An Alphabetical List of 10 Common Nail Products
There are endless types of tools, polishes, and treatments you can buy for manicures, pedicures, and general nail care. Here's a list (alphabetized to make it easy for you!) of some basics you'll see at every beauty supply store.
This is the purest form of the main ingredient in most nail polish remover products. It's a strong chemical that's diluted when used for regular nail polish, but needs to be used full-strength in order to dissolve gel nail polish.
Base coats are used to protect and prep nails. If you have peeling nails, you can use a base coat to strengthen them. If you have ridged nails, you can use a base coat to smooth them and fill in the surface before polish. If you have dry nails, you can use a moisturizing base coat, and if you have nails that chip easily, you can use a "sticky" base coat to help polish adhere.
A buffer is like a nail file that's meant to be used on the top of your nails (the surface) instead of along the edge. Buffers are usually softer in grit than traditional nail files, as they are meant to smooth and even out the nail rather than remove volume like a regular nail file.
A nail clipper is one of the most basic tools that everyone should own. Keep one at home to cut down nail length before filing nails, and keep one in your bag in case you get a hangnail -- a nail clipper can easily clip away the extra skin without ripping or pulling it.
A cuticle nipper is a tool designed to cut away excess skin around the cuticle. After you push back cuticles, it will be easy to see where the extra skin extends. Using light pressure, simply place the cuticle nipper along the cuticle skin and squeeze the handle, careful not to apply too much pressure.
Whether you choose to use a wooden stick or a metal stick, this is an essential tool for pushing back cuticles, which are constantly growing on top of nails. It's best to wet and soften cuticles before pushing them back, as this will make it much easier. Use the flat edge of the stick to gently nudge cuticles back toward the base of your nails.
Cuticle removers are chemical gels that help dissolve excess skin. Generally, they are applied just along cuticles form 1-5 minutes, depending on the formula, and then rinsed away. You can also apply a cuticle remover and then soak hands in warm water while you wait.
The most fun, colorful, and central product of the nail industry. Nail polish has gone through many updates and changes -- from colors you never imagined would exist to formulas that change the way we apply polish in general.
Nail polish removers come in both acetone-based formulas and non-acetone formulas. They both work the same way -- by dissolving the nail polish so it can be swiped away. If you are removing gel nail polish, you must use pure acetone in order to remove it, but regular nail polish can be removed with any type of remover.
Top coats seal in your nail polish and add a shiny finish. They vary from thin, almost oily textures to thick, heavy gel-like finishes.
I always recommend a quick-dry top coat in order to ensure your polish dries thoroughly and wont end up being smudged. Brands like Seche Vite and Poshe dry to a glass-like finish that will make your manicure last longer without chipping (and stay shinier, too).
1. Acetone
This is the purest form of the main ingredient in most nail polish remover products. It's a strong chemical that's diluted when used for regular nail polish, but needs to be used full-strength in order to dissolve gel nail polish.
2. Base Coat
Base coats are used to protect and prep nails. If you have peeling nails, you can use a base coat to strengthen them. If you have ridged nails, you can use a base coat to smooth them and fill in the surface before polish. If you have dry nails, you can use a moisturizing base coat, and if you have nails that chip easily, you can use a "sticky" base coat to help polish adhere.
3. Buffer
A buffer is like a nail file that's meant to be used on the top of your nails (the surface) instead of along the edge. Buffers are usually softer in grit than traditional nail files, as they are meant to smooth and even out the nail rather than remove volume like a regular nail file.
4. Clipper
A nail clipper is one of the most basic tools that everyone should own. Keep one at home to cut down nail length before filing nails, and keep one in your bag in case you get a hangnail -- a nail clipper can easily clip away the extra skin without ripping or pulling it.
5. Cuticle Nipper
A cuticle nipper is a tool designed to cut away excess skin around the cuticle. After you push back cuticles, it will be easy to see where the extra skin extends. Using light pressure, simply place the cuticle nipper along the cuticle skin and squeeze the handle, careful not to apply too much pressure.
6. Cuticle Pusher
Whether you choose to use a wooden stick or a metal stick, this is an essential tool for pushing back cuticles, which are constantly growing on top of nails. It's best to wet and soften cuticles before pushing them back, as this will make it much easier. Use the flat edge of the stick to gently nudge cuticles back toward the base of your nails.
7. Cuticle Remover
Cuticle removers are chemical gels that help dissolve excess skin. Generally, they are applied just along cuticles form 1-5 minutes, depending on the formula, and then rinsed away. You can also apply a cuticle remover and then soak hands in warm water while you wait.
8. Polish
The most fun, colorful, and central product of the nail industry. Nail polish has gone through many updates and changes -- from colors you never imagined would exist to formulas that change the way we apply polish in general.
9. Polish Remover
Nail polish removers come in both acetone-based formulas and non-acetone formulas. They both work the same way -- by dissolving the nail polish so it can be swiped away. If you are removing gel nail polish, you must use pure acetone in order to remove it, but regular nail polish can be removed with any type of remover.
10. Top Coat
Top coats seal in your nail polish and add a shiny finish. They vary from thin, almost oily textures to thick, heavy gel-like finishes.
11. Quick-Dry Top Coat
I always recommend a quick-dry top coat in order to ensure your polish dries thoroughly and wont end up being smudged. Brands like Seche Vite and Poshe dry to a glass-like finish that will make your manicure last longer without chipping (and stay shinier, too).
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