It's Winter ! Brrrr!

It's that time of year again. Cold weather. Not the time we usually get pedicures, but its more important now than the warmer months. We tend to ignore our feet during the fall and winter. This is very bad. We need to keep those toe nails cut more so because our feet are in closed in shoes. When your feet are in closed in shoes, your toe nails rub inside the shoe, which can pain and bruising of the nail bed, and eventually nail loss. Also, our skin gets more dry and cracked. It's important that our feet are moisturized. Regular pedicures can help maintain that moisture. Don't forget the manicures either. Winter maintenance is very important.

The Infamous Pedicure Throne.

I had a client last week who was happy to see that we did not use pedicure thrones,because they caused foot infections. I quickly informed my client that the pedicure thrones didn't cause infections. The owners of them caused the infections. I explained for the tech, that the pedicure chairs were much better for us, as they were easy on our backs and made the pedicure process much faster us and more enjoyable for them. The problem is techs and owners not following simple cleaning steps.
Which 75% of the cleaning can be done while the client is still in the chair and should be done.
Simple steps like rinsing the tub and spraying the tub with a cleanser containing bleach and quickly scrubbing around the tub. They could leave the spray in the tub while they paint the clients nails. (This is something that all clients should be witnessing at every salon that use pedicure thrones.) Then filling the tub with cold water and bleach and allowing the jets to run for ten minutes kills germs in the jet hoses. Rinsing thoroughly with cold water and drying the tub. Then following with  barbicide spray, all before the next client. Cold water should always be used, because nothing grows in cold water.

 (Hospital operating rooms are always freezing, there's a reason for that.)

I personally love them. They're comfortable, most have massage and heat, making the whole experience a joy. And for the tech (like ME), they make our lives much easier. No need to move heavy pedicure bowls,which can cause back and wrist damage. Take it from someone who knows.
If all salon, nail shops, nail bars or whatever they call themselves, took the time to think about the safety of their clients and practice good sanitation. Nail fungus infections would not even exist. The state inspectors are also the blame for not being on the ball and closing the places that don't follow the procedures that they have set forth for disease control.

I made a promise to myself when I was still in nail school. That no one would say that they caught anything from one of my services. I think that sometimes that I'm a bit too careful, but to this day. No one has caught anything from one of my services.

MINX!

Lot of people still have not heard of Minx. Minx the latest it thing for the celebs. A fashion accessory.
 Minx is what I like to call shrink wrap nail art.

*MINX MUST BE APPLIED BY A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL FOR THE BEST RESULTS.*

I have found Minx look-a-likes, knock-offs and at home wanna be kits. None these give you the same results as Minx applied by the pros.

Minx has hundreds of different designs for all occasions. The most popular by far is the Golden Lightening that Beyonce` wore to the Oscar's a few years ago. That started the fascination with Minx. Celebrities like Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Keri Hilson are few that wear Minx all the time. Minx will even custom make designs for you. Katy Perry had Russell Band's photo made into Minx nail coatings for a premiere that he was unable to attend with her. Now that's service!

Here are few pics of Minx nails that I have done. Enjoy.

Golden Lightening and Cheetah

Burgundy and Golden Mesh

Cheetah

Golden Lightening Toes

Onychomycosis(a-knee-co-my-co-sis)

I decided I would try to share some information on common nail diseases and disorders throughout this blog.
Onychomycosis is one of them. Also known as tinea unguium, this is a contagious infection of the nail caused by the same fungal organisms  which cause ringworm of the skin. It can result in discoloration, thickening, chalkiness, or crumbling of the nails and is often treated by powerful oral medications which, rarely, can cause severe side effects including liver failure. Mild onychomycosis sometimes responds to a combination of topical anti-fungal medication, sometimes applied as special medicinal nail lacquer, and periodic filing of the nail surface. Tea tree oil is also an effective treatment.
Onychomycosis is the most common nail infection, it past easily from person to person through improperly cleaned and sanitized tools, and pedicure thrones in nail salons. Please be sure your nail salons are properly cleaning their equipment. This is a very difficult infection to get rid of. 

*all information can be found on wikipedia.com*

Acrylic Nails Enhancements

For some time now I've heard a lot of negative things about acrylic nails. Some people believe they make your nails thin. Well, that's very possible if they're removed incorrectly. Basically acrylic nails need to be applied properly and removed properly to avoid damage to your natural nails. The electric file is not the culprit. The culprit is the one doing the service.
For proper adhesion of the acrylic product including tips, a waterless manicure should be performed prior to application. A lot of salons want to charge extra for this, but in all actuality its part of the service. This is the way we all were trained to apply all nail enhancements. It's the first step. Pushing back the cuticle and complete removal of all dead cuticle on the nail surface for proper adhesion. What some nail techs do is use the e-file to remove the dead cuticle, which is okay if they use a fine grit sanding band on a low speed. This is quicker and doesn't cause damage. That also depends whose hand is behind that e-file. A lot of the quickie salons with the cheap prices could care less what happens to your nails. So BUYER BEWARE! They just want to get you in and get you out. Its all about that mighty dollar.
Sorry, going off for a minute there, but I see it all to often. Where someone has gone to one of these salons and come to me looking for a quick cure for their weak, thin and missing nails. There is no quick cure for this, your nails simply need time to heal.
Removal of acrylic nail enhancements is time consuming. There is no quick way to remove them without damaging your nails. What I like to tell my clients is, pick a day that you can set aside a hour and soak their nails off in acetone. Acetone is sold at most beauty supplies. When in doubt, go to Sally's.
 Don't pick them off. Don't file them off. SOAK THEM OFF. This barely causes any damage to your natural nails. Patient is necessary. Let them soak for awhile, and as the product lifts away from the natural nail, push it gently off with an orange wood stick.These may take a few times. Simple as that. I always recommend that you do this yourself.
Not too many nail techs want to invest that much time into soaking of your acrylic nails.

Shellac Attack!

Well, it's about time. A company finally got it right. Shellac is the amazing new 14 day manicure. Developed by CND (Creative Nail Designs).
Yes it is a gel polish. Cures under  the CND UV light. It's easy on and easy off. Soaks off with acetone in under 10 minutes.

There have been a few salons mixing products when CND (Creative Nail Design) were sold out world wide of the product. This of course caused a lot of problems. It also tainted the Shellac name. Shellac must be applied with all its components. These are the steps that all nail techs should be doing to give a proper Shellac Manicure.

For proper adhesion. First nails are properly prepped . Nails are shaped and all cuticle is removed from the nail plate.  The CND base coat is than applied and cured for 10 seconds. The first coat of CND Shellac color (of your choice) is applied and cured for 2 minutes. Than the second  coat is applied and cured for 2 minutes. The third and final coat is the CND top coat, and its cure for 2 minutes .Finally the sticky layer that's left after curing, is removed from each nail with 100 % pure alcohol. What is left are beautiful nails, with a shine thats durable and last for 14 days.

Every client that I have given a Shellac manicure, loves the product, and loves the fact that there is no damage to the natural nail after removal.

Please beware of those salons that will mix Shellac with other soak-off gel products. THIS IS WRONG!
This will cause service breakdown and may cause damage to the natural nail during removal.
 For a salon near you, visit the CND website for more information.

Cuticles: Our Infection Protector.

Cuticles are the most abused and misunderstood part of  our nails. Cuticles protect our nail beds from infection, and should NEVER,NEVER, EVER be cut. Did I say NEVER!

When receiving a manicure , your nail tech should be glently pushing the cuticle back with a cuticle pusher and remover solution and then nipping the dead cuticle  that's left after removal of the cuticle remover solution.

A manicure /pedicure should be a relaxing and pleasurable experience. Your fingers/toes should not be bleeding. After thorough cleaning of the nail plate a good quaility cuticle oil (such as CND's Solar Oil) should be applied to the cuticle area and massaged into the cuticle just before that heavenly hand massage.

If you are not receiving a hand massage from your nail tech, find a new nail tech. LOL.

If you can't have a conversation with your nail tech and discuss your concerns, you need a new nail tech. Your hands /feet are very important  and need  proper care.
 That's no laughing matter.

Nail Fungus Infections. Beware

The most common cause of nail fungus infections are dirty implements. When receiving any nail service be sure your nail tech is cleaning their implements.
File , pushers, and cuticle nippers should be stored in a clean dry container prior to use. Your nail tech should be cleaning their implements in  front of you. If your nail tech pulls these items out of a drawer and not a clean container, request the implements be cleaned .
It's very easy to clean and disinfect nail implements.
Please use caution when visting any salon that advertises low prices. Sometime you're getting more than you paid for and not in a good way.
Ask yourself , "Why are these prices , so low?"
They're cutting back some where.