Finding the time, or affording a professional manicure, can sometimes be out of our reach. Here are some tips to manage your own nails.

Nail Care 911

Keep a basic selection of nail products in your office drawer, in case of emergency. That way you will always have the right product ready for a chip, tear or touch-up.  You don't need the full range of products and colours, after all, this is just meant to be a 'rescue kit'.

Keep it simple by having the following emergency products on hand - hand cream, nail file, manicure pink nail varnish (try the Essie range available from pharmacies and Foschini), quick dry top coat, nail glue and nail varnish-remover wipes.

Try to buy these products in travel-sizes to avoid clutter. That way, it is also better, as your products will probably be used up before they spoil, as is the case with larger containers that don't get used often.

Stick it to me!

Have you ever considered stick-on nails? Well, we probably all played with them as kids, but these days they are the perfect solution to an instant manicure!  Try the range from Nailene, available in pharmacies and Clicks. They come in a variety of lengths (shorter is better for work), and they look incredibly natural. Just find the right size for your finger and use the glue provided.

Bold and beautiful nails

If you are painting your nails in a dark or bright colour, remember that this always looks best on short nails.

A tip is to use a cuticle oil around the cuticles first, which will prevent the dry cuticles from soaking up the nail varnish, giving you a cleaner final look. Cuticle oil is now also available in a felt-tip pen-applicator, which is brilliant for a quick and fuss-free application.

If you have ridges in your nail, then you should apply Ridge Filler which applies just like a nail varnish, but actually fills the tiny ridges and smoothes the entire nail before applying any colour.  The best version of Ridge Filler I have used is from Mavala, available at Dis-Chem pharmacies and Clicks. Remember to also apply a base coat, as this will prevent your natural nail from staining.