Sanding Blocks
11
Hands and fingernail are your showcase and that's why your manicure should be done flawlessly. Whether you wear extended nails in intensive colours or apply just conditioner or transparent polish, its worth having a sanding block in your vanity case.
What are nail sanding blocks and why is it worth using them?
Sanding blocks are files having two or four sanding sides. They are used for polishing nails and their effect is much milder than that of traditional files. They softly matte the surface of the nail plate, resulting in better polish or conditioner adhesion and improved durability. Blocks are also a great way to slightly whiten discoloured nail plate. They prove themselves when removing any residue left by hybrid lacquer. They may also serve for maintaining proper hand hygiene - by using them you can quickly get rid of bacteria and viruses settling on your nails. Polishing nails gives them beautiful, natural shine and levels their surface. A sanding block is a must-have, regardless of the manicure type you want to do.
Which sanding block to choose?
Sanding blocks appear in many variants differing from each other in gradation, being the size and quantity of grains. We distinguish following types of sanding blocks:
- 80–100 coarse-grained. Serve, among others, to remove hybrids.
- 100–180 medium-grained. They are used for nail shortening and hybrid or gel stylizations.
- 240–500 light-grained. They allow for soft smoothing of natural nail and finishing hybrid, acrylic or gel stylizations.
- 600+ This is a gradation meant for polishing and matting.
How to polish fingernails?
Start from choosing the right gradation. Before beginning, remember that your nails have to be completely dry. You don't want to damage them and polishing a wet layer may drastically affect the nail plate. When you're ready and holding a block in your hand, make sure that you apply equal force to each part of the nail. Don't forget to polish areas near the cuticles and the beginning of the nail. Those areas are the hardest to get to, at the same time being most susceptible to lacquer tearing. Remember that you shouldn't polish nails more often than one in every two weeks.