TIPS nail Conditioner

Beauty Blog by Lisa - TIPS from head to toe!: TIPS Nail

TIPS nail Conditioner

Nail Care Tips / January 13, 2023

Have a questions about one of our services or products? Take a look through some of our most frequently asked questions below. If you don’t see the answer you need don’t hesitate to give us a call.

No! A Shellac or gel manicure should never harm your natural nails. With the proper application and removal, your nails should remain in the same condition you started with. Some clients may notice white patches on their nails occasionally; this is due to dryness. To combat this, regularly apply a cuticle oil or conditioner on your nails. We recommend CND Solar Oil or Burts Bees Lemon Cuticle Balm. This is a great practice to maintain healthy flexible nails all year round!

No! Acetone is NOT harmful to your nails or your skin. Acetone is, in fact, natural and found in trees and plants. It is also found in our own bodies! It is a solvent produced to help us break down fat. There are many “non-acetone” nail polish removers on the market that claim to be the healthier alternative; they are misleading. “Non-acetone” removers can be comprised of irritating dyes, fragrances and fillers that are completely un-natural. Because it is a solvent, acetone may temporarily dry your nails. After use, moisture is easily restored with a cuticle oil or conditioner (see above recommendations).

No! and No! Three scientific experts recently de-bunked this myth by conducting a study to measure the amount of UVA and UVB exposure you receive from an average UV manicure. Here are the facts: If you had one manicure every two weeks, the amount of UVB (burn) exposure is equivalent to spending an extra 4-6 minutes in the sun and the amount of UVA (age) exposure? An extra 2 minutes. You are more vulnerable to UV exposure during your lunch break outside or your car ride to work than you are during your shellac manicure.

Yes. There is NO evidence that implies any product used during a manicure (UV, acrylic or otherwise) is harmful to the mother or the fetus. A doctor who will advise you otherwise is referring to the sanitary concerns that arise from salons and spas that do not properly disinfect their implements, use proper nail products or maintain a clean and well-ventilated atmosphere. To ease your fears, refer to our next FAQ:

We at Tips Nail Bar & Spa take your health very seriously. We disinfect using only the methods as prescribed by the Ontario Ministry of Health. After a thorough scrub with soap and water, all used implements and stainless steel basins are disinfected for ten minutes; the implements in 70% alcohol and the basins with a 10% bleach and water solution. During our waxing services, we employ wooden spatulas and NEVER re-use them. Our spa towels are replaced in between clients and are washed with bleach. Our environment is well ventilated and cleaned many times throughout the day and always in-between clients. We take pride in our spotless spa atmosphere and it is our pleasure to provide you with treatments that are, not only fabulous and long lasting, but also safe. Relax; you’re in good hands.

From the beginning, we have always provided our manicure service without the use of a soaking bowl. When we immerse our nails in water, the nail plate temporarily expands and it takes 24 hours for them to return to their natural state. After you have applied polish to expanded nails, when the nails reduce to their normal size, the polish will react by chipping. Another positive that a dry manicure affords is precise grooming. Similar to our nail plates, when soaked in water, our skin puffs up and tends to hide dry skin and imperfections where we cannot see and fix them. A dry manicure is the simple answer to the healthiest nails and the longest-lasting polish ever!

Though each client’s needs may vary, on average, we recommend a full spa manicure service once every two weeks and a spa pedicure once every four weeks. Because our hands are more vulnerable to daily-wear (i.e. washing dishes, gardening), they tend to require more maintenance. Our feet, however, can withstand a bit more time in-between services, as we tend to keep them protected in our shoes. To freshen your nail polish and to keep your nails neatly filed amid appointments, we advise our “Speedy” manicure. This will ensure healthy, enviable hands all-year-round.

Nail polish, when applied with the necessary base and top coat, can take up to 24 hours before it is 100% fully dry. This does not mean you cannot use your hands or feet during this time. Nail polish becomes superficially dry after 20 min; meaning, dry to the touch. However, keep in mind that it is merely the top two layers that have set. We recommend being cautious using your hands with sharp objects like car keys or pins. In the case of pedicures, we recommend that you ALWAYS wear open-toe shoes for the spring, summer and fall months. For a winter pedicure, we advise that you stay 1hr after your appointment to relax while your polish dries. Before you leave, we are happy to wrap your toes in light plastic to ensure that the polish does not smudge once you have put your winter boots back on.