Shecky’s

When was the last time you checked into nail rehab? You know nail jail, nailed out or natural nails? Between constant polishing, gel manicures and over-washing, every once in a while our nails crave a good old fashioned time out. Checking into nail rehab may be hard for the mani/pedi obsessed, but let these experts ease your nail woes with these must-have nail healing tips every beauty lover should be jotting down!

Kristina Saindon: CND Education Ambassador & Nail Stylist

Tired of stained nails? Professional nail stylist Kristina Saindon finds lack of base coats like OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat ($8 on drugstore.com) before polishing as the chief indicator to this unattractive problem. “Staining of the nail can be caused from not using a base coat, using lower quality nail polish or when removing polish, rubbing it to remove actually rubs in the pigments from the polish, causing the nail (which is porous) to absorb these pigments. The best solution is to use a base coat before applying color, which will seal the nail plate and prevent it from staining. Also, avoid lower quality polishes because they contain more dyes, which are more likely to stain the nail. Remove nail polish with acetone because it dissolves the enamel quicker and contains fewer harmful solvents,” Saindon says.

Like your skin sometimes, your nails need a well-deserved R&R. If you find that peeling is one of your biggest nail concerns, Saindon suggests protecting nails with a thin coat of enamel. “If your nails are peeling, it might be because of excessive exposure to water, which results in a ‘sponge-like’ effect to the nail. The tiny spaces and voids between the nail plate layers trap moisture and cause the nail plate to swell and change shape. Eventually, this water accumulation evaporates, causing the nail plate to shrink, and once again, change shape. Repeating this ‘expansion and contraction’ cycle over time weakens the nail and leads to de-lamination of the nail plate layers, which means that nails begin to peel and weaken. The best way to solve this type of nail damage is to fill the spaces and voids of the nail plate with oil to block out excessive moisture absorption. Keeping your nails coated with a thin coat of enamel, CND Shellac, gel or a polymer will slow down the migration of natural oils from the nail, helping to keep them resilient and tough,” Saindon adds.

Got white spots? Many women get them but they never can indicate the direct cause. According to Saindon, these irritating white spots are also known as a condition called Pseudo Leukonychia. “Many women see white spots form on their nails, but not many women understand from where they’ve come from. This condition is known as Pseudo Leukonychia, which may occur after excessive use of solvents to remove nail color that strip oils and moisture from the top layers of the nail, leaving a white flaky appearance on the top of the nail plate. I suggest using nail oil every day for healthy hails,” Saindon finds.

Image Credit: drugstore.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.