Add to your nail know-how with pointers from New York-based celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann.
What is the best nail shape for wearing dark colours?
"A lot of women think they have to have long nails to wear dark colours. I recommend keeping them short and not too square. Filing the edges into an oval shape makes your nails and your fingers look longer and more elegant."
How do you prevent staining your nails?
"A base coat is key. Never paint your nails a dark colour without one! A ridge-filler base coat is especially effective. It's slightly thicker and will keep pigment farther away from the nail."
How do you prevent nails from peeling?
"Nails peel either because they are dehydrated -- in which case I recommend using a rehydrating base coat with aloe vera -- or because you're filing them incorrectly. Always file in one direction and preferably with a cardboard file. The metal ones are too abrasive."
Why does nail colour bubble?
"Bubbling comes from applying your nail colour too quickly or too thickly. Before you paint, make sure that the nail surface is oil-free and dry. And don't shake the bottle too hard! Instead, try mixing the varnish by rolling the bottle between your palms."
What's the biggest nail-grooming misconception?
"Women think that their cuticles have to be cut in order to look groomed. I always tell them, 'You shouldn't be cutting them!' The cuticle is a barrier that keeps bacteria from entering the body. When you trim it, you are opening your body to infection. You also don't want to damage the matrix under the cuticle because this is where nail growth takes place."
