New nails are the cheapest fashion accessory you can buy, according to OPI’s international spokeswoman, Joey Brown. “We can express ourselves through colour,” she says. “And the best thing is, if you don’t like a shade, you can just take it off!”
If you never bother with lacquer on your fingernails because it chips and looks skanky in no time, then there are some new options around that are well worth testing out. And as far as colour is concerned, anything and everything goes!
**Built to last
**Soak-off gels are huge right now because they last longer than polish and have a high-shine finish. UV light is used to cure each coat, so it dries instantly and stays chip-free for 14 days. You can expect to pay up to $50 for this in-salon service and word is it lasts much better on toenails. One great tip is that if you think the gel shade is losing its lustre, give your nails a quick polish on a cotton T-shirt.
Hot tip
Keep nails durable by avoiding harsh cleaning products and soaking them in water as much as possible. Make someone else do the dishes, or wear rubber gloves!
Nail salon wisdom
No-one wants a bacterial or fungal infection as a result of a nail salon visit. Here are the things to look out for:
Technicians that have their certificates clearly displayed.
Foot spas that are plumbed in and technicians that perform hygienic rinses after each client.
Metal instruments that are cleaned after each client, and files obtained from a clean container and disposed of into a wash basket after use.
MY BEAUTY SECRETS
Actress Inge Rademeyer (29) stars in new Kiwi movie Good For Nothing.
My beauty philosophy is… Sometimes I have time, most of the time I don’t – so I aim to use products that work for both of these scenarios.
The skincare products I can’t live without are… This keeps evolving, but I just discovered the Clarisonic skin brush and so far I’m in love! One staple I do have is Ecostore Hand Wash as it’s the only one that seems to keep my hands from drying out completely and doesn’t cause a reaction under jewellery. This, along with The Body Shop Body Butter and my hands are the happiest I’ve seen them.
My haircare secret is… Being too scared, lazy and cheap to dye my hair. Also, using Moroccanoil.
The must-have products in my makeup bag are… Blinc Mascara and Rosebud Lip Salve. Both are amazing – I discovered them through lots of trial and error and I’m now hooked.
My favourite beauty treat is… A massage! Followed by any other form of pampering that involves being able to relax and switch off for any period of time.
My biggest beauty sin is… Squeezing spots.
The best thing my mother taught me about beauty was… Not to squeeze spots. Also not to over-pluck my eyebrows and that, as a general rule, less is more.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
