Celebrity nail artist Leah Light on how to get strong, beautiful nails
CELEBRITY nail artist Leah Light got her big break doing Katy Perry’s nails. Here she shares her tips on how to make sure your nails are always #onfleek.
CELEBRITY nail artist Leah Light got her big break years ago when a client introduced her to Katy Perry.
She did Perry’s nails and since then, she’s tended to the claws of women like Taylor Swift, Rita Ora, Lorde and Pammy Anderson.
Here, she shares her tips for how to have strong, beautiful nails all the time.
What should we look out for at a salon to know it’s super safe and hygienic, or that we should turn and run?
Make sure you can’t see dirty nail files and that there are no nail clippings. Make sure the nail salon looks clean and tidy and is dust-free. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about where they trained and how long they have trained for, what kind of experience the salon has got and whether they are all qualified.
I think education is key. If you feel pain when they are doing your nails, say ‘stop’. Nails shouldn’t hurt, ever. It’s like going to the hairdresser and getting your hair done — it shouldn’t hurt. If they are using products that aren’t labelled or decanted, that’s not a good sign.
What is the worst that could happen if you visit an unhygienic salon?
There are so many things that could go wrong. Obviously health issues are an issue when you are dealing with somebody. If a therapist is unhygienic and uneducated it is a deadly combination, because you have to remember there are so many blood diseases that can be transferred, like hepatitis.
On top of that, you have to look at bacterial and fungal infections. So education is very important in a salon. If you get cut with a nail file, it can be dangerous. But that’s rare and doesn’t happen often. The main thing that tends to go wrong is overfilling.
How long should you leave nail polish on your nails?
It is OK to leave it on for however long you like, but using a top coat and base coat is essential.
Unless it starts to chip and look a bit nasty, then you should take it off! As long as you are using a good base and top coat, you are pretty safe.
Also, you don’t need to rest between gel polish [manicures]. As long as they are removed correctly you shouldn’t have a problem.
How can we make normal nail polish last longer?
A decent base and top coat are really important, but also using a good oil. The brand SCHOLL have an amazing oil called Nail Care Oil which has seven nourishing oils in it. It will actually help maintain your nail polish. The more you use nail oil the better.
You put it on as you would apply nail polish and then you rub it into your cuticle. It’s like a moisturiser for your skin. I tell people to buy two or three and put them where you can see them. Every time you look at the bottle, put it on your nails.
What will be the Spring/Summer nail trends this year?
White is the perfect colour for spring and summer. It’s crisp, it’s clean, it looks so beautiful when it is on. You can be a young girl or a professional woman — it just looks clean. Cobalt blues are also in and for nail art you are looking at negative spacing which is still really in.
How to make my nails stronger and look well groomed?
The electronic nail care system from Scholl is amazing at keeping your nails looking well-groomed. It is like the old school three-way buffers, but made super easy.
It has step by step exactly what you need to do to create a natural shine on your natural nail. It makes your nails look healthy, shiny and beautiful. The product is also really safe to use at home.
What is the nastiest nail thing you have ever seen?
Design wise — bubble nails — (note: you must Google this!) It’s acrylic built up into a bubble. This should never be a trend. It looks a bit like a disease!
MORE: How to avoid scary nails
Is there any truth to the rumour that shellac is actually carcinogenic?
No. What you need to remember is that 99.9 per cent of nail products are totally safe and won’t damage you.
There is the odd dodgy brand that might come out. They wouldn’t design anything that would damage your nail or hurt you. If you go through the scientific routes — it is absolutely safe for nails.
How do you prevent split nails, and what are THOSE white dots?
Hydration — oil, oil, oil! And also making sure you have a good amount of protein in your diet. The white dots are similar to bruises — like air bubbles and trauma.
Why does the price of a Shellac manicure vary at different places?
It’s like anything: To buy the quality brands, it will cost more. More often than not, studios will pass that on.
Is there a trick to stop biting your nails?
It is a bad habit — I send my clients who bite their nails into a nail rehab where they come in for gel polish treatments and we try to help them stop biting their nails.
How do you find affordable salons with the best-treated workers?
Speak to the distributor of a product and ask who they recommend. So that you know you are getting quality.
What is your number one DO and number one DON’T, for nails?
DO: Use oil
DON’T: Cut cuticles! They are designed to protect you.
What nail polish brands do you recommend for women in Australia?
Colour Club, Faby, and Butter London.
Leah is an ambassador for Scholl. Follow her on Instagram, @nailsbyleah, or check out her website.