leave it on till it's fully absorb before the polish goes on. I find that this really strengthens my nails and moisturizes it even though it's meant for the cuticles. And because of this, I recently have acquired some cuticle oils from US which I will feature in my upcoming haul posts! :o)

Base Coat:

I think no polish addict will ignore the importance of a good base coat. They not only help your polish to go on smoother but more importantly, they protect your nails from the damaging effects of the polish and prevent any staining! I love the base coats from OPI and Sally Hansen alot and think they really deliver.

If you're a regular follower of this blog, you probably would realize that I have a strong preference for The Face Shop for alot of my products. But, base for the the nails is definitely NOT one of those love. I was using OPI/ Sally Hansen on my nails and TFS on my toe nails. I have serious staining on my toe nails and none on my finger-nails. So, if you want to scrimp on something, it's not going to be the base coat!!

That's basically what I do to care for my nails before the polish is slapped on. Thanks for reading and I hope what I've shared is useful for some. Have a great Sunday! :o)