Today I’m going to talk about two of my favourite things — manicures and blowouts… and the tragedy that they only last so long. There is no better feeling than to sit in a salon chair and have someone whisper (read: scream, over the noise of the hair dryer) sweet nothings in your ear, like, “would you like it curled in, out or straight?” I’m instantly transported to heaven when the stylist individually pets each strand of my hair and buffs my nails till they shine like a disco.
Here, I am seated on a cloud of candy fl oss and am fed peeled grapes, tacos and margaritas by Julio, a sexy shirtless cabana boy who’s English vocabulary is limited to “you very beautiful, princesa,” and “another margarita?” Anyway, my point is — why don’t they last longer? Why does this beautiful feeling go away so soon, and you’re left looking at chipped nails and limp hair that cries for some suds? This column is issued in public interest, and I’m going to share some of my secrets to make these fairy feelings last till the end of time. You can consider this as my good deed for the week. Use a cotton swab to wipe your nails with vinegar before applying the base coat. This is quite sneaky, and removes any excess oil that can sabotage your mani.
It’s also better to apply lots of thin coats instead of one thick coat, because that will dry in patches leaving you vulnerable to smudges. The top coat also works better if it’s applied on still wet tips, so it seeps through the polish and blends nicely. If you’ve ever woken up the morning after a manicure with serious damage, it could be because of B3F, which is the trend in nail paints. This stands for “Free from formaldehyde, DBP & Toluene.” Now chemistry has never been my strong suit, but this means that if your top and base coat isn’t B3F, they will dry faster than the polish, which can lead to unhappy tips and smudges. Always check! It’s time for your Rapunzel tresses.
Hair products only weigh you down, so if you’re trying to be Queen of Blowouts, wait till day three to use any. With dry shampoo being the go-to product, (I’m in love with the Batiste range) people often forget about dry conditioner — which is essentially like fabric softener for your hair. Change your life and hair with TIGI’s Rockaholic Dirty Secret, and thank me later. In case you hadn’t already noticed, your hair turns into a glorious tangled mess with each nap you take, but this can be avoided by holding your tresses up loosely with a large, fabric hair tie. Not elastic — you don’t want unnatural creases. Alternatively, wrap your hair in a silk scarf and befriend volume spray. Also, do us all a favour and book that spa appointment — you deserve it!
(The writer’s interests include oversharing, wine and period dramas)