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Style & beauty

What's in your manicure kit?

(50 Posts)
Baggs Wed 07-Feb-18 06:10:57

I noticed some mentions of a manicure kit being kept next to one's usual chair. I don't really have a kit as such, just nail clippers and a file which are kept in the bathroom cabinet. I use the file daily but not for filing–just cleaning under my fingernails–and the clippers about once a week.

My nails aren't fashionable but I like them. They are clean and healthy.

And talking of clean finger ends, mine are usually so clean that my iphone doesn't recognise my prints! I know it's cleanliness and not muckiness because it's especially noticeable when I've been doing cleaning using hot water. Has anyone else found this?

Gagagran Wed 07-Feb-18 06:44:01

My nails are prone to splitting so I have emery boards all over - on my desk, in the old mug with pens, pencil and scissors on the small table next to my chair in the sitting room and in a similar mug in the kitchen. I need to catch the split before it opens up and becomes painful.

I am wholly impressed by your fingerprint technology Baggs . My old phone is hand cranked! grin.

Greyduster Wed 07-Feb-18 07:36:05

Nail clippers. My nails are shocking; beyond redemption, so I just keep them as short and clean as possible.

Bathsheba Wed 07-Feb-18 08:26:45

Like Gagagran my nails tend to split, vertically, so I have nail clippers and an emery board at the ready to stop the split worsening.
Yes Baggs I've noticed that with my iPhone when my hands have just been washed.

kittylester Wed 07-Feb-18 08:28:28

My nails split and peel - why? I had lovely nails - she boasted! Now they are awful.

I have cuticle cream, files (everywhere!) hand cream and polish that is meant to strengthen the blessed things.

PamelaJ1 Wed 07-Feb-18 08:38:51

I am a beauty therapist and now, in my dotage, work from home. I have emery boards everywhere. As soon as I get a little rough bit off it comes.
Stop doing housework and gardening kitty. All my clients nails improve when they have been on holiday. Mine don’t, as my hands are in creams and oils most days I am not in the habit of looking after them.

rubysong Wed 07-Feb-18 08:47:41

My wrist was in plaster for six weeks so I haven't done any housework or gardening for ages and my nails have grown long and strong. Now I have got a bit more movement and need to do some typing I have had to cut them. They did look nice and I had them painted glittery purple. Now short again.

OldMeg Wed 07-Feb-18 08:52:44

Don’t have a manicure kit I just have a pair of nail scissors.

Teetime Wed 07-Feb-18 09:01:48

Just an emery board and lots of handcream.

Sar53 Wed 07-Feb-18 09:15:46

Emery boards everywhere and lots of hand cream. My nails split especially in the winter.

Nanabilly Wed 07-Feb-18 09:47:29

I'm hoping that when you all say emery board's that you don't all mean the old fashioned sandpaper type ones as they damage the nails and this makes them split. I use a good quality glass one with diamond in it .expensive but well worth the cost as they are much quicker to file a nail and gentler so no damaged nail.
I have a full manicure set that my husband gave me one Christmas many years ago , it's all gold plated and in a crocodile skin case . It contains clippers, curved scissors and all the tools you normally get in a kit but I very rarely use those. I also use plenty of hand cream ,either Atrixo or Molton Brown.

Amma54 Wed 07-Feb-18 10:04:05

I second the comment about glass nail file. They're so much better than metal or those sandpaper ones. Bit pricey but worth it.

EmilyHarburn Wed 07-Feb-18 10:07:07

I have some split nails which seem to get better when I remember to take Vitamin D regularly. My manicure set has 2 sets of scissors one for use by my right hand and another my left hand can use.

Kim19 Wed 07-Feb-18 10:30:45

Don't have such a thing. Just dig out the clippers when needed.

GabriellaG Wed 07-Feb-18 10:38:36

I buy all my nailcare online. Wooden orange sticks × 100 and quad sided nail file/smooth/buff/shine thingy × 6. Nails are short slightly squared off and buffed, with white nail pencil under the rim if going anywhere special. I don't paint my nails. Use various hand-creams. L'occitane Pivoine Flora is a favourite but I like my hands smelling of Imperial Leather after using their original soap.

nanasam Wed 07-Feb-18 10:42:03

I have a plastic thing with a handle that looks like a toolbox which I have to keep in the sideboard as it's so big. I have oils, potions and nail hardeners (my nails are so weak and thin). Base coat, top coat and Seche Vite to dry it quickly. About 30 different colour varnishes (have to wear several coats of something to help strengthen them) A mug full of glass files, emery boards and pushers (can't use anything but the gentlest files as one sweep can take away the whole nail!) Then I experimented with Miracle Gel so have gel colour and gel topcoat (didn't seem to work much better).

Reading this back, it sounds like a right faff but my fingers are short and chubby and long(er) nails at least makes them look slightly more elegant. I used to wear nail tips - now that WAS a faff!

Teddy123 Wed 07-Feb-18 10:44:57

I was a beautician in a earlier life (!) and have ITEC qualification in manicure. My personal nail kit remains huge.

My best tips for all nails, especially those that flake, ALWAYS file in one direction only, no sawing backwards and forwards. So file into the centre from both sides, then smooth off at the tip. ALWAYS wear gardening gloves and rubber gloves if washing up. I even wear the marigolds if I'm just wiping over the work tops. I also wear gloves in cold weather. Nail oil around the cuticle at night is nourishing.

I may be a little obsessed about nails !!!

Lupatria Wed 07-Feb-18 10:56:07

i have acrylic nails so they always look good even when it's close to "infill day".
at the moment i'm wearing gold nail varnish with glitter on top (just got to have bling!) - they get so many compliments.
i don't file my nails - just leave that to thr nsil technician.
but i always wear gloves whether washing up or gardening and use a good habd cream.

Marelli Wed 07-Feb-18 10:58:03

Like Kittylester, my nails split and peel. I just use nail clippers when they peel (always, and without fail, the forefinger of my right hand). I use BarryM nail hardener which is shiny and clear, and does help a bit if I manage to get a bit of length. Use lots of hand cream, too. I’ve just resigned myself to having no-nonsense - but clean - nails.

jacqui67 Wed 07-Feb-18 11:04:04

when i find the dam thing I will tell you, if I havenot forgotten that is.

LJP1 Wed 07-Feb-18 11:07:52

Flaky, weak or split nails can usually be helped back to strength with extra vit C over a month or two. Tablets are not as good as fresh oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, etc. as cooking destroys it.

Morgana Wed 07-Feb-18 11:22:38

Gosh I am impressed ladies!! Now I know what I have been doing wrong... I used to have lovely hands and nails when I was young, but now that my fingers are all distorted (arthritis) I don't like to draw attention to them by wearing nail varnish. Oh the joys of getting older!

Craftycat Wed 07-Feb-18 11:40:56

I have glittery SNS coating on my nails every 4 weeks so no need to do anything to them but I still keep a nail file handy- I just like to fiddle. Lovely glittery cerise at the moment.
Always were rubber gloves for housework

lovebeigecardigans1955 Wed 07-Feb-18 11:58:04

I've got nail clippers, scissors and two files - one is supposed to be the type which you can go in both directions with but not cause weakness, ha ha.
My nails have started splitting again at the edges so I brush then with a little oil each evening. It's too early to notice much difference from the terrible state they're in at the moment. Just think - at Christmas they were nice enough to actually put varnish on - perhaps that dried them up and made them weaker? The glamour was very short-lived.

Diggingdoris Wed 07-Feb-18 12:07:46

Emery board, glass nail file, sharp shaped scissors. I'm using them more since I've been taking vitamin d and biotin for my hair loss. So much so I have to manicure and cut toenails every few days!