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Is Nail Buffing Bad for the Nails:Updated

Buffing the nails is great for smoothing out ridges in the nails and achieving a nice high shine without using nail polish.

 Here are my nails buffed up and oiled. It looks like I am wearing clear nail polish! The bonus with buffing is, there is shine with no chipping or peeling polish to worry about.
shiny buffed nails
Plus, buffing actually stimulates circulation to the fingertips promoting nail growth which is good but, there is a down side. 

Is Nail Buffing Bad for the Nails?

Buffing takes a bit thickness away from the nails which can be bad unless you have thick nails. Nail cells are actually buffed off of the nail plate during the buffing process. The more you buff, the thinner nails get leaving them prone to breakage. 

 If you have thick nails, really, there's nothing to worry about with normal buffing. Average nails can handle buffing as long as it is done thoughtfully. Those with thin nails need to take it easy on the buffing or not do it at all.

How do you buff your nails?

There are lots of different kinds of nail buffers. There are electronic buffers, nail file type buffers, block buffers and chamois buffers.

Electronic Buffers
emjoi callus remover with manicure kit
Electronic buffers (electric nail drills) spin and offer different attachment heads so you can file as well as buff your nails. I'm not so crazy about them because it's too easy to go too far. The Emjoi Nano Callous Remover with Manicure Kit is an example of an electronic buffer.
Nail File & Block Buffers
tropical shine 4-way nail buffer

 Nail file type buffers and block buffers have 3 or 4 different grit surfaces. I've even seen 8 way buffers, which I think is just over kill!

 You start with the roughest surface on the buffer and work your way to the smoothest to create a high shine. 

 Nail file style buffers are my favorite style buffers because I think they are easy to use.

The Tropical Shine 4-Way Nail Buffer gives you 4 different numbered and clearly marked surfaces so you know exactly which surface to start on and move on to.

Chamois Buffers
Chamois buffers are those old fashioned buffers. 
chamois nail buffer

They are usually made of leather or some other animal skin. They are not the way to go if you are a vegetarian, cruelty free, animal lover like me. 🐇🐈🐕 

A buffing cream or paste is applied to the nails before the buffing process to supply some grit. The chamois is then used to shine up the nails.

 Click here to shop for Nail Buffers on Amazon

How long does it take to buff a nail?

On the initial buffing, you can spend about 3 to 5 minutes on one nail to achieve a high shine. Maintenance buffing only take about a minute per nail.

How often should the nails be buffed?

Once the nails have been buffed smooth and shiny, my advice is to keep addition nail buffing down to a minimum.

Maintenance buff as little as possible once you have achieved a shine using the smoothest side of the buffer.

Apply nail/cuticle oil to add more shine to your nails. One of my favorite cuticle oils is Cuccio Revitalizing Cuticle Oil.

 You will probably need to gently shine your nails up every other week.

 Buffing your nails is an easy way to add shine without the use of nail polish. It also increases circulation to the nails beds which promotes healthy nail growth. The nails are always growing. If you have over buffed your nails, they will grow out and return to their normal strength. You just need to be patient. It takes the nails 5 to 6 months to grow from the cuticle area to the free edge. Enjoy your healthy shiny nails!

        Have a Beautiful Day! 
xo
Jill
Licensed Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Makeup Artist

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