Nail Repair: From acrylics to healthy, natural nails

Stripped of acrylics and in need of love

Meet Leslie.  She's been wearing acrylic nails for 26 years and has decided to stop. Why?  Although she loved the hard core nature of her acrylics and their ability to bang away on key boards non-stop, fierce un-chippability, and relatively low maintenance,  the winter woes she went through was just too much.  Every winter, Leslie's acrylics would lift from the nail surface resulting in lots of pain and salon visits for repair.  So she's about to venture on a nail repair regime to get back to her natural, healthy nails.

She's currently on week four and feeling much better.  "The first week was awful, the nail bed is soft and my nails are sensitive to almost everything."  But weeks two and three were much easier, and at week four, Patrick was finally able to file and paint.  "I'm adhering to his plan, and every day they look better," she says.  

Want to embark on a nail repair care journey yourself?  Here are Patrick's suggestions to help you with the process.

Patrick says: It is important to keep the nails well groomed and cared for during your process. 3 easy steps to healthier, happy, stronger nails.

1. Hydrate 

2. Moisturize 

3. Exfoliate

Products to use

• A cuticle oil - if you have this already use daily.
• Cuticle remover - Blue cross/Blue shield makes a great one.  Apply prior to step three in process below.
• Moisturizer - Use your Moroccan Oil. This is awesome for the nails and the cuticles on both hands and feet.

Leslie's nails after week one, moisturized, manicured, and ready to heal!

Get Started - Week One

Go see Patrick at Nomi Spa and tell him you want to venture your way to healthier nails, he'll get you started then you can follow these daily steps for the first week:

1. Hydrate - This will happen when you shower or bathe and can be helpful in the process.

2. Moisturize - Any oil base will do. If you have a cuticle oil, place on nails prior to getting ready each morning.  Moroccan Oil is great for this.

3. Exfoliate - Use a buffer.  Make sure you only exfoliate the cuticle area and don't buff the nail bed.

4. Apply base coat - Turn back Time from Deborah Lippmann followed by top coat - Incognito by wHet daily

Check back next week for your nail care steps for the following weeks, week 2-4!  Good luck on your healthy nail journey!
~Kirsten