Tag: Manicure Tips

Beauty /

Skyy Hadley and Lauren B. Beauty Products

Spring is arriving, and that means warmer weather and no more dry hands. Luckily, you can keep your hands and nails in-tact and looking healthy with these tips from Skyy Hadley and products from Lauren B. Beauty!

Many people don’t realize, but taking care of your cuticles is the best way to keep your nails looking their best. Skyy Hadley, owner of As U Wish Nail Salon, is a firm believer in tending to your cuticles for strong and lustrous nails. Follow her tips below for the best results:

  • Always use a cuticle oil/cream. Having dry, scraggly cuticles is not a good look and may even make you want to pick them, which can lead to a bacterial infection. Using a cuticle oil can make your manicure last longer. Keeping the nail beds and areas around your nails moisturized will make the nail polish stay in place longer. A cuticle oil is a great way to make a two day old manicure look like you just walked out of the salon
  • If you don’t have cuticle oil or cream available, you can use anything from your kitchen! Olive oil, baby oil, or even Vaseline are quick go-to solutions
  • NEVER cut your cuticles, they should only be pushed back. Cuticles are designed to protect your fingers from infections, and bacteria. You should only cut the dry skin around the nail and not the actual cuticles themselves

To keep your hand and nails looking and feeling fabulous, these luxurious products from Lauren B. Beauty are the ultimate in nail care innovation

  • Lauren B. Beauty Cuticle Oil ($20)
  • Lauren B. Beauty Nail & Cuticle Balm ($30)
  • Lauren B. Beauty Nourishing Hand Crème ($24)
Beauty /

CureDiva – Navigating the Beauty Aisle as a Breast Cancer Fighter

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  1.  Be gentle with your movements and your moisturizers – read the label:
    Use only hypoallergenic products, or those that don’t have harsh ingredients such as acids, emulsifiers, preservatives, fragrances, mineral oils, silicones, dyes or amines. You want happier, more comfortable skin, so scan your products for these ingredients and restock your supplies with organic, chemical-free and sensitive items. CureDiva.com has an entire line of facial natural and organic skin care.
  2.  Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize:
    To prevent dryness and cracked, uncomfortable skin, be sure to moisturize immediately after washing and toweling dry. This means for your body, apply moisturizer after the bath or shower; For your face, apply moisturizer in the morning and at night; For your hands, moisturize after washing many times during the day; For your lips, use a hydrating lip balm throughout the day.

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3.  Acne at our age?  Yes, some chemo treatments can cause acne on the face and scalp. Even if you suffered from acne before, take another look at your old acne ointments. They usually contain salicylic acid, retinol, benzoyl peroxide and other harsh ingredients that further dry and irritate skin. Try more natural solutions like Acne Clarifying Serum by Nurture my Body and a mild, natural soap.

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4.  SPF should become more than just an afterthought:  Although SPF is used in the summer outdoors, it should become a priority when in treatment. Chemo skin is super sensitive, especially to sun exposure which can cause lasting damage even in the winter. Wear sunscreen whenever you go out, and protect your skin with UV-protective clothing (hats, gloves, long sleeves). With skincare and beauty products, choosing an SPF version is best.  While it can be overwhelming to find products that are safe on skin and look and smell great, asking your doctor or a friend who has been through treatment is the best way to receive a referral. Websites like CureDiva.com provide a great amount of information for those going through treatment to get the answers they need.

5.  Fingernail care:  Some chemo drugs can cause finger and toenail damage. They become dry, cracked and may start lifting up. Apply cuticle balm and lots of hand cream. Checking out the label is relevant here. Switch to water-based nail color like CureDiva’s water-based nail polish by Acquarella which is my favorite when I’m dressing up!

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Birmingham /

Sally Hansen at Stella McCartney – Paris Fashion Week

SALLY HANSEN PERFECTING THE NATURAL NAIL AT STELLA MCCARTNEY’S
WINTER 2016 FASHION SHOW

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Sally Hansen, the exclusive nail sponsor of Stella McCartney Collections in 2016, added the finishing touch to the Stella McCartney Winter 2016 Fashion show with a flawless and always on trend nude nail look. S Adding to the elegant and polished silhouettes, Sally Hansen’s Global Color Ambassador Madeline Poole elevated the natural nail look by using a warm beige tinted shade giving nails a deeper nude undertone perfect for the runway.

Madeline Poole used two coats of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in “Au Nature-al”, a fresh clean shade that reveals unexpected added coverage while still maintaining the neutral aesthetic. The warm shade matches precisely with skin tone and delivers the perfect amount of color for a flawless finish.

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“This season we wanted to celebrate the signature Stella look. Luxurious and effortless, sensual with a sense of humour and a tomboy side” – says Stella McCartney
“This year at Stella McCartney we are using a very classic shade. “Au Nature-al” is an amazing shade from Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in a sheer mid tone beige. With built in base and top coat the models are getting a quick and thorough high shine manicure that’s perfect for every day, every scenario, and every outfit change”– says Madeline Poole, Sally Hansen Global Color Ambassador

THE SHADE

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Au Nature-al

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Sally Hansen’s award-winning Complete Salon Manicure collection infuses trend-setting shades with an expert quality formula to deliver salon-caliber results. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure delivers seven salon manicure steps in one bottle. Chip resistant strength joins gel-quality shine. Must-have color meets nourishing benefits. Plus, a built-in base and top coat, it’s everything you need to achieve a professional manicure at home.

THE STELLA MCCARTNEY WINTER 2016 COLLECTION

Winter 2016

Celebrating signature Stella. Luxurious and effortless. Sensual with a sense of humour and a tomboy side.Urban puffa jackets in imposing dimensions with feather free wadding. Mock turtlenecks and fluid knits with ruffle detailing in shades of bright pink, scarlet, caramel, and black. Cropped ‘Skin Free Skin’ bomber jackets and quilted black shorts.Denim adopts a sporty mood in a bold tie-dye finish and elasticated cords looping through dresses.

A swan print motif glides effortlessly on loose jacquard pieces and silk garments. Contrast fringing on pyjama legs, shorts and shirts introduces a fuzzy and playful feeling.Softly structured silhouettes in speckled grey and black tweeds play on volume with high waisted trousers and tops buttoning at the cuff. Nipped waists and handcrafted detailing create a sense of form and fabrication with an elegantly unpolished and light-hearted attitude. Raw edges and visible topstitching toughen up outerwear. Felted and fluid flecked knitwear wraps around the body.Tailoring plays with suspended sheer tulle with velvet tuxedo jackets seemingly floating off the shoulders.Delicate lace cocktail dresses are fully foiled with sunken Swiss lace collars and kilt-like pleating. A sense of romance is heightened in plush tones of rose, forest green, teal, pastel yellow and peach combined with silver, gold and copper metallics. Shoes are minimal with a sporty sensibility in velvet, denim and eco alter nappa finishes. Pointed-toe styles, mules and pumps have a triangular wedge, while sustainably made flats have zip detailing on the front. Bags are hand-held with a cartridge pleated carry-all and smooth rounded metal handle and furry balls or with a marble finish and gold edging. Enamel jewellery in crescent, cylindrical and artistic shapes that hang from ears and necks on curves of precious metals.

THE MANICURIST
Sally Hansen Global Color Ambassador Madeline Poole is a nail expert working in New York and LA. Trained as a painter, Madeline worked odd jobs like vintage poster restoration as an art student in Baltimore. Her unique talent in crafting innovative designs, emphasis on skin care and attention to the hand as a whole makes her one of the most sought after names in the beauty industry. As part of the collaboration with Sally Hansen, Madeline helps setting the artistic direction for a new generation of modern nail looks and collections with her fashion-forward vision on a worldwide basis.

Beauty /

How To Remove a Gel Manicure – Skyy Hadley

There are many positives to having a gel manicure – It stays for two weeks without chipping and looks shinier than a normal manicure. However, all good things must come to an end and it’s important to learn how to safely and effectively remove a gel manicure at home. You may not have the time or money to get your gel mani removed at a salon and it’s essential to learn because it can be harmful to your nails when removing gel improperly. By peeling off a gel manicure, you are not only removing the gel, but also the top layers of your nails. This can result in white patches and textural irregularities throughout the nails.

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Skyy Hadley, owner of As U Wish Nail Spa provides tips and a step-by-step tutorial to safely remove your own gel manicure:

  • File – Use an emery board to lightly buff each nail to remove the shiny top coat so you’re left with a powdery finish. Be careful not to over buff so you don’t hit your natural nail underneath the gel.
  • Soak – Next you must soak your nails in 100% acetone polish remover. To do this, take a piece of cotton ball the size of your nail and pour the acetone on it, place it on your nail and cover your nail with a piece of aluminum foil or tape to keep it in place. Do this on every nail and let soak for 15 minutes to relax the gel.
  • Remove – Remove the cotton pieces from your nails and take a wooden cuticle stick to push the gel polish off your nails. If you have trouble, instead of forcing it, soak your nails with a cotton ball for 5 more minutes and try again.
  • Moisturize – After the gel has been removed, wash your hands and apply a cuticle oil to the nail and cuticle. This will rehydrate your nails after using acetone on them to keep them strong and healthy between polishes.
Beyonce $36,000 Manicure
Beyonce $36,000 Manicure

It’s important to take your time when removing a gel manicure yourself as it can be a slow process and you want to treat your nails very delicately and carefully to avoid weakening them.