FitSugar

Casa Quickie: Neatly Nailed

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:00:59 PDT

Hammering a nail isn't exactly the most difficult home upkeep task, and I'm sure you can do so in your sleep. But can you hammer neatly? If you adhere a couple of pieces of tape to your wall, before you begin banging away, you will prevent any marks or cracks in the drywall or paint when you're hammering. Once the nail is set in place, you can just peel the adhesive, and it will tear off around the nail, leaving your wall as clean as whistle. How about that for home schooling?
Source

The How-To Lounge: Dealing with a Chipped Fingernail

DearSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:00:00 PDT

I LOVE getting my nails done; I always feel clean and put together when my nails look perfect. On the flip side, there is nothing worse than chipping a nail right after you get home from the salon. While I follow every tip to help keep my manicure from lasting as long as possible, chips do happen so here are some tips to help cope with a ruined manicure!

Click here to

Obviously the best thing to do is pop into the nail salon if you chip your nail and have them re-paint it
If it's a slight smudge and your nails are still damp, dab a bit of remover on the tip of your nail and carefully smooth it out. Be sure not to get too much on your application finger or else you will end up taking polish off both fingers
If you tend to use the same color over and over again at the salon, buy yourself a bottle and keep it at home for touch ups. If your bag is big enough, carry the bottle with you for chips on the go
If you're not keen on carrying a bottle of polish with you, at least carry a nail file. If you chip your polish, simply file your entire nail down until the chipped part is gone
A slightly chipped nail is excusable, but only for that day - once you get home, either fix it accordingly or take off your polish altogether. There is nothing worse than a manicure that has clearly passed its prime

I hope these tips are helpful and if you have any to share, please do so in the comments below!

How Long Will It Take A Mark To Grow Out Of Your Nail?

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:30:00 PST

I'm sure you've all done this before - You're late for work and you're rushing to get out of your car and sh** - you slam the car door on your finger. Or maybe you tried moving a table on your own and dropped the leg on your toe. Besides the unbelievably intense pain, you're left with a little red reminder of your accident - Subungual Hematoma. Unless you're in complete pain for days, you don't need to seek medical attention. Pop a pain reliever such as ibuprofen but don't try to pop a hole in your nail to get the blood out because you could get a nasty infection under your fingernail. Just let it grow out naturally.

I am curious, how long do you think it will take?

Vote below and then read the next post for more information on this issue.

What Are Those White Spots in My Nails?

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:20:00 PST

Have you ever had those little white spots on your fingernails? They're called punctate leukonychia - which is just a medical term that means "white spots."

Want to know what makes them show up? There are many reasons. The most common reason: your nail suffered some amount of trauma getting banged or slammed. The white spots are no cause for alarm and they will just grow out over time.

Now, if you use nail polish, hardeners, or artificial nails, those white spots might have been caused by an allergic reaction.

You could have also picked up those spots at the gym or during your last manicure - namely a fungal, yeast, or bacterial infection that attacks the nails, leaving a whitish spot or streak. A quick visit to the doctor can determine if there's a pesky organism causing those spots - nothing a little medicine can't take care of.

Skin disorders, such as eczema or psoriasis, can also leave spots on your nails. Don't worry - just having the spots alone doesn't mean you have a skin disorder.

If your entire nail has turned white, it could be a nutritional deficiency, like a lack of zinc or protein.

Fit's Tips: If you have a sudden explosion of white spots on your nails and haven't recently slammed your digits in the car door, I'd make an appointment with your doctor to get them checked out.

Fashion Week Trend to Watch: Almost-Black Nails

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:50:47 PST

Black nail polish has been a staple part of any cool girl's beauty arsenal for years, but this season there's a new contender for its spot in your makeup drawer. Designers have fallen in love with shades that aren't quite black: burnt plums, deep umbers, incarnadine reds, and moody viridians. These shades have all the drama of your basic black without the harshness, and they set off skin tones beautifully. Check out our top 10 examples of the trend now.

Source: CND

See All the Prettiest Manicures From the Grammys

Miriam Lacey — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:27:55 PST

The Grammys are always an exciting evening for music, but with nail art fans like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Adele in attendance, they're a pretty great night for manicures, too. See all the best-looking nails of the night, from Taylor Swift's short and simple look to Gaga's talons and Adele's surprising polish job.

3 Steps to Getting the Minimalistic Marc by Marc Jacobs Beauty Look

Jaime Richards — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:10:00 PST

Marc by Marc Jacobs is known for its clean-lined ensembles, playful color combinations, and in the case of the Fall 2012 collection: loose, textured pieces. So what better way to let the clothing shine through than by keeping the upcoming season's beauty look appropriately minimalistic? It's the epitome of cool-girl style, and most of all, surprisingly easy to re-create.

Have the hair: Redken creative consultant Guido Palau opted for a "simple and masculine" ponytail that featured a deep side part and at-the-nape base. In creating the style, hair was blow-dried "dead-straight," Palau explained, and prepped with the brand's Satinwear lotion - for which Palau describes as his "go-to blow-dry product."
Nail the nails: "Marc wanted to portray a look that was innocent but still perfectly groomed," said manicurist Elisa Ferri. To accomplish this feel, models' nails were painted with two coats of Zoya's Adel, a sheer off-white with a creamy finish.
Capture the cosmetics: Shiseido artistic director Dick Page mixed up a custom rouge shade for the show, keeping the vibrant hue the focus of the look. Add a touch of mascara and foundation where needed; geek-chic glasses optional.

Badgley Mischka's Golden Girls Light Up the Runway

Jaime Richards — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

When creating the bevy of bouncy curls for Badgley Mischka, hairstylist Peter Gray for Moroccanoil found his inspiration in somewhat of an esoteric concept, using the late 1920s German film Metropolis as a starting point. The light, airy look took a nod to the geometric shapes in the movie's make-believe backdrop, and metallic nails and makeup reflected a similar science-fiction feel. Go behind the scenes to see how this dark, mysterious beauty concept was brought to life.

Source: Getty

Fashion Week Trend: Barely There Nails

Miriam Lacey — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:47:07 PST

For the past several seasons, nail art has gone positively wild on the runways, so it was inevitable that we'd see a backlash. Fall 2012 is showing hints of a more subtle route, sending out manicures that are high on gloss but feature faded, sometimes altogether absent color. From BCBG to Richard Chai, there are a lot of new ways to wear next to nothing.

Polka-Dot Nails Are Adorably Imperfect at Kate Spade

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:50:07 PST

Who says nail art has to be completely uniform to be winsome? At the Kate Spade show, models showed off these pretty black and cream polka-dot nails with asymmetrical and multisized dots. Along with the models' almond-shaped nails, the quirky dots gave the manicure a whimsical feel that was fresh and simple, not to mention easy to copy at home. So next time you're in the mood to change your spots, take a page from Ms. Spade's book and don't worry about "perfect"-looking polkas.