Jessica Phenomen oil

I'm breaking the silence! I'm so sorry I've been so quiet after Christmas, I don't know what happened really! I have no excuses! But here we are! The first post of 2015! After the nail art challenge I did throughout December, changing polishes every 2-3 days, it is safe to say that my nail were in pretty poor condition afterwards. Having that much remover and paint on it can really dry then out, so today's post will be on my nail detoxification! Perfect for a New Year detox post (even of it is slightly overdue)

The Jessica phenomen oil (good play on words) is a best seller at work, and I've always wondered why people buy it so quickly, surely it's just an oil?? I use oil regularly on my nails, and see a small difference but nothing that makes me frantically run to the shops and demand for which some of the phenomen oil customers do. I fancied a change, so decided to try a smaller version if the oil which was in a leftover Christmas set for £9.00.

I'm not sure what's in the oil, but there is undoubtably some almond oil in there from the recognisable smell, and the little poppet applicator makes it easy to apy with little mess. I have to admit, that this has really made a difference to my nails! They are much healthier and peeling less which is my most common nail problem. I don't know if almond oil is a better type of oil for nails, but it certainly seems to have worked wonder on mine. I also really like the smell of almond as I'm a real lover of marzipan, so I look forward to applying it on my nails just before I go to bed at night, as I really look forward to it! 

Rubbing oil into your nails helps to keep them hydrated and flexible so they don't snap. It helps to soften the cuticles, and the motion if rubbing it in stimulates nail growth. It's a really good habit to get into, and if you use a hand cream afterwards, you'll have soft supple hands!

Mavala

A few weeks ago, I told you I had been doing a course for the Swiss nail company Mavala in order to become a professional manicurist. It was hard work but I enjoyed every second and I found out last week I passed my exam and am now a professional nail technician :)

Sporting my Mavala T shirt

As you can imagine, I have been working very closely with all of their products, and thought I would share some of my favourite products with you, and how to use them so you can get the full benefit of them. So here are my top 3 Mavala products!

In third place I have the Lightening scrub mask.

 This is perfect for nails that have been subjected to lots of nail polish and no base coat, causing them to be discoloured and yellow. The scrub comes with a cute little nail brush, which you use on the nail to exfoliate the surface. To be used weekly, the scrub contains diatomaceous earth which are tiny shells of microscopic seaweed, which gently exfoliate the nail plate, and cuticles. It also contains lemon extract which brightens up the nail leaving it smooth, strong and bright.

In second place is Nailactan and Mava-flex (2 products, similar job)

Like your face, nails need moisture to remain flexible and strong. Nailactan does just this, as it feeds the nail plate all the amino acids and keratin that make up the nail, and lets them look healthy and nourished. Like a facial moisturiser, Nailactan should be used daily, and works best on bare nails, although it can penetrate through enamel. Alternatively,  Mava-flex works like a facial serum, and goes down to the deeper layers of the nail. A new step in the Mavala manicures is to apply Mava-flex before applying nail colour which may seem strange as it is an oily substance. However the nail drinks up the serum in seconds and with a quick wipe of a tissue you would never have known it was there, so you can continue applying your base coat and colour. Mava-flex is great before applying nail colour as it keeps the nail nourished while is has the colour on.

First place..... Oil Seal Dryer

Oil seal dryer is a fantastic little invention which is applied gently after the top coat, to leave nails touch dry in a few seconds. It REALLY does work and you can also use it quite liberally as the oil moisturises the cuticles whilst its there. A must for anyone who has no time to sit and wait for nails to dry!

Whilst I'm here, I also thought I'd show you the array of colours Mavala have to offer. They have every colour in every kind of shade!

I am certainly not done using these products so look out in the future for some more posts on Mavala!