I have a terrible habit of biting my nails, which make them weak and cause them to snag and then I bite them. It’s a vicious circle. One ritual that helps is having my nails done. There’s something about colourful nails that deters my biting habit.
At first it was the cost but spas like The Ten Spot Beauty Bars make it more affordable for a nail treat. Now it’s finding the time. Having the tools at home means you can treat yourself (and your kids) to a home nail manicure any time you like, especially when there are so many great natural products.
Prepare Nails
It’s not just your nails that matter but also the nail bed. Biting my nails irritates the skin and often leads to sore, ugly hangnails. Taking care of the skin around my nails helps. Kosmea Skin Clinic products are a favourite and their Rescue Balm is great for around the nails. It’s also a natural ointment using certified organic rose hip butter and lavender essential oils to name a few key ingredients.
Another great all purpose ointment is OURS Anything Balm. This all natural balm contains Avocado and Olive Oil to moisturize and Coconut Oil to protect, perfect for around the nail bed.
Additional Reading: 18 Products to Combat Dry Winter Skin
If you have a fungus infection around your nail (it happens) Thursday Plantation has a Tea Tree Anti-Fungal solution, a natural broad-spectrum anti fungal and antiseptic. The handy brush applicator makes it easy to apply.
Polish Nails
Thanks to the media and Environmental Defence’s Top 10 Toxic Ingredients list, I’ve started to educate myself a little more on the products I eat, wear and use. According to David Suzuki Foundation many nail polishes contain three chemicals linked to health and environmental concerns — Dibutyl phthalate, Formaldehyde, and Toluene. The Body Shop’s Colour Crush nail polish doesn’t contain any of these items making them a better choice. Plus a bottle only costs $6 (at the time of writing this) and they are widely available. They’re also 100% vegan and enriched in Community Fair Trade marula oil, a good for you, food for them product.
The colours just prove that you can still enjoy vibrant quality without all the added chemicals. I can also feel a little better doing my daughter’s nails, because you know she’ll ask, knowing there are fewer toxins in The Body Shop’s Colour Crush polish.
You can even get a little fancy with The Body Shop’s cute little nail pen. One end draws lines and the other does dots. Can’t wait to play with this some more.
Clean Nails
The Body Shop also had an acetone-free polish remover when it’s time for the colour to come off. Their Sweet Almond Oil Nail Polish Remover is designed to work with their Colour Crush polishes and it’s infused with sweet almond, soya oil and Community Fair Trade Sugar Cane. This all helps to get the colour off (and it does work) with out drying out your nails. There’s still a little of that remover smell but not nearly as harsh as some of the brands we’ve been using at home.
Maintaining Nails
I love the Mini Nail Rescue Kit from Tweezerman. It’s compact enough to fit into your pocket or bag and the container holds everything you’ll need in a nail emergency. There’s nothing worse then growing your nails only to get a snag or chip. For me this usually stirs up my nail biting habit or I ignore it and the whole thing gets ripped off. The kit contains a file, a trimmer and a double ended nail cleaner and cuticle pusher. Perfect.
Strengthen Nails
I’m not sure if it’s fact or fiction but I still tap my nails (when they’re long enough) to strengthen them and stimulate their growth. Anyone else? Well there is another way you can strengthen your nails from the inside and not annoy those sitting around you like tapping seems to do, strangely enough.
Treat yourself to a bottle of Fresh’s Urban Detox fresh cold pressed juice. Glowing skin, strong nails, and shiny hair needs the right nutrients and Urban Detox has it with kale, spinach, parsley, romaine, chard, green apple, lemon, ginger, cayenne. One bottle of locally made hand crafted Fresh Cold Pressed Juice contains approximately three pounds, or 10 servings, of raw fresh produce. Right now you can grab a bottle at one of the Fresh restaurant locations and the Dark Horse Express Bar but soon their collection will be made available at select grocers and retailers across the GTA.
Now treating yourself to a manicure at home is not only good for the soul but also good for the body when you choose natural and less toxic products.