How To Apply Nail Braid Art

Visit any salon these days and you will be mind blown by the different colors, nail polish designs, and products that they have available to use on your fingernails. From stickers to jewels to gems and now braids, every woman can have completely unique nails tailored to her exact tastes.
One of the newest and trendiest forms of nail art that is currently out on the scene is nail braiding. Nail braids are exactly what they sound like: pieces of thread that have been braided and that can be applied to your fingernails. You can find nail braids in a variety of colors, shapes, and widths. You don’t even have to visit a salon to have nail braids done; you can easily hunt down your perfect nail braids online, and then apply them yourself with thee easy steps.
Step 1: Start off by applying your colored polish to your fingernails. This means applying a basecoat to your fingers, and then a layer or two of your favorite polish. Don’t apply the top coat yet.
Step 2: Lay your hand flat on a table so as to keep it relaxed and steady. Now take a piece of the nail braid and lay it in the style, design or shape you desire.
Step 3: If the braid is too long, make sure that you cut it to the length that you need it to be at. This will ensure a more smooth and easy application.

TIP: You may also want to make sure that the braid is cut just so it falls a bit short from the tip of your nail. This will help prevent the braid from becoming unglued or ripped off.

Step 4: In order to secure the nail braid to your nail, you will need to take out your top coat polish. Apply the top coat right on top of the braid, take care to be gentle so as to not ruin or disrupt your personalized design.

TIP: If you do happen to have any piece of braid or material hanging over your nail after the top coat has been applied, you can clip the nail braid with your cuticle scissors.

It is also a good idea to apply other personalized pieces to the braid. This not only makes your nails all the more “your own”, but it also helps secure the braid onto your fingernail. Try applying rhinestones, metal studs, or pearls at the ends of the braid to really seal it on there tightly.
Additional Tip
Nail braiding can be done on both real nails and false nails, but there definitely is a benefit to doing it on false nails. Applying a nail braid to a false nail definitely allows you the ability to be far more careful and precise in the application process, and you will be able to wrap the braid around the whole top of the nail (whereas this can be difficult for some of those who have natural nails).

Tips to Keep Your Nails Strong and Sexy

Tips to Keep Your Nails Strong and Sexy

by Kathryn D'Imperio

When you write down your shopping list, as you punch a phone number into your cell, while you wash dishes, do the ironing, clean the windows, or do one hundred other things that women do on any given day � do you take notice of the condition of your nails?

Our hands are such an integral part of our daily lives, and constantly, we risk their health and strength, often without even noticing, because of the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities. Take a few moments each day, or at least a few times a week, to monitor the condition of your nails � the color, the texture, the appearance of ridges or white marks.

Make a greater effort to take good care of your nails, and you will be thrilled with the way they complement your wardrobe and your own personal style. Consider the following tips as a way to enhance the health and quality of your nails.

Great, Healthy Nails

Apply speed-dry nail polish when time is of the essence. Drink lots of water. Keep your body hydrated everyday to maintain healthy nails. Fortify your diet with FDA approved vitamins or supplements. Your fingernails count on you to be responsible with your health and your diet. Unless instructed otherwise by your physician, increase your daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, protein, Vitamin B12, and zinc. Touch up your manicure on a daily basis to prevent chips and cracks. Your nails depend on you to maintain a healthy diet. Take in lots.

Nail polish tips:

Finish with a clear topcoat to add gloss and sheen. Start with a base coat to strengthen and protect the nails. Store nail polish in the refrigerator to maintain a smooth consistency. Try not to store nail polish in a room that becomes cold. The nail polish bottles may break without warning, leaving you with a big mess.

To avoid breaking nails or brittle nails:

Avoid using your nails as tools. This means no picking, scratching, digging, pinching, etc. You know who you are! Increase the amount of calcium in your diet. Use products containing alcohol, especially perfumed lotions, sparingly. These items can make nails prone to breaking. Wear rubber gloves when you do chores that involve continual submersion in water or contact with harsh detergents or chemicals.