NAIL CARE: My Current Nail Care/Manicure Routine 2019

So here is a post on my current manicure routine that I do every Sunday. It's taken me a while to get into a rhythm and find products that I like, as well as a nail shape that I feel suits me. Nail shape is extremely personal and I've tried long, super short, square and almond but I feel like I've finally found my groove with my short (but not too short) oval nails. 

Here is a photo pre-manicure:

Eurgh. This was also after completely re-arranging my room so that I can fit in my light boxes as I'm going home for a couple days soon and I'd like to bring them back with me so I can take photos at night again. Houseshares...cheap yet annoying. My hands took a battering whilst moving the bookcase too and from the same position as I couldn't make up my mind (I eventually decided on the new position).

So, to start off I always give my hands a wash then apply a light, oil-free moisturiser. My current favourite is the OPI Avojuice that I got in a previous Mani & Lola box. 

Afterwards, I then sort out the cuticle, cut away any hang-nails and push back the nail fold if needed. I get quite bad cuticles however, I've never really had much of a nail fold so I don't really have anything to push back and for me it can get a little painful sometimes so I try not to mess with that area too much. All nails are different, so do what feels comfortable for you. Before I do this though I apply some Cuticle eraser; I've been enjoying the CND Cuticle eraser lately but I also use the Sally Hansen one.

I only leave on the cuticle eraser for about 5 minutes whilst I'm doing the work as it "dissolves" the cuticle (which is dead skin) but it can't differentiate between live and dead cells so it can dry out the living tissue if used too much or left on. I also either use a soft silicone pusher or an orange stick...those metal ones scare the bejeesus outta me. Also, that silcone pusher was part of a 7 piece pack from Born Pretty that cost £1.70; amazing quality for the price.

Now it's cutting time but only if it's the last week of the month (otherwise I skip to the last step). To get the perfect length, I cut with the back of my hand facing me and then let the scissors rest gently on the pads of my fingertips. This leaves enough nail to allow for filing without them going too short...perhaps I should've filmed this. It would've been easier to explain. I also use a metal filer as I've tried glass ones but I just find them to be too bulky and inefficient. We don't talk about the paper ones.

Once I'm done with those stages, I use a little acetone to remove any remaining cuticle eraser. I always use the moisture-rich polish remover from Cutex as it leaves your nails hydrated and smelling like marzipan; win-win.

To finish, I use some cuticle oil to add some moisture back. I will admit, I poo-pood the CND RescueRXx when I first got it in Mani & Lola however it's become my favourite cuticle oil and I literally can't live without it. It smells like candyfloss and hydrates my nails beautifully without too much oily-ness. It's worth every penny.

And that's it! Look at them now compared to before:

Such mani, much cure, very nail. Wow. It's taken me a long time to get to this stage. Before I got into doing my nails a year ago I just use to cut them whenever I felt they were annoying me and that was it. No oils, no specific shape. In fact they would be all different lengths due to some being chipped and cracked and it makes me shudder to think I use to leave my nails in that horrible dry state. It's also fun to take 30 minutes in the evening and just spend it pampering my nails instead of trying to do some nail art. 

Thanks for reading this mammoth post and I'll see you in the next one (hopefully, that won't be a mammoth post...unless it's a FabFitFun unboxing)