Got a bit carried away with the cuticle nippers, lay in the bath and had a pick at that peeling gel polish? Or worse still snipped away at your overgrown acrylic?
Don’t panic, just put the nail tools down for a second…
With salons closed until most likely July, it is easy to take the pampering into your own hands. Many a client has decided to have a go at removing their gel polish by biting or picking, to remove stray lash extensions with a bit of baby oil or how about having a pluck at those brows and gone too far? We give some top tips of rectifying those beauty horrors to help you get the most from your treatments once salons reopen…
The mangled-icure…
First thing is to get some acetone (online if you can’t source any at the supermarket). Soak cotton wool pads and wrap tin foil around to secure to help soak off any leftover acrylic, gel polish, nail glue etc. A gentle buff over the surface with a soft nail buffer to smooth (don’t go mad, you just want to smooth not thin the nails). Next soak your nails in some warmed oil – baby oil or some olive oil from the kitchen will suffice if you don’t have any almond or specific nail oil at home.
Warm the oil by sitting one bowl of oil afloat of a larger second bowl filled with warm water. After 5 minutes, gently push back any dry clinging skin at the cuticles to leave a clear surface and massage the remaining oil into your nails and skin.
Next apply a clear strengthening top coat if you have one, if not any clear polish or top coat will suffice just to help seal the layers of the nail to avoid breakage and encourage healthier regrowth. Use a hand oil or cream daily to keep nails supple and shiny. No more biting or picking!
The plucked turkey brow…
Had weeks of letting your brows regrow and decided the fuller brow isn’t for you. Took to the tweezers in haste and gone too far? Here’s how to put it right…
Brow hairs will take around 2-6 weeks to regrow so stop plucking anything other than those complete strays that sit miles below your brow line. Don’t attempt to further reshape your brow line for now. Use a good quality castor oil (order online if needed) using an old, washed out mascara applicator (if you don’t have a brow brush or disposable wand at home).
This will help nourish existing hairs and encourage more supple, healthier regrowth as the new hairs come through. If you need to conceal overplucked brows or gaps in the brows, a brow product applied either as a brow powder with a wax or clear gel to seal is ideal. Alternatively a brow crayon like the Waterproof All Day Brow pen by Stila is ideal to draw small thin lines in the direction of growth to give the appearance of more hairs.
Avoid going to dark or too heavy with brow products. Aim to match to your head hair shade and if between two colours, go for the lighter option. Once brows regrow, consider a brow lamination treatment in July to help regrown brows appear fuller and more youthful.
Spider leg lashes…
Had that last couple of lash extensions niggling you? Had a go at steaming and picking them off? Pulling at lash extensions can break or prematurely pull out natural lashes leaving unsightly gaps. It can also cause issues with the new lashes coming through causing styes. What to do?
Leave those lashes alone. The will shed with your natural lash once the growth cycle of your natural lash is complete. Have faith! Lost lashes will take around 3-12 weeks to completely regrow through so it will take patience.
As with damaged brows, a good quality castor oil applied using a mascara wand or lash brush is ideal to help nourish the lashes and skin too for perfect, shiny lash regrowth.
Avoid touching the lashes as they grow through (as you should anyway for good hygiene to avoid covid-19) to help prevent styes and conjuctivitis. Once lockdown eases, consider a lash lift treatment to help brighten eyes without the need for lash extensions or if you really must, Russian volume lashes or hybrids are great as they help to disguise lost lashes as the fans fill more space and give enhanced volume.
